NVL preview (7th and 8th February) - Giants women eye giant step towards Division 1 South title

Women’s NVL 

London Giants can take a giant step towards the Division 1 South title and promotion to the MAAREE Women’s Super League if they can complete the double over Richmond tonight (Friday). 

The unbeaten pacesetters were straight sets victors over their close rivals just nine days ago to stay unbeaten, and if they can repeat the trick when they travel across the capital, it is unlikely they will be caught before the end of the season.  

A maximum points haul would stretch their lead, at least for a few hours, to 14 points, but if Richmond can inflict a first defeat on the Giants, it would give them hope of still reeling in their opponents in the race for top spot. 

Both teams are also in action on Sunday, with Richmond travelling to second-placed Essex Trinity on Sunday at St John Payne School, making it a huge weekend for them. 

Giants, meanwhile, face what, on paper at least, is an easier fixture as they visit bottom-of-the table Team South Wales. 

London Inter Crocs and Bedminster also meet on Sunday while, just under 24 hours earlier Wessex entertain Bristol on the South Coast. 

In contrast to that busy weekend of action, there are no games scheduled for Division 1 North. 

The solitary match in Division 2 East is Onyx’s game in hand and they can go three points clear of title rivals Cambridge if they can overcome winless Worthing at Kensington Aldridge Academy. 

Manchester Moss Side Jaguars are already odds on to clinch the Division 2 North title and they can move even closer to that goal by opening up a 11-point lead at the summit with an 11th success in 12 matches against Leeds Gorse 2.  

Also in action on Sunday are basement club Sheffield, who will hope to draw level on points with opponents Newcastle Staffs by securing a maximum three points. 

Top meets third in a crunch game in Division 2 West as Reading have home advantage against Black Country. 

Elsewhere, West Midlands rivals Tamworth Spartans and Wombourne can pull well clear of the dropzone with a win. 

Manchester Marvels can make it 12 wins from 12 at the top of Division 3 North if they can get the better of third-placed Chester Amazons and Leeds Gorse 3. 

That is one of three triangulars that involve all nine of the division’s teams, with the others seeing second-placed York Falcons take on fourth-placed Urmston Grammar and Hull Thunder and Newcastle Staffs 2 play Isle of Man Falcons and Everton Seadragons. 

There’s a big triangular clash in Division 3 Central on Saturday as second-placed Cheltenham and Gloucester go head to head with third-placed MK City, who have games in hand, and fourth-placed Darkstar Derbyshire. 

Sunday sees leaders Leicester Athena Nova in action as they welcome two Nottinghamshire sides in the shape of Ashfield Vipers and Nottingham Rockets. 

Rhinos Cambridge will feel they have the opportunity to make up some ground as they play the bottom two Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 and Loughborough Students 2. 

London Ravens can go six points clear of two other sides who are also on 24 points along with them – Spelthorne Sharks and Ashcombe Dorking – when they bid to make it 10 out of 10 against Invicta and Sussex Dolphins. 

In Division 3 South West, what could be a telling clash in the title race pairs unbeaten leaders Bristol 2 against second-placed chasers Farnborough Phoenix, with Plymouth Mayflower providing the other opposition. 

South coast rivals Southampton 2 (third) and Portsmouth (fourth) also meet, and both also play Bedminster 2. 

Plymouth, Weymouth and City of Bristol meet in the division’s remaining triangular. 

Men’s NVL 

Newcastle Staffs will go in search of their 10th victory of the season as they continue to boss Division 1 North when Sheffield head east to Stoke on Saturday. 

Should they prevail, then the pressure will be on Manchester Marvels, in second, to also secure victory as they journey to Tamworth Spartans. 

Coventry and Warwick Riga could widen the gap to those just below them in a tightly-packed mid-table should they triumph at Stockport. 

A pivotal clash between two sides who have lost only once each all season takes place at St John Payne School as where Team Essex Blaze, in second, host IBB Polonia, in third. 

Preceding that potentially pivotal match-up, the Londoners are also in action on Saturday as they host London Aces. 

Exeter Storm are yet to get off the mark this season, but will hope to break their duck when Southampton come calling, while Bristol journey south to play Wessex. 

After a slow start, Oxford Bulls could take advantage of no games for any of their promotion rivals by going top on set quotient in Division 2 Central. 

To edge above MK City, however, they would have to take the maximum six points from their trip to Leicester and home game against Norwich Spikers. 

Lincoln Cannons could cut Darkstar Derbyshire’s lead at the top of Division 2 North to just one point if they beat fellow East Midlands club Nottingham Rockets. 

The division’s other fixture pairs the bottom two Newcastle Staffs 2 and Hull Thunder in a vital game in their respective bids to avoid the drop. 

There’s just one match in Division 2 South, but it is an important one. A win for leaders Richmond Bucks would see them re-establish themselves as title favourites, but if home side Kent Invicta have the edge, then three sides – Dartford Crossers are also in the mix – would be locked on 20 points apiece.  

All nine teams take to the court over the weekend in Division 3 South West, led by table toppers Team South Wales’ triangular fixture with Urbond Portsmouth and Spelthorne Tigers. 

Second meet third when Weymouth and Bristol 2 lock horns, accompanied by Guildford International, while Southampton 2 are in a triangular with city rivals Bedminster and City of Bristol. 

The top three teams in Division 3 South East meet in a triangular on Sunday that is likely to have a strong bearing on where the title will go as London Lionhearts, Onyx and Newmarket 2 prepare to do battle. 

They are not the only ones in action, with London Wildcats, Tendring and Essex Estonians in opposition, as well as GNG Bedford, Worthing and Cambridge Rhinos 2. 

Just one triangular is scheduled in Division 3 Central where the bottom three Coventry and Warwick Riga 2, Nuneaton Inferno and Wombourne will all look to improve their standing. 

Just three points now separate city rivals Intervolley Manchester and Manchester Liberators and both will look to push their causes at the Division 3 North summit in weekend triangulars. 

Intervolley face two more Manchester sides in the shape of Urmston Grammar and Manchester Marvels Marauders, while the Liberators cross the Pennines to face York Vikings and Hull Thunder 2.

Full NVL fixtures and results can be found here.

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