National Shield and NVL preview (28th and 29th September): New 2024-25 season up and running

There are 14 Shield contests on Saturday and another six on Sunday, with both days seeing a number of non-NVL teams in action. 

The University of Leeds are one such side, and they make the short trip to the Joseph Rowntree School to take on Division 3 North West’s York Vikings. 

Tonbridge (pictured below) will journey north to face Division 3 South West’s Reading Aces while South Hants host Division 3 South West Coventry and Warwick Riga 2.

Loughborough Students 2 are at home to fellow East Midlands club Nottingham Rockets of Division 3 North Central and Portsmouth United welcome Plymouth UTV Dragons. 

The Isle of Man (pictured top) will make the trip across the Irish Sea to play in Liverpool against Everton Dugongs and Birmingham City host Wombourne 2 at Aston University. 

In the capital, London Bears 2 entertain Cambridge while Watford will journey around the M25 to visit Surrey-based Division 2 side Spelthorne Lions. 

On Sunday, Newbury play host to Division 2 Central’s MK City and West Park Miners – whose women’s side won Division 3 North last season – travel west to face Liverpool. 

A West Midlands derby pairs Tamworth Spartans 2, who are joining Division 3 North Central for the new season, with Telford. 

All Women's National Shield matches take place on Sunday, starting with Nottingham Rockets' hosting of Newcastle Staffs.

Non-NV: side Farnborough welcome newly-promoted Cheltenham and Gloucester, while Birmingham City visit Loughborough Students.

In the NVL, Leeds Gorse start life in Men’s Division 1 following relegation from Super League last season with a double header in London, taking on London Aces on Saturday and newly-promoted London Baks on Sunday. 

The other two fixtures are women’s matches, with Leeds Gorse 3 and Leeds Gorse 2 meeting in Division 3 North at the Ruth Gorse Academy (Saturday) and newcomers Bedminster 2 hosting City of Bristol in Division 3 South West (Sunday). 

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