Top three, bottom three?

Ealing, Cov, Bedford
(pushed by Doncaster)

Bottom

Caldy, Cambridge, Ampthill (cant see any team losing a play off either, so just 1 down) 

I think Wuss will sit comfortably mid table this season but, will push on and finish as Champions next season.

Chinnor to settle in top half

KnightsBoy wrote: No difference between bottom Champ and top Nat One

Absolutely agree. Chimp "B" - bottom 7 would fit nicely with top 7 of National One

No one enjoys going to Caldy or Amptill if they get home advantage in the play off. 

Bottom three will almost surely come from Cambridge, Nottingham, London Scottish, Richmond, Caldy and Chinnor but it is difficult to call

Last season Caldy's performances were a lot better than their results suggested and with what I expect to be a younger squad I back them to kick on somewhat this year. The restriction on the use of DRs could help the Ravers who generally only have two or three young Sale Sharks players in their match day squads, but as I consider that the wholesale use of DRs (as used by LS and the Mob in the last few seasons) to potentially be a disadvantage maybe this wont be particularly good news for Caldy.

The pipeline of new talent coming through at Paton Field continues to impress me and I can see at least 4 or 5 young players from last year's 2nd xv establishing themselves in the 1st xv match day 23. 

Whether this pipeline together with the addition of a few other players moving into the area will be enough to keep Championship rugby on the Wirral will provide real excitement and jeopardy at Paton Field. It is going to be tasty.

Chinnor, Richmond, Cambridge are the clubs most like Caldy with their very clear community identities and budgetary constraints (I would previously have included Ampthill in that list but with their recent reliance on DRs they appear to have moved away from that model in recent seasons). Personally I hope that together with Caldy these three clubs can stay in the Championship for another season and fly the flag for community focussed semi pro clubs.

Whatever transpires the Ravers and their supporters are sure to enjoy the journey and they will provide a warm welcome to Paton Field for all visiting teams and supporters and especially on Saturday 8th November when the newest of newbies will be enjoying some Bombay Bad Boy pot noodles for the first time