NVL Preview (25th and 26th January) - crunch fixture for Trinity and Giants

With Newcastle Knights still unbeaten at the head of the standings, neither side can afford to drop points, both in terms of sustaining a realistic challenge to the league leaders and in the quest for a play-off place. 

The two teams produced an exciting, five-set thriller when they met in mid-November, with the Giants eventually edging it in the decider, and another pulsating match could well be in prospect. 

Fourth-placed Everton Belugas will look to get back on track after defeat at Newcastle last week as they visit Leicester Athena Phoenix on Saturday, while bottom club Southampton will hope to go one better against Stockport after going to five sets last time out. 

A London derby at Haverstock School on Sunday will pair Richmond with London Inter Crocs, where both sides will be keen to secure the points in their quest to beat the drop. 

The bottom four teams in Division 2 West play each other seeking points to strengthen their respective standings. 

Cheltenham and Gloucester will hope to follow up their first win of the season last week with another as they host Oxford Eagles, while bottom-of-the-table Black Country welcome Cardiff Falcons. 

In Division 2 East, second-placed Northampton will hope to make up some ground on leaders Cambridge on Sunday when they go head to head with Dartford Chargers at Moulton College. 

The same can be said of Richmond 2 who will hope to boost their promotion hopes at home to Herts, while sixth take on seventh in the capital as Onyx face MK City at Kensington Aldridge Academy. 

Leaders The Miners Doncaster can stretch their advantage to five points in Division 2 North with a maximum haul against winless Urmston Grammar as rivals Manchester Marvels Mayhem are without a game. 

Third-placed Tamworth Spartans make the short trip to Loughborough Students, who are fourth, while Sheffield will play only the fifth game of the season at Newcastle Staffs. 

There are three triangulars in Division 3 South West, which includes the meetings on Saturday of unbeaten second-placed Reading Aces, Bedmsinter, in third, and Bristol 2, who are fourth. 

Leaders Southampton 2 have matches against Plymouth UTV and Portsmouth, while bottom three City of Bristol, Plymouth and Weymouth have the chance to pick up points as they meet at Bristol Brunel Academy. 

Nine matches will also be contested in Division 3 South East across three more triangulars in a division where no team is still unbeaten nor without a win. 

Leaders Worthing host Sussex Dolphins, who have only suffered one defeat this season, and Invicta. 

Second-placed Tendring take on hosts Ashcombe Dorking and Spelthorne Lions as Essex Ravens, Richmond 3 and Dartford Warriors also play. 

The three-triangular theme continues in Division 3 Central, where unbeaten leaders Wombourne will want to extend that run to 12 when they go up against Black Country 2 and Leicester Athena Nova. 

Second-placed Darkstar Derbyshire 2 will look to keep pace as they play third-placed Lincoln Cannons and Nottingham Rockets at Harvey Hadden Sports Complex. 

Rhinos Volleyball Cambridge entertain bottom two Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 and Black Country 2. 

The battle of the two unbeaten sides, Manchester Moss Side Jaguars and Leeds Gorse 3 is the highlight of the Division 3 North fixtures, with Chester Amazons the other team in the triangular. 

Both table-topping sides know the result in Ellesmere Port could be crucial in deciding the eventual champions given their all-conquering form against all other teams. 

The other triangular in the division pits Leeds Gorse 2 against Manchester Marvels Mystics and Newcastle Staffs 2. 

In Men’s Division 1, Leeds Gorse make their first appearance of 2025 on Sunday determined to carry on where they left off in 2024. 

They visit a Tamworth Spartans side struggling for form in recent weeks and know a 12th win in 13 league games could stretch their lead back out to nine points due to London Aces weekend inactivity. 

Black Country will be seeking to cut the gap to the second-placed captial side to four points with two games in hand by attempting to overcome Cambridge ARU at home, while Newcastle Staffs, in sixth but with plenty of games in hand, go to bottom side Hull Thunder. 

London Baks  tred the path already trodden by so many by when they visit Bristol and Exeter in the same weekend bidding to pull clear of the relegation zone. 

After suffering a surprise first defeat of the season last weekend, Southampton will be bidding to bounce back when they host Hounslow at Itchen College Sports Centre. 

Wessex could move to wthin a point of Richmond Bucks at the summit, with two games in hand, if they can get the better of Cardiff Panthers at Parkstone Grammar School. 

A maximum points victory for Coventry and Warwick Riga against Cambridge could see the West Midlanders go second in Division 2 Central, just two points shy of the Rhinos Volleyball Cambridge side they beat last week. 

Fourth-placed Norwich Spikers, who have a 5-2 record, could also make headway if they can make their trip to MK City a successful one, while Newmarket, in fifth, will also try to stay in the promotion race as they face second-from-bottom Northampton. 

Unbeaten Division 2 North leaders Manchester Marvels return to action on Sunday as they entertain Wigan Seahawks looking to make it a lucky seven victories. 

Second-placed Sheffield are in action a day earlier as they travel West to take on Newcastle Staffs 2, while Kings of Court Boston, in third, welcome a Harrogate side without a win in five. 

Darkstar Derbyshire 2 and Leeds Gorse 2 meet with both teams looking for a victory to help get their respective seasons up and running. 

Second-placed Bristol 2 host a Division 3 South West triangular against rivals City of Bristol and Southampton 2 looking to keep some kind of pressure on unbeaten leaders Oxford Bulls. 

In Division 3 South East, there are three triangular fixtures, one of which sees unbeaten league leaders Invicta take on second-placed Onyx and third-placed Dartford Crossers, which is likely to be vital for all three teams. 

Below that, fourth-placed Worthing face fifth-placed Tendring and also Essex Etonians, while Guildford International tackle London Wildcats and Urbond Portsmouth. 

It is also a busy weekend in Division 3 North West with three more triangular fixtures involving all nine of the division’s teams. 

Leaders Sheffield Springers and second-placed Liverpool, both having lost just once, go head to head on Merseyside, with Everton Dugongs preparing to play their city rivals at the third team in the mix. 

Third-placed Manchester Moss Side face a trip over the Pennines to go in search of successes against York Vikings and Sheffield 2. 

An all-Manchester triumvirate of Intervolley Manchester, Urmston Grammar and Manchester Marvels Marauders share court time at Dean Trust, Ardwick. 

Nottingham Rockets will seek to protect their unbeaten record in Division 3 North Central on Saturday when second-placed Leicester and Black Country 2 provide the opposition in the West Midlands. 

On Sunday, it’s third versus fourth as Chester meet Wombourne, with Tamworth Spartans 2 also in action.

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