NVL Preview (7th and 8th December) - Knights and Trinity meet in Saturday Showdown

The university side remain the only team in the division yet to taste defeat, having won all four of their matches to date. 

But after a period of inactivity – last playing on 17th November – Sam Shenton’s team know they will have to hit the ground running against an Essex team who have lost just once in six games following promotion. 

The North East side have a further chance to make up for lost time on Sunday as they again host, this time taking on Coventry and Warwick Riga. 

Having played more games than a number of their rivals leaders Stockport will be aware they need a good result from the short trip to Everton Belugas if they are to stay in the frame at the top end of the table. 

But it will not be an easy game against the Liverpudlians, who finished their 2023-24 season strongly and competed well at the start of this campaign, particularly at home.  

Another well-placed team, London Giants will be strong favourites to secure another victory as they welcome bottom-of-the-table Southampton who are still fighting hard to get off the mark. 

Their conquerors last weekend, Richmond, will hope to draw confidence from that first success as they entertain Leicester Athena Phoenix. 

Leaders Manchester Marvels Mayhem take a rest in Division 2 North, giving their promotion rivals the opportunity to make up ground. 

The side they beat last weekend, Tamworth Spartans sit in third and will look to get back to winning ways when they host Sheffield on Sunday. 

First, though, second-placed The Miners, Doncaster will have revenge in mind when Newcastle Staffs visit on Saturday, having lost to the same team last weekend. 

Urmston Grammar will look to get their season off the ground when they take on Everton Narwhals in the division’s other game. 

There are two matches in Division 2 West, with both of the top two teams in action. 

Leaders Bedminster welcome Oxford Eagles to Bristol Brunel Academy, while their city rivals Bristol, currently second travel to Black Country, looking to add to their four victories from five matches. 

Cambridge lost out last week but will look to strengthen their lead at the top of Division 2 East against MK City in the division’s only game. 

In Division 3 North, a triangular pits hosts York Falcons against Hull Thunder and Chester Amazons. 

There are no less than nine matches across three triangulars in what are the final games of the calendar year in Division 3 Central. 

Unbeaten league leaders Wombourne and second placed Lincoln Cannons go head to head, with Leicester Athena Nova the other side involved. 

At Belper Leisure Centre, Darkstar Derbyshire 2 go head to head with Black Country 2 and Coventry and Warwick Riga 2. 

Nottinghamshire rivals Nottingham Rockets and Ashfield Vipers lock horns at Ashfield School, as Rhinos Volleyball Cambridge complete the triumvirate. 

A showdown in Division 3 South East on Saturday sees two unbeaten sides in Worthing and Sussex Dolphins vie for superiority, as Ashcombe Dorking provide the other opposition. 

A second triangular fixture, on Sunday, sees Tendring, Essex Ravens and Spelthorne Sharks meet. 

It is also a busy week in Division 3 South West, with two more triangular fixtures being staged. 

Unbeaten Reading Aces will hope to keep their promotion charge on track at Avanti Gardens School, but they will face a tough challenge in taking on Bristol 2, who are also undefeated, and Plymouth UTV. 

Second-placed Southampton are also in action, facing both Portsmouth, who have three wins from four, and Weymouth.

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Eight teams are in action in Men’s Division 1 across four matches, three of them on Saturday and one on Sunday. 

Runaway league leaders Leeds Gorse play host to London Baks while second-placed London Aces will also enjoy home court advantage against Newcastle Staffs and Tamworth Spartans entertain Exeter Storm. 

The final match of the weekend pairs Cambridge ARU with third-placed Black Country.  

There are no games in Division 2 North, but Loughborough Students have a double weekend in Division 2 Central, visiting Norwich Spikers (Saturday) and then leaders Rhinos Volleyball Cambridge (Sunday). 

Elsewhere, MK City, fresh from a first success of the season, play a Coventry and Warwick Riga side who will move up to second with a victory. 

Richmond Bucks will look to increase their lead at the top of Division 2 South when they take on struggling Wiltshire Mavericks. 

Hounslow and Cardiff Panthers will also do battle, with each of the two sides having claimed one win from three matches to date. 

With all teams having played six matches so far in Division 3 North Central, Sunday’s three triangular fixtures could prove pivotal. 

Unbeaten League leaders Nottingham Rockets welcome second-placed Leicester and third-placed Wombourne – who have each lost just once – to the Harvey Hadden Sports Complex. 

Wombourne 2 face Black Country 2 and Darkstar Derbyshire 2, while Chester tackle Tamworth Spartans 2 and GNG Bedford. 

In Division 3 North West, InterVolley Manchester, Manchester Marvels Marauders and Sheffield Springers are ready to do battle in a triangular. 

Leaders Onyx are in action in Division 3 South East as they play both Dartford Crossers and Tendring in a triangular. 

Also facing off are Worthing, Urbond Portsmouth and Essex Estonians. 

The final fixtures in Division 3 South West are both triangulars, where there is plenty to play for. 

Leaders Oxford Bulls will look to protect their perfect record after winning all of their opening six matches when they take on second-placed Bristol 2, who have a 5-1 record this season, and City of Bristol. 

At the Oasis Academy, Brislington, Bedminster take on Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 and Southampton 2. 

Newcastle Knights image by Noelia Fernandez Perez. Loughborough image by Nick Wingate.

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