With just six games to go for almost all National One and National Two clubs, Round 21 feels hugely significant for those fighting at either end of their respective tables. (Photo Credit: Gareth Siddons)

National One

After Plymouth Albion’s (5th) Angus Hodges had swiftly followed teammate Jake Bond over the try line, it set Ryan Lamb’s troops firmly on course for a ninth successive victory.

In Round 20, the Devonshire outfit had been pegged back by hosts Rams (4th) but two quick-fire scores after the break set them on their way to a 47-33 triumph at Old Bath Road.

It was the ideal start to a month dubbed as ‘March madness’ by Plymouth themselves and whilst ’10 in a row’ would sound very sweet for Albion, if they were able to add to their brilliant sequence of results against second-placed Rotherham Titans on Saturday, perhaps it would mean a bit more than just being an excellent statistic.

Following Round 21’s meeting with the Titans at Brickfields, Plymouth travel to league leaders Richmond and end the month at home against third-placed Rosslyn Park. If they are to upset the applecart in this title race, the time is now.

As it stands, Albion sit 12 points behind Richmond in the standings and while their success over Rams last Saturday kept them in the conversation to potentially have a say in this promotion battle, Rotherham will pose a different challenge this week.

Harvey Biljon’s men will arrive in the South West on a seven-match winning run and even though they have been plagued by some key injuries in their forward pack, the Yorkshire side are still finding ways to get the job done.

Last weekend against Birmingham Moseley (8th) was no exception as they eked out a 28-27 victory and it leaves them three points off Richmond with six games to go. Like Plymouth, Rotherham still have some significant fixtures left in their schedule – with clashes against Rams and Richmond to come – but first up, the title candidates will be aiming to become the first side to win at Brickfields for almost four months.

To add another sub-plot to this already mouth-watering encounter, Rotherham will know how Richmond (1st) have fared in Round 21 before they take to the field in Devon as the league leaders raise the curtain on the weekend on Friday night when they visit eighth-placed Birmingham Moseley.

As for Rosslyn Park (3rd), they are targeting an eighth win from their last nine games when they travel to Bishop’s Stortford (9th) while Rams (4th) will be keen to overcome their recent difficulties when they go to Sedgley Park (10th).

Below Sedge in the standings, the bottom four sides face off in Round 21 in what feels like a key weekend for the quartet. Dings Crusaders (11th) host 12th-placed Esher while 13th-placed Leicester Lions entertain bottom-of-the-table Darlington Mowden Park.

The Lions are currently 13 points behind Esher and do travel to Molesley Road next Saturday but if Gareth Collins’ side are to avoid the drop for a second season running, victory over DMP feels paramount. In terms of DMP, they could be relegated this weekend if results don’t go their way but their only win this term did come against Leicester Lions back in Round Nine so there is plenty on the line in the Midlands.

Elsewhere, an in-form Sale FC (7th) – who have won five of their seven matches since the turn of the year – face Blackheath (6th) at Heywood Road.

National Two North

There are echoes of last season for Leeds Tykes (1st) as the final few fixtures in another gripping National Two North title race arrive on our doorstep.

Almost exactly a year ago, the Tykes were five points clear at the summit following a scintillating campaign and Pete Seabourne and Pete Lucock’s side find themselves in familiar surroundings again.

Leeds are only five points worse off than they were 12 months ago (currently on 94 compared to 99) but that relentlessness has once again been on show time and time again. The Tykes are currently on an 11-match winning run but what has also remained similar to last year is the pressure from their nearest challenger.

Sheffield (2nd) have refused to go away all term, and Anthony Posa’s side are four points behind the leaders as they prepare for a tricky test of their own away at fifth-placed Wharfedale.

As for Leeds, they could also be in for a tough assignment on Saturday as they entertain Lymm (3rd). Whilst Leeds haven’t tasted defeat in a home game for 23 matches (a run which goes back to April 2023), Lymm are one of very few sides who knows what it takes to down the Tykes.

Adam Fletcher and Andy Davies’ men are one of only three teams to have defeated Leeds since the start of last season (Rotherham and Fylde are the others) having beaten the league leaders 30-26 in November (Leeds’ only loss this term).


Back then, Lymm were very much in the title conversation but three straight defeats in February has left them 13 points off the summit.

While a historic and remarkable promotion could now be out of reach for Lymm, this has still been a brilliant campaign and after looking a bit more like themselves in a welcome 50-24 win over Hull (12th) last time out, the Cheshire outfit do have the capability to derail the Tykes again.

But after ultimately missing out on the title last season, there is a steely determination about Leeds which might be hard to overcome.

At the other end of National Two North, Billingham (14th) will be eager to begin collecting points and wins again when they host 10th-placed Preston Grasshoppers this weekend while fellow bottom two side Harrogate (13th) are back at The Apollo Capital Stadium where they will entertain Hull Ionians (7th).

All three of Harrogate’s wins this term have come on their own patch and they will be keen to add to that tally, especially after seeing a lead slip away from them against Sheffield Tigers (11th) last time out.

