National Shield Last 64 review (25th, 26th and 27th September) - Last year men’s semi-finalists fall at first hurdle 

Men’s National Shield 

Two of last year’s National Shield semi-finalists in the men’s competition fell at the first hurdle this time around, highlighting the strength in depth at this level. 

The Army contested the first game of the weekend on Friday night as they travelled to Onyx – and it was a cracking way to start the new season at senior national level with an enthralling encounter. 

But they could not emulate their heroics of last year’s run to the last four – where they were beaten by eventual winners Darkstar Derbyshire. 

Hosts Onyx edged the first and third sets, but on each occasion, the Forces side levelled, taking the match score to 2-2. 

The decider was nip and tuck all the way before the capital club eventually edged an extended tie breaker to run out 25-22, 17-25, 25-22, 17-25, 18-16 victors. 

Also ousted early on this time were Brazukas, who lost out last season at the semis stage to Legends Oldham. 

On this occasion. however, despite having home advantage, they were defeated 25-9, 25-21, 25-13 to an impressive showing from Spelthorne Future Stars. 

Rise were among the non-NVL sides to take their place in the next round as they came through a closely-contested tie with NVL Division 3 Central’s Tamworth Spartans 3-1 (25-22, 15-25, 25-23, 25-12). 

The other side from outside the national league structure to take an NVL scalp were the University of Leeds, who were 3-0 winners at Division 2 North Stockport (25-18, 25-11, 25-21). 

Two all non-NVL contests took place on Sunday, with BDS Gurdwara triumphing at a gradually-improving NTU 3-0 (25-9, 25-22, 25-21), while Oxford Buffaloes hit back from dropping a tight extended second set to win in four against Portsmouth Phoenix (25-27, 25-23, 25-18, 25-13). 

Non-NVL teams who were knocked out included Marske, beaten 3-1 at Division 3 North side Manchester Moss Side, Garstang Natives, who went down 3-0 at Division 3 North's Manchester Marvels Marauders, Phiet Panthers, beaten 3-0 by Division 3 North’s Hull Thunder, City of Bristol, defeated 3-0 by Division 3 South East’s Guildford International, Wombourne, who were on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline against Division 3 Central’s Darkstar Derbyshire 2, and Brighton, overcome 3-0 at Division 3 South West side Worthing. 

Of the all-NVL clashes, there were one of two results that could be considered upsets, where a lower division team beat a higher-ranked one. 

One such instance was Newmarket 2, of Division 3 South East, getting the better of Division 2 Central side Northampton by a 25-21, 25-16, 25-17 margin. 

Another Division 2 Central side upset were Reading Aces, edged out 3-2 by Division 3 South West's Team South Wales (15-25, 25-14, 23-25, 25-15, 15-12), despite twice leading in terms of sets.

But, by and large, teams from a higher division held sway, or teams from the same division battled hard to pull through. 

Among the Division 2 teams to progress featured Leicester (Division 2 Central), 3-1 winners over Nuneaton Inferno (Division 3 Central), Manchester Liberators (Division 2 Central), 3-1 victors at Harrogate (Division 3 North), Tamworth Spartans (Division 2 Central), straight sets victors at Black Country 2 (Division 3 Central), and Newmarket (Division 2 Central), pushed all the way by Red Eagles Luton (Division 3 South East) before edging it 3-2. 

They were joined by Kent Invicta (Division 2 South), who prevailed in straight sets at Cambridge Rhinos 2 (Division 3 Central) having played in France against LISSP Calais in preparation, Nottingham Rockets (Division 2 North), 3-0 winners at Telford, Leeds Gorse 2 (Division 2 North), who were 3-1 winners over newcomers Everton Manatees (Division 2 North), and Birmingham City (Division 2 Central), who outgunned Newcastle Staffs 2 (Division 3 North) 3-0. 

Other teams to progress were Weymouth (3-1 winners over 24-25 champions Wessex), Wiltshire Mavericks (3-1 victors over Cardiff Panthers), Bristol 2 (3-0 winners against Weymouth 2) and GNG Bedford (who came out on top in straight sets against Cambridge 2). 

Women’s National Shield 

Of the 10 matches played over the weekend in the women’s competition, there were fewer surprises in terms of outcomes. 

But there was one standout result which came from non-NVL side Wapping Wildcats, who edged out MK City, newly-promoted to Division 2 Central for the 2026-27 season. 

The Wildcats’ U15 Junior side reached Cup Finals in 24-25 before losing to Richmond and showed that they are a team to be reckoned with now and into the future by reverse sweeping last season’s Division 3 Central champions. 

The London side were unfortunate to lose to lung-busting sets by the same 29-27 scoreline but did not let it get them down to rally and take a crucial third 26-24 before going on to win the next two as well, 25-21, 15-8. 

Another team to beat a side from a higher NVL division was Cambridge Rhinos (Division 3 Central), who caught cold Division 2 South’s Sussex Dolphins to run out 25-13, 27-29, 25-23, 25-16 winners. 

Other Division 2 sides had more success, including Manchester Liberators, who beat a team from their own division in the shape of Stockport in straight sets. 

They were joined in the next round by Leicester Athena Nova (Division 2 Centra), victors at their new venue for the first time after shutting out Ashfield Vipers (Division 3 North), Bedminster (Division 2 Central), who limited Weymouth to only 28 points in their match, Bristol 2 (Division 2 Central), who took all three tight sets against Portsmouth (Division 3 South West), and Wombourne (Division 2 Central), who snuffed out the bid of Nottingham Rockets (Division 3 Central). 

The other three sides were between teams from the same divisions and saw Newcastle Staffs win a five-setter at Lincoln Cannons, NVL newcomers Cambridge 3 start well in a straight sets win at Worthing and Chester Amazons roar off the starting line against Hull Thunder to triumph in three. 

Main action image by Matt Halfpenny

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