Super League and NVL preview (15th and 16th February) - North East derby has ramifications in race for Final 4

In the North East, the weekend starts early as Newcastle Knights host local rivals Durham Palatinates in a DYNAMIK Super League derby. 

Both sides are very much in the hunt for a Final 4 spot, with the visitors sitting in fifth and the hosts sixth with two games in hand. 

Both know that with no other matches in the division, a maximum points win for either will propel them into the top four above the University of Nottingham. 

It is the second time the teams have met in a matter of weeks after the Knights edged to a tense 3-2 victory in Durham at the end of January. 

The weekend sees two MAAREE Women’s Super League games involving those sides not in the cup, the first on Saturday pairing Cambridge ARU and Darkstar Derbyshire. 

It is a vital match for both in their quest to beat the drop as the bottom three sides will be relegated and the team in seventh facing a play-off against NVL Division 1’s second-placed side. 

Cambridge (seventh) and Darkstar (eighth) can’t move from their respective positions, but a win for either would strengthen their hand in a bid to finish sixth in ARU’s case and seventh in the case of the East Midlanders. 

Sunday’s match pits winless Wessex at home to Lionhearts Vinarius, who could move a step closer to sealing a Final 4 spot should they triumph. 

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It is a big day for two promotion chasing sides in Men’s NVL Division 1, with play-offs now looking their best route to the Super League next season. 

Fifth placed Newcastle Staffs, who have games in hand, host second-placed Black Country at the Stanley Matthews Sports Centre knowing that they realistically need to win to keep their aspirations of going up alive. 

They could also make up further ground on Sunday if they can defeat Tamworth Spartans on the road. 

However, should Black Country come out on top in Saturday’s match, they could go four points clear of third-placed Bristol. 

After last weekend’s defeat to leaders Manchester Marvels, King of Court could move back up to third in Division 2 North if they can win at Wigan Seahawks, while Leeds Gorse 2 visit bottom club Harrogate. 

There are no matches in Division 2 Central, but whoever triumphs in Saturday’s Division 2 South as Wiltshire Mavericks and Hounslow is likely to finish the day higher in the table. 

No matches are taking place across the various regions of Men’s Division 3. 

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It’s all to play for in Women’s Division 1, where promotion-chasing London Giants, in second place with games in hand, go to fourth-placed Stockport on Saturday. 

London Inter Crocs can move up a place to sixth take a massive step towards safety if they can beat bottom-of-the-table Southampton, but the visitors will be no pushovers after winning their first match of the season at Essex Trinity last week. 

Unbeaten league leaders Team South Wales can take another step towards promotion from Division 2 West if they can register an eighth success of the season when they visit Oxford Eagles. 

Norwich Spikers can’t advance any higher than their current fourth position in Division 3 East with victory over Onyx, but they could take their seasonal record to 5-5 with a victory. 

There are no matches in Division 3 North, but all the other regions at the level have fixtures. 

In Division 3 Central, Wombourne go into their triangular matches with Black Country 2 and Leicester Athena Nova knowing one more win from those matches would seal the title.  

Given they have won all 12 matches so far this season – and both their opponents are in the bottom half of the table – few would be against them achieving that target. 

Having moved to the summit last weekend, Sussex Dolphins can further strengthen their position in Division 3 South East when facing struggling Richmond 3 and Essex Ravens on Saturday. 

Third-placed Tendring are in action on Sunday, going head to head with Invicta and Dartford Warriors at Maidstone Grammar School. 

A single fixture in Division 3 South West sees Bristol 2 needing victory over Plymouth UTV if they are to maintain hopes of promotion. 

Action pic by Noelia Fernandez Perez

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