The Tigers scored three times in the final eight minutes to record a crucial 34-18 win, and Jack Howieson’s troops will look to back that up away at sixth-placed Tynedale in Round 21.

Elsewhere, two historic sides enjoying an upturn in fortunes – Otley (9th) and Fylde (4th) – meet at Cross Green while 12th-placed Hull – who currently sit seven points clear of the bottom two – will be looking to pick up another key victory at home when they entertain Chester (8th).

National Two East

It is difficult to tee up this fixture without labelling it as ‘season-defining’.

The outcome of Tonbridge Juddians (1st) vs Barnes (2nd) in Round 21 will shape the rest of the run-in in National Two East and having produced a campaign of 18 wins from 19 matches thus far, some may be consigned to thinking that TJs already have one hand on the title.

Seb Sherwood and Jordan Turner-Hall’s side have been efficiently brilliant all term and as things stand, they sit six points clear of Barnes – with a game in hand – so there is a good body of work to suggest TJs are in the box seat.

However, credit must be given to Barnes who have kept the league leaders honest, especially since the start of 2025. Jack Heald’s men have stitched together a run of six successive bonus-point victories so they will arrive at The Slade with confidence behind them.

In the reverse fixture back in November, it was joy for Tonbridge Juddians as Duncan Tout was mobbed by his teammates as his late try – and a conversion from Tom White – snatched a 26-25 win. Since that visit to Barnes, TJs have only stumbled on one occasion.

They come into Round 21 currently on an eight-game winning run and whilst TJs seemingly hold all the cards in this title race, a 19th victory of the season on Saturday – against their main promotion rivals –  would be a gigantic step towards a return to National One for the first time since 2021/22.

It also feels like a big Saturday for bottom-of-the-table Worthing who are back at home to face an in-form Oxford Harlequins (10th).

Last time out at Roundstone Lane, Fred Pierrepont’s men gave their survival hopes a boost as they defeated Bury St Edmunds (8th) 38-35 but after a disappointing 36-19 loss at Henley Hawks in Round 20 – a contest which Worthing were very much in until two tries in the final seven minutes – they will be eager for more home comforts.

That is easier said than done though, as Oxford Quins are targeting a fourth successive bonus-point win as they look to continue their surge away from the bottom two.

In the drop zone alongside Worthing are Colchester (13th) who face fifth-placed Westcombe Park at Raven Park while 12th-placed Havant – who are 13 points clear of the dreaded dotted line – will be aiming to halt a run of six straight defeats when they entertain Bury St Edmunds (8th).

Elsewhere, third-placed Dorking are on the road at Sevenoaks (11th), an in-form Old Albanian (7th) will be seeking a fifth straight success when they visit Canterbury (4th) and Henley (6th) are over at Footes Lane to take on Guernsey Raiders (9th).

National Two West

One look at Clifton’s (2nd) run-in between the start of March and the final whistle in April shows it is littered with obstacles.

If they are to overhaul the six-point gap which currently separates themselves and leaders Camborne, it would be some achievement from Matt Salter and Luke Cozens’ troops who – before last weekend – were tasked with facing five of the current top seven teams before the end of the season.

One of those will be Camborne in Round 24 (at home on April 5th) and another was Redruth (5th) last Saturday, where the Lavender and Blacks dug deep to record a precious 39-28 victory ahead of another tricky assignment away at Taunton (4th) in Round 21.

Whilst table-toppers Camborne – who have brilliantly stitched together an unbeaten run of nine matches – host Old Redcliffians (9th) on Saturday, Clifton will head down the M5 to face a Taunton outfit who haven’t lost at Veritas Park all season.

Even though their form away from Somerset has been patchy, the Titans are yet to taste defeat in their own backyard and overall, they come into this contest with Clifton with an identical record of three wins from their last four matches.

Fifteen points may separate these two West Country sides in the standings but it does feel like this is another hurdle, that if negotiated, would only enhance Clifton’s belief in this promotion battle.

At the other end of National Two West, you get the sense that it is a huge weekend for Bournville (13th) who host 11th-placed Exeter University. Following an 11th loss from their last 12 games (which came away at Hinckley last week), Matt Price stepped down from his role as head coach after almost two years in charge of the Chocos.

The torrid run of results that Bournville are currently experiencing did play a part in Price’s decision, and assistant coach Alex Grove will be in the hot seat for the remainder of the season.

As things stand, Bournville are four points behind 12th-placed Macclesfield who also have a key fixture in Round 21 as they host Hinckley (10th) in a 6pm kick-off at Priory Park.

Like Macc, Devonport Services will be aiming to bolster their survival bid as the division’s bottom club look to build on back-to-back home wins. Round 20’s 38-34 success over the aforementioned Macclesfield leaves Ben Russell’s men six points behind Bournville, and this weekend they travel to Redruth (5th) who they did beat 27-23 back in Round Nine.

However, the Reds are a different proposition now to what they were four months ago while elsewhere, third-placed Cinderford travel to an in-form Loughborough Students (6th) and Hornets (7th) – who are on course for their best-ever season in National Two West – host Luctonians (9th).

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