National Shield Last 64 preview (25th, 26th and 27th September) - Onyx and The Army open up new national season

Men's Shield 

28 of those fixtures are in the Men's Shield, where the action will begin on Friday night in London. 

Onyx London may have been promoted to NVL Division Two South for the forthcoming campaign, but they are unlikely to have an easy ride against The Army. 

The non-NVL side made it all the way through to the semi-finals of last season's National Shield and were only halted in their progress by eventual winners Darkstar Derbyshire after a strong run through the rounds. 

It's East versus West Midlands to kick things off on Saturday, as Division 2 Central Leicester will see Division 3 Central Nuneaton Inferno make the short trip across the border to play them in Loughborough. 

Familiar West Midlands foes Black Country 2 (Division 3 Central) and Tamworth Spartans (Division 2 Central) will do battle at Redhill School Sports Hall. 

Defeated in the play-offs, Birmingham City were nevertheless promoted as a result of league restructuring and their first test of the new campaign is journeying to Newcastle Staffs 2 of Division 3 North. 

Telford did not lose a league game last season en route to winning the Division 3 Central title and will play fellow Division 2 side Nottingham Rockets (Central v North), looking to avenge defeat to the city side in the 24-25 Shield. 

Non-NVL Londonium will travel North East out of the capital to Norfolk where they will take on Division 3 Central Norwich Spikers, while two sides relegated to Division 3 South West for 26-27, Wiltshire Mavericks and Cardiff Panthers will face off. 

Kent Invicta were in the mix for promotion from Division 2 South last season and take on Division 3 Central Cambridge Rhinos 2 for their first national competitive action after the summer break. 

Three more non-NVL sides are in action on Saturday, with Brighton making the short trip down the coast to play Division 3 South West Worthing, while at the other end of the country Phiet Panthers meet Division 3 Central Hull Thunder, Wombourne have a date with Darkstar Derbyshire 2 (Division 3 Central) and University of Leeds visit Division 2 North Stockport.

Elsewhere, another South Coast battle sees Division 2 South rivals Weymouth and Wessex face off, and Leeds Gorse 2 (Division 2 North) welcome NVL debutants Everton Manatees (Division 3 North). 

Another 14 matches get underway on Sunday, with the first of them pairing non-NVL City of Bristol and Division 3 South East Guildford International. 

Red Eagles Luton will bid to make an impression ahead of their Division 3 South East season starting as they go to Division 2 Central Newmarket. 

Division 3 Central rivals GNG Bedford and Cambridge 2 meet, while non-NVL sides Garstang Natives and Marske journey south to tackle Division 3 North sides Manchester Marvels Marauders and Manchester Moss Side respectively. 

There is are two all non-NVL clash further south as Nottingham Trent University host BDS Gurdwara Birmingham while Oxford Buffalos compete against Portsmouth Phoenix. 

Lincolnshire-based Rise will bid to upset Division 3 Central side Tamworth Spartans and Hull Thunder 2 will host Division 3 North Liverpool as two more non-NVL sides cut their teeth. 

Division 2 Central South side Reading Aces will take on Division 3 South West play-off qualifiers from last season, Team South Wales, while Division 3 South East Newmarket 2 will attempt to spring a surprise at home to Division 2 Central's Northampton. 

NVL newcomers Brazukas of Division 3 South East look forward to taking on Division 2 Central's Spelthorne Future Stars, Division 3 South West rivals Bristol 2 and Weymouth 2 clash and Division 3 North's Harrogate welcome Division 2 North newbies Manchester Liberators. 

Women's Shield 

There are fewer matches in the Last 64 of the women's National Shield but, nevertheless, still a busy programme of action. 

A Greater Manchester derby is one of the highlights of the round, as Stockport, relegated down to Division 2 North this season, will hope to signal an uptick in their fortunes when they visit a Manchester Liberators side they will also host in league action this season.  

A West versus South Yorkshire battle takes also takes place on Sunday as BUCS side University of Leeds meet Division 2 North's Sheffield. 

In the East Midlands, newly-promoted Leicester Athena Nova, who will play in Division 2 Central in 26-27, will take on one of their old adversaries from last season in Ashfield Vipers for what will be their first national fixture at their new Huncote Leisure Centre venue. 

It's Division 2 South against Division 3 Central as Sussex Dolphins go head to head with Rhinos Cambridge, with the hosts favourites to go through. 

Lincoln Cannons went back down to Division 3 this summer and will play in the Central Division and they will welcome one of their opponents before their drop, Newcastle Staffs. 

Two Bristol-based teams are also in action as Bedminster, of Division 2 Central, will hope to bounce back from relegation form Division 1 with a strong showing against Division 3 South West's Weymouth. 

Division 2 Central newcomers Bristol 2 will hope to build on their promotion when they welcome Division 3 South West's Portsmouth to Avanti Gardens, a team they played last season. 

Before that, on Saturday, there are four ties, beginning with 25-26 Division 3 Central champions, MK City – now in Division 2 Central – taking on non-NVL side Wapping Wildcats, who could well feature some of their successful Junior Grand Prix side. 

It will be a trip along the M62 for Division 3 North's Hull Thunder as they travel to face Chester Amazons from the same division. 

Wombourne will hope that playing a division higher in Division 2 Central will help them progress against Division 3 Central team Nottingham Rockets, while Worthing (South West) and Cambridge 3 (Central) have joined Division 3 for this season from different directions ahead of their meeting.