NVL preview 20th and 21st January

First, second, and third are all in action in Men’s Division 1 with Essex Blaze (first) hosting Cambridge ARU while Weymouth Beach (second) take on promotion rivals Black Country (third).   

The South Coast side are coming off a tense victory over Tamworth Spartans last week which saw them need all five sets to secure the win.  

Cambridge will have something of a point to prove this weekend as they look to recover from their 3-0 loss last weekend to fourth-placed London Giants.  

But it will be a tricky challenge for them with Essex Blaze being on fire in the division. 

This game is Essex’s first of 2024 and sees them return from a long winter break with their last NVL match being against Manchester Marvels on 9th December, which saw them triumph 3-0. 

Black Country also have not played in the national competition since 10th December but being the only non-Super League side left in the National Cup, they are not to be discounted in the challenge for promotion.  

Victory for the West Midlanders over Weymouth would see them leapfrog the coastal team into second place, albeit having played two more games. 

Also in Division 1, London Aces travel to Coventry and Warwick Riga on Saturday and then to Tamworth Spartans on Sunday.  

Aces won both games against the same opposition at home, but only time will tell how they shape up in the return legs of those fixtures.  

Division 2 North’s Everton Dugongs have a busy weekend, travelling east for away matches at Harrogate and Hull Thunder.  

Hull are unbeaten in their last three games with all ending 3-1 successes, while the Merseysiders will want to avenge the 3-0 defeat when the sides last met back in October.  

Liverpool host Lincoln Cannons which could see the latter end the weekend second in the table if results go their way.  

Division 2 Central sees a top of the table clash between Norwich Spikers and Hounslow on Sunday, with the winners going top.  

Both teams ended 2023 on a winning note with Norwich 3-0 winners over Dartford Chargers and Houslow 3-1 victors against MK City.  

A triangular fixture featuring Wapping Wildcats, Northampton and Tendring takes place in Division 3 South East, with the Midlands club having the opportunity to go top of the pile if they have a successful day and the Wildcats searching for a first win of the season.  

A non-stop weekend of action awaits in the Women’s Division 1 with unbeaten Wessex travelling to face Richmond.  

This game is sure to have fireworks with the third place London side looking to join their male counterparts in the Super League.  

Wessex won the reverse of this fixture back in November 3-1, but, since that game, Richmond have won three of their last four matches.  

MK City will look to build on last week’ first success of the season against Leicester Athena and narrowly missing out on another victory following a five-setter against Dartford Chargers.   

They face Southampton, who sit just one place above them in ninth. 

Southampton’s only wins this season have come against London Inter Crocs (3-1) and Leicester Athena (3-2) - both at home – so MK will hope that tips the odds in their favour. 

Second place Stockport host a Dartford sitting sixth in the division with a positive four wins and three losses record.  

Victory for the Cheshire side would not see them go top, but they would close the gap between themselves and Wessex if their unbeaten run is ended by Richmond.  

Division 2 North sees unbeaten Team Sunderland travel to down to Leeds Gorse.  

The North East team have only dropped one set in five games and sit two points clear of Sheffield in second and, with the Yorkshire side not playing this weekend, they have the chance to extend that advantage.  

A mid-table fixture between Everton Narwhals and Manchester Mayhem takes place on Sunday with the Liverpool-based club looking to jump up to second place if Tamworth Spartans drop points against Urmston Grammar.  

After going unbeaten in their first six games, Herts have found life trickier of late in Division 2 Central, but they still top the table just one point ahead of Essex Trinity.  

They travel to sixth place Northampton who took Herts to five sets in their previous meeting before narrowly missing out 17-15 in the tie breaker. 

After losing out in their final two matches of 2023, Rhinos Cambridge will look to climb the table this weekend when they take on Norwich Spikers on Sunday. 

Three games in Division 2 South see Ashcombe Dorking host Bristol 2, Cardiff Falcons at home to Team South Wales and Bristol 2 traveling to Richmond 2 on Sunday.  

Team South Wales are currently top of that table with a 7-1 record, one point clear of London Giants.  

Division 3 North sees two triangular fixtures being contested with leaders Miners Doncaster, Manchester Moss Side and Leeds Gorse 2 going head to head as well as Chester Amazons, Liverpool and Hull Thunder all looking to open 2024 with a bang. 

Division 3 South also features two triangulars of action, with Spelthorne Sharks, Tendring and Cambridge meeting while, in Burgess Hill, Sussex Dolphins 2 welcome unbeaten Onyx London and Dartford Warriors.  

For all the fixtures for the weekend click here.  

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