NVL review (18th and 19th October) - Cambridge season gathering momentum

Women’s NVL 

They face what looked a potentially tricky-looking match at Stockport on Saturday at Life Leisure Brinnington Park but, in the end, cantered to a 25-10, 25-11, 25-15 victory. 

Manchester Marvels Mayhem began life at the higher level with a victory against fellow newly-promoted side Northampton in four sets (25-17, 25-23, 14-25, 26-24). 

The visitors have now lost three out of three but were on the wrong end of two extremely close sets are likely to have some easier fixtures to come, having also already faced UON and Everton Belugas. 

Richmond (pictured top and below) got their Division 1 South campaign off to a flying start as they beat, a Wessex team who were returning to the NVL after a year in Super League. 

Aside from dropping a tight second set, the hosts were always in control to run out 25-20, 24-26, 25-21, 25-15 victors.

Elsewhere, Bristol hit back from losing their first match to win a city derby against a Bedminster side who had won their opening fixture. 

In a repeat of the final outcome when the teams met in April’s National Shield Final, the home side prevailed at Avanti Gardens by a 26-24, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16 scoreline. 

Manchester Moss Side Jaguars are sitting pretty at the top of Division 2 North after maintaining their promotion momentum to make it two from two in winning at Everton Narwhals. 

They were made to work pretty hard for their success on Merseyside, eventually recording a 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 27-25 triumph. 

Cambridge 2 won the battle of two unbeaten teams in Division 2 East, emerging from their trip to Dartford Chargers with a straight sets victory (25-15, 25-21, 25-21). 

Although they remain a point behind the Kent table toppers, they do have a game in hand. 

The division’s other match-up saw Richmond 2 ease to a 25-14, 25-8, 25-22 defeat of Worthing. 

In Division 2 West, Black Country are the early pacesetters and made it three wins from three and a maximum nine points on Saturday. 

That was after they registered a 25-19, 25-20, 25-19 victory at fellow West Midlanders, Tamworth Spartans. 

Southampton got their season up and running as they notched their first win against Coventry and Warwick Riga (25-18, 25-16, 25-22). 

Tendring (who played Richmond 3 and Sussex Dolphins 2) and Spelthorne Sharks (who played Dartford Warriors and Invicta) enjoyed excellent first triangulars of the season in Division 3 South East to sit first and second respectively. 

Both won their matches in straight sets, with the former top of the pile thanks to a superior points quotient. 

Richmond (3-0) and Dartford (3-1) were successful in the other triangular fixtures. 

Bristol 2 have joined Farnborough Phoenix and Plymouth in triumphing in their opening Division 3 South West triangular, beating Southampton 2 3-2 and City of Bristol 3-0. 

The South Coast club then won the remaining fixture in straight sets. 

There were no matches in Division 3 Central, but in Division 3 North, Newcastle Staffs 2 got the better of Hull Thunder 2 and Chester Amazons in straight sets before the North West club defeated their Humberside opponents by the same margin in the other match. 

Men’s NVL 

Bristol continued their bright start to 2025-26 by overcoming a determined Cambridge side in five sets. 

Last season’s third place team in Division 1 are now unbeaten in two in the new Division 1 South, trailing 1-0 and then leading 2-1 in sets before edging an extended tie break (22-25, 25-23, 26-24, 20-25, 19-17). 

Cambridge did at least leave the South West with something to show as they saw off an Exeter Storm side, who have now suffered back-to-back defeats, by a 25-19, 25-16, 27-25 margin. 

Two sides looking to strengthen their position at the top of Division 1 North suffered setbacks in that quest. 

Black Country, missing their two lib players, were beaten in four at Tamworth Spartans (25-22, 25-23, 16-25, 25-21), while Manchester Marvels were defeated at home by Cambridge Rhinos (25-23, 25-23, 17-25, 25-20). 

Two unbeaten sides, Richmond Bucks and Kent Invicta, met in Division 2 South, and it was the Londoners who triumphed, coming through 25-21, 25-20, 25-23. 

Leicester came from a set down to win the only game in Division 2 Central as they got the better of Cambridge 2 (23-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-22), while there were no Division 2 North matches. 

There were also no fixtures in any of the Division 3 regions. 

Richmond images by @misotakes

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