Super League Preview (8th March) - critical tie at the top of the table

Sunday's International Women’s Day will see one of the clashes of the season as Team SideOut Polonia travel to the Essex Sport Arena to take on the Essex Rebels.

The teams are yet to face each other in the league this season, but they did produce a five-set thriller in the National Cup quarter-finals last month, with Mark Kontopoulos' side eventually coming through to progress to the semi-finals.

If that meeting was anything to go by, then the game — which will headline the International Women’s Day schedule — promises to be another thriller.

The stakes are high in what has become a five-horse race for just four places in the Final 4. Durham Palatinates have already secured the first spot and wrapped up the regular season title, leaving the remaining contenders battling for the final three places.

Team SideOut currently sit in control of their own destiny heading into the final three games of the season. Win all three, and they will guarantee themselves a place in the Final 4 regardless of results elsewhere. 

However, the run-in is far from straightforward, with two matches against Essex and a critical clash with Malory Eagles next week at Score Leisure Centre still to come.

Essex find themselves in a similar position. The Rebels will also face SideOut twice in the coming weeks, but must also travel to meet Lionhearts Vinarius on Saturday 14th March in a game which could prove vital to their hopes of a Final 4 spot.

That makes this weekend’s meeting particularly significant. If both sides take care of their other remaining fixtures, SideOut would enter the head-to-head series on around 25 points, with Essex close behind on 23, meaning the two matches between the teams could effectively decide which side finishes higher in the standings.

For Essex, the path to overtaking SideOut is clear; they likely need to win both encounters. Two victories in straight or four sets would lift the Rebels to around 29 points, moving them ahead of SideOut, who would remain on 25. Even two five-set wins would create a dramatic finish, leaving the teams tied on 27 points and potentially sending the decision to tie-breakers.

If the teams split the matches, however, the advantage would likely remain with SideOut. One win each would leave the London side sitting at around 28 points with Essex on 26, keeping the Londoners ahead in the race for the Final 4.

In short, Essex may need to sweep the series to take control of the play-off race, while SideOut simply need to avoid losing both encounters to keep their position firmly in their own hands.

The situation in the Men’s Super League is slightly clearer heading into the final weeks of the season, with three Final 4 places already secured by Newcastle Knights, London Giants and Malory Eagles UEL.

That leaves just one remaining playoff spot still to be decided, with University of Nottingham currently holding the advantage in fourth place and Essex Rebels chasing from behind.

Essex know they likely need to win all three of their remaining matches — against the Giants, Richmond Docklands, and UON — to have a realistic chance of claiming the final Final 4 berth.

While the play-off race remains mathematically possible, Essex will also be keen to secure the result they need to guarantee their place in the Super League for next season. 

Picking up a win would go a long way towards that goal, although they will still be hoping other results around the league go their way, particularly with teams around them facing the bottom sides in Durham Palatinates, Leeds Gorse, and Richmond.

This weekend the Rebels host the reigning champions, London Giants, in what promises to be a difficult test. However, the Giants did drop a set to Leeds last weekend, and with the advantage of home court, Essex will hope they can cause an upset. 

Form has been mixed for the Rebels in recent weeks, with just one win from their last five matches, coming last weekend away in Durham.

On the other side of the net, London Giants arrive in strong form. Their current unbeaten run stretches back to before Christmas, when they were defeated by league leaders Newcastle Knights. 

With this the only Men’s Super League fixture taking place this weekend, a victory would also give the Giants the chance to move to the top of the table by the end of the day.

Don't forget, you can watch all the Super League Live action from 13.30 on the Volleyball England YouTube Channel. 

For all the latest Super League fixtures, results and info, click here.