The Nuns are in home action tomorrow for the first time since the end of January as they host 4th placed Birmingham/Solihull. Both teams come into the game on the back of wins having slipped up the round before. Once the Nuns found their rhythm against Bedford they scored 39 unanswered points and Bees defeated Longton 30-10. When the two sides met earlier in the season Bees took the spoils 16-12 in a tight game and it is expected to be another one tomorrow. Bees have won 14, drawn once and lost 5 games with 6 bonus points to sit on 64 points and 10 points behind the Nuns. It will also be a match up of the two best defences in the league with Nuns conceding 318 and Bees 319.

The club also welcomes the first of two former Player Re-Unions this month. It will be great to see the clubhouse packed before and after the game and the team will be looking to put on a performance for them to cheer.

Thanks to the Match Ball Sponsor – Paul Mitchell Home Improvements Ltd

The Saxons will be looking to bounce back from a hard fixture last weekend against Hinckley when they travel to Bees. Last weekend they went down 20-10 in a game when they created chances to win but didn’t finish them off. They remain second in the league but Hinckley are now 8 points ahead although they have played one more game.
The Colts are away to Market Bosworth and the club is hosting Manor Park 2s against Evesham 2s on number 2 pitch.

Team news: there is just one change to the team that started at Bedford with Jackson Hughes, who dropped out late with illness, returning on the wing. Nick Smith and Tom Smitham are back in the squad alongside Llyr Griffiths on the bench.

Squad to play Birmingham/Solihull RFC, number 1 pitch 2pm:

1 Ben Holmes
2 Dan Oselton
3 Jon Pateman
4 James Moreton
5 Scott Makepeace
6 Todd Bullions
7 Dave Melville
8 Umraan Dixon-Jadwat
9 Huw Thomas
10 Rory Vowles
11 Theo Knight
12 Timothy Douglas
13 Rob Cook
14 Jackson Hughes
15 Rhodri Adamson

Replacements: Nick Smith, Llyr Griffiths, Tom Smitham

Saxons away to Birmingham Solihull Hornets – 2.15pm:

James Redman, John Graham, Adam Woodfield, Ryan Leake, Adam Ross, Chris Smith, Tom Aherne, Matt Gibbs, Lewis Wilson, Danny Southall, Leighton Norton, Rudi Reid, Marcus Holt, Brad Darlaston, Dhillon Taylor, Brad Whitmore, Lewis Wrigley, Adam Stauvers, Moses Liwaliwa, Manasa Volaikisuva, Ryan Southall, Arran Rogers

National 3 Midlands – Round-up

Week 20 - 18th February
Nuns eventually ran out easy winners at Bedford and stay top of N3M. Broadstreet stretched their unbeaten run to 9. Sheffield couldn’t cope with the in-form Peterborough Lions. Birmingham & Solihull beat Longton. Old Halesonians won at Syston. Towcestrians couldn’t hold Sandbach. Bridgnorth won an important game at home to Lichfield.

Re-arranged fixture - 25th February.

Old Halesonians 19 Sheffield 42.

Week 21 - 4th March.
Derby (7th) v Towcestrians (8th) - Both have slipped down the table recently. Derby to win this one.
Lichfield (9) v Broadstreet (2) - Can Lichfield cause an upset? No.
Longton (10) v Bridgnorth (12) - Longton at home might just be good enough.
Nuneaton (1) v Birmingham & Solihull (4) - Nuns to avenge 16-12 defeat at Portway in November.
Old Halesonians (6) v Bedford Athletic (13) - Old Hales to get the better of plucky Ath.
Peterborough Lions (5) v Syston (14) - Lions are unbeaten since 26 November. Home win.
Sandbach (11) v Sheffield (3) – Sheffield to win.

Anchorman