RFU Championship Round Six Preview
Bedford Blues
This weekend’s RFU Championship action kicks off with a Yorkshire derby between Leeds Carnegie and Doncaster Knights on Friday night, kick-off 8pm at Headingley Carnegie.
Leeds, who crashed to a heavy defeat at Newcastle last time out, failed to beat Doncaster in any of their three meetings last season and have only won once in the last five fixtures between the sides.
Doncaster travel up the M1 still looking for their first win of the season after drawing 18-all at home to Cornish Pirates.
On Saturday, Moseley entertain Newcastle for the first time in a league rugby since the 1996-97 campaign – the last season (prior to the current campaign) that Newcastle found themselves in English rugby’s second tier.
Newcastle recorded big wins over Moseley both at home and away that season, winger John Bentley scoring a hat-trick in each game.
Newcastle won 75-9 in the away game and followed it up with an 88-19 success at Kingston Park - Va’aiga Tuigamala joining Bentley in scoring a hat-trick – on their way to promotion to the Premiership.
The sides have met since then – on January 3, 2000 - in what was known at the time as the Tetley’s Bitter Cup. Newcastle won 41-8.
Moseley will hope to get their first win at home this season at the third time of asking, both their victories to date have been on the road, the most recent coming at Bristol where they fought back from being 16 points down to win 22-21.
It was on December 12, 2009, that Plymouth and Bristol last enjoyed success at Bedford and Rotherham – their respective opponents on Saturday.
That victory for Albion at Goldington Road nearly three years ago – a 19-16 success – was the only time they have beaten the Blues in the last eight meetings.
But Nat Saumi’s in-form side head to Goldington Road in third, just one place below their opponents in the table, after recording their fourth win of the season against Rotherham.
Bristol, meanwhile, suffered a 44-6 hammering on their last visit to Clifton Lane on October 29, 2011. The two previous fixtures in South Yorkshire ended: Rotherham 22 Bristol 21 and Rotherham 0 Bristol 15.
London Scottish host Cornish Pirates on Saturday. The Pirates won both at home and away in the 2011-12 campaign.
The Exiles have conceded over 200 points this season – 54 of them coming away to Nottingham in round five.
The Green and Whites conclude the latest set of fixtures with a game against Jersey at Meadow Lane on Sunday.
Fixtures
Friday, October 5
Leeds Carnegie v. Doncaster Knights, 8pm Headingley
Saturday, October 6
Bedford Blues v Plymouth Albion, 3pm Goldington Road, Bedford
London Scottish v Cornish Pirates, 3pm Richmond Athletic Ground
Moseley v Newcastle Falcons, 3pm Billesley Common
Rotherham Titans v Bristol Rugby, 3pm Clifton Lane
Sunday, October 7
Nottingham v Jersey, 3pm Meadow Lane Stadium
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Bedford
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
