NVL Preview: 5th and 6th October - Cannons first to fire in new season

Last weekend’s National Shield matches ensured that a handful of clubs have already tasted competitive action after the summer break, but that number will climb significantly following Saturday and Sunday’s matches. 

Kicking off the weekend on Saturday morning will be NVL newcomers Sheffield Springers, who host Urmston Grammar at the All Saints Sports Centre in a Men’s Division 3 North West encounter, while Lincoln Cannons entertain Ashfield Vipers in Women’s Division 3 Central. 

Both games are part of triangular fixtures, with York Vikings and Coventry and Warwick Riga 2, making up the round-robin fixtures in each case. 

Rhinos Volley Cambridge will begin life in Men’s Division 2 Central following promotion from Division 3 South East last season with a trip to Loughborough Students. 

There is an interesting fixture at the Ruth Gorse Academy in Men’s Division 1 as Leeds Gorse, relegated from the Super League at the end of last season, face an Exeter Storm side who have come up from Division 2 South. 

Bristol, who finished as champions just ahead of their West Country rivals, start their lives at the higher level by facing London Baks. 

Far more games take place on Sunday, with Tendring, who welcome Richmond 3 in Women’s Division 3 South West, and Wombourne against Black Country 2 in Men’s Division 3 North Central the earliest starters. 

They are followed by two more matches at each venue in triangulars which also respectively feature NVL newcomers Worthing and GNG Bedford.

Exeter will face another northern team in their weekend double header in Men’s Division 1, this time against Hull Thunder and the other fixtures in the same division pairs Tamworth Spartans with Lincoln Cannons and Cambridge ARU with the aforementioned Bristol. 

Cheltenham and Gloucester lost their season opener in the National Shield to Phoenix, so will be looking to fare better in their first league encounter following promotion as they visit Oxford Eagles in Women’s Division 2 West.  

An East Midlands derby in Men’s Division 3 North Central matches up Leicester and Darkstar Derbyshire 2 is one part of a triangular also involving Tamworth Spartans 2. 

Another triangular features a cross-Pennies ‘War of the Roses’ clash between Manchester Moss Side Jaguars and Leeds Gorse 2 in Women’s Division 3 North, as well Hull Thunder, who missed out on promotion last season in the play-offs and will hope to go one better this time.

Action images by Liam Jefferies