The Nuns travel up the M1 tomorrow to take on 6th placed Derby as they look to get back to winning ways having picked up back to back defeats in the league recently for the first time this season. The reverses have also seen the Nuns slip from 1st to 3rd trailing Broadstreet by 4 points and Sheffield by 2 with just three games to go. Derby also come into the game on the back of two defeats, most recently against Longton 33-32. They have picked up 10 defeats and 13 losses so far this year. When the two sides met at Liberty way the Nuns came away with a 34-31 win having trailed 19-0 and then 31-12.

The Saxons are also playing Derby tomorrow at 3pm on the number 1 pitch. Last weekend they defeated Broadstreet 2s 36-5 and remain 2nd in the league, 4 points behind Hinckley.

The Colts are away to Stratford in the league play offs.

Team news: Adam Woodfield comes in at tight head prop with Ben Holmes moving back to loose head this week. Scott Makepeace is ill and James Moreton and Todd Bullions both picked up concussions last weekend and so Matt Gibbs returns to the squad in the second row and it is a first start on the back row for Danny Southall. In the back line Tom Smitham comes in at scrum half with Huw Thomas moving out to fly half. Moses Liwaliwa and Rob Cook are in the centres with Tim Douglas (ribs) and Theo Knight (knee) both injured. The back three is the same as last week. Callum Grant-Smith and Brad Darlaston will make league debuts from the bench.

Squad to play Derby RFC, away 3pm:

1 Ben Holmes
2 Dan Oselton
3 Adam Woodfield
4 Matt Gibbs
5 Llyr Griffiths
6 Rudi Reid
7 Danny Southall
8 Umraan Dixon-Jadwat
9 Tom Smitham
10 Huw Thomas
11 Ollie Kitto
12 Moses Liwaliwa
13 Rob Cook
14 Jackson Hughes
15 Kane Nixon
Replacements: Nick Smith, Callum Grant-Smith, Brad Darlaston

Saxons to play Derby RFC, number 1 pitch 3pm:

Sam Greening, Ryan Leake, Lewis Wilson, Adam Ross, Chris Smith, Tom Aherne, Ben Higgins, George Wallis, Sam Barratt, Leighton Norton, Matt Guilfoyle, Adam Stauvers, Lewis Wrigley, Dhillon Taylor, Manasa Volaikisuva, Jack Darlaston, Josh Harrison, Ryan Southall

National 3 Midlands - Round up

Week 2 - 25th March

Broadstreet won the battle of the top two and Nuns slip to third. Sheffield go second after their expected win over bottom club Syston. Peterborough Lions kept up the pressure on the top 3 with a win over Birmingham & Solihull. Old Halesonians lost at home to an inspired Bridgnorth. Derby lost a close game at Longton 33-32. Lichfield scored 45 points against Towcestrians. Sandbach drew with Bedford Athletic who now join Syston as relegated.

Week 24 - 1 April

Bedford Athletic (13th) v Sheffield (2nd) - Away win, but wish Ath could do us a favour.
Birmingham & Solihull (5) v Sandbach (10) - B & S have won their last 8 home games. Home win.

Bridgnorth (9) v Peterborough Lions (4) - Away win, unless they get lost en route.
Broadstreet (1) v Old Halesonians (8) - The only question is “by how many?”
Derby (6) v Nuneaton (3) - Nuns have lost 3 of their last 5. Away win.
Lichfield (7) v Longton (12) - Home win.
Towcestrians (11) v Syston (14) - Home win.

Anchorman