Super League Preview (14th, 15th and 16th March) - crucial week in hunt for women's Final 4 places

MAAREE Women’s Super League

Team SideOut host local rivals Malory Eagles in a crucial Final 4 decider, with both teams currently tied on 22 points.

Both sides know they likely need to win their remaining two matches and hope that Essex Rebels drop points. However, after a 3–0 defeat in Colchester last week, the pressure is mounting on Mark Kontopolous’ SideOut team.

It’s also a demanding period for the London side, who face a busy schedule in the coming weeks. Alongside their league fixtures, they have a National Cup semi-final against Durham Palatinates next weekend, before finishing the regular season against Essex. After a season of mixed form, it’s a challenging run-in.

Malory face a similarly demanding calendar, meeting Darkstar Derbyshire in the Cup before ending their league campaign against London Lionhearts.

Coach Carol Gordon said: “It’s always exciting reaching the end of the season with so much still to play for. The girls have worked incredibly hard this year, our roster has changed a little this year and, sadly, we lost two through injuries before Christmas. 

“Our squad brings us different options, which we have been exploring in the last few games. The coaching staff are proud of their success so far and look forward to these end-of-season battles in both the League and Cup. It's what we work for.

“SideOut are always a tough side and we enjoy the challenge of playing against them, but this time it’s crucial that we put everything we’ve learned this season into practice.”

Elsewhere in London, Lionhearts Vinarius will be looking to help out their capital rivals when they host Essex Rebels at Mulberry Shoreditch Academy on Saturday evening.

The sides played out a close contest earlier in the season, with Lionhearts pushing the Rebels close in a fifth set. Although Lionhearts can no longer reach the Final 4 or secure the safety of fifth place, they will still be aiming to finish the season strongly heading into the play-offs.

Their likely playoff rivals, Darkstar Derbyshire, could confirm Leeds Gorse’s relegation from the Super League with victory on Sunday at Derby University.

Like Malory and SideOut, Darkstar also face a demanding schedule. They meet Malory in a Cup semi-final next week before finishing their league season a week earlier than the rest of the division, with a home match against Newcastle Knights.

Head coach Audrey Cooper said: “We have a huge end to the season ahead that we’re really looking forward to.

“We have the chance to create history for Darkstar in the Cup semi-finals, as well as the Super League play-offs where we’ll be fighting to remain in the league. Our men’s NVL Division 2 team are also competing in a National Shield semi-final and have the opportunity to clinch the league title, so it’s an exciting period for the club.

“It’s a slightly unusual play-off structure this season, but we’ve been here before and have been building towards this match for some time. It’s an opportunity to finish the season strongly, continue developing our players, and make further progress in our three-year performance project with the University of Derby.”

Durham Palatinates will look to make it 13 wins from 13 matches on Monday night as they make the short trip to North East rivals Newcastle Knights.

The Knights could move closer to joining their male counterparts in the Final 4 if they manage to do what no team has done so far this season and defeat Durham.

Palatinates' Head coach Paul Welsh said: “We set our aims high at the start of the season and, so far, we’re on track to meet them. That said, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves and are continuing to take things one game at a time.

“The final month of the season is always demanding, so keeping the squad healthy and strong is a top priority. With the BUCS final coming up in two weeks, just three days after a Cup semi-final, the big games are coming thick and fast.

“The Final 4 will be a real challenge, and we know any team could cause problems in a semi-final. Ultimately, if we focus on playing our own game, that’s all we can control.”

DYNAMIK Men’s Super League

All three teams involved in the relegation battle are in action this weekend, with each needing victories to keep their play-off hopes alive.

Richmond Docklands host Essex Rebels, who are coming off the back of a 3–0 defeat to London Giants last time out. Richmond have not won since 6th December and know that another defeat would leave them struggling to avoid automatic relegation.

For the Rebels, a Durham Palatinates defeat this weekend would guarantee their Super League status for another year. If they also win, and Leeds Gorse defeat the University of Nottingham, the race for the Final 4 could go down to the final match of the season between Nottingham and Essex.

The two university sides met earlier this week in the BUCS semi-final, where Nottingham recorded a 3-0 victory. They will hope to repeat that result when they meet again on 28th March at the David Ross Sports Village.

Leeds cannot secure the safety of fifth place with just two matches remaining, but they can still avoid automatic relegation. The Yorkshire side benefit from playing their final two fixtures at home, hosting Nottingham this weekend before facing relegation rivals Durham on the final day of the season.

Leeds have been in strong recent form, taking a set from reigning champions London Giants and securing important wins over Richmond and Essex. These results have moved them to within one point of Durham in sixth place.

Durham Palatinates, meanwhile, have struggled in recent weeks and face a tough trip to Newcastle Knights on Monday night. Depending on this weekend’s results, their final match against Leeds could prove decisive.

Head coach Ross Enfield said: “It’s been a tough season for us and we know how important it is to finish these last two games strongly. There’s still plenty to play for, and the focus now is on making sure we perform when it matters most.

“Monday’s match against the Knights will be a real challenge. This will be the fourth time we’ve faced Newcastle in competitive matches this season and every encounter has been hard-fought. Shents (Knights' Head Coach Sam Shenton) always prepares his teams thoroughly, so we expect them to be well organised with a clear game plan.

“That said, we’re concentrating on our own performance and making sure we bring the intensity and discipline we need. The players know how important this match is in terms of securing our place in the Super League, and we’re determined to give everything we have in these final fixtures.”

At the top of the table, London Giants can extend their lead to three points — at least temporarily — when they travel to UEL to face Malory Eagles.

The Giants have been in excellent form, remaining undefeated since their 3-2 defeat to title hopefuls Newcastle in December. Their dominance was highlighted last weekend with a convincing 3-0 victory over Essex Rebels in Colchester.

With both Giants and Malory already having secured their places in the Final 4, their remaining fixtures — including matches against Newcastle — could prove crucial in determining the play-off seedings ahead of the Finals Weekend at Crystal Palace on 11th and 12 April. Sedcure your tickets here.

Head coach Mihail Stoev said: “We’ve grown a lot as a team over the course of the season, and it’s been really rewarding to see that development. The group has worked hard, embraced the process, and genuinely enjoyed that growth together.

“We set our goals and ambitions high at the start of the year, and with every match we feel we’re taking another step in the right direction.

“Facing Malory is always a challenge. From our previous meeting earlier in the season, we know they are a tough and well-organised side, so we’re expecting a very competitive match.

“Our focus is always on what we can control. If we play our game, work together as a team, and execute what we’ve been building all season, we believe we can put ourselves in a strong position to challenge them.

“We’ve already secured our place in the Final Four, which is a great achievement for the group. But in the final two games of the regular season, we face two other teams that have also qualified and are direct competitors for the title. 

“For us, it is less about seeding and more about building momentum, delivering strong performances, and taking a mental edge into the final weekend.

“If you want to be champions, you have to be ready to beat whoever is in front of you on the day, so our focus is on finishing the regular season as strongly as possible.“

Images by Isla Woolley, Evelyn Lee, Christine Newman and Noelia Fernandez Perez

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