Early Greene King IPA Championship pacesetters London Scottish
will aim to make it three wins from three when they welcome Bedford
Blues to the Athletic Ground on Saturday. Scottish are the only
team in the division to still boast a 100% record after
back-to-back bonus-point wins in the first two rounds - with
Cornish Pirates being the latest victims. Pirates were also on the
receiving end of No.8 Mark Bright's second hat-trick in as many
games as they fell to a 30-19 defeat at the Mennaye Field.
Nottingham appear to have put last season's struggles behind them
to sit second at this early stage of the season. The Green &
Whites have begun with wins over Bedford and Plymouth Albion, and
will be looking to take Jersey's scalp when the Channel Islanders
visit Meadow Lane on Sunday.
Newly-promoted Doncaster Knights and Bristol both have eight points
apiece and are at home in Round 3, to Worcester Warriors and
Cornish Pirates respectively, while Rotherham Titans welcome
Plymouth to Clifton Lane and Moseley host Yorkshire Carnegie on
Friday night.
Friday September 19
Moseley v Yorkshire Carnegie, KO 19:30
Yorkshire Carnegie are on a 13-game winning streak in the league
against Moseley, having recorded the double over the
Birmingham-based side last season. Not since they won 27-22 at The
Reddings on 12 September 1998 have Moseley beaten Carnegie, then
called Leeds Tykes, in league rugby. Moseley have only lost once at
home in the last 10 matches to be played at Billesley Common on a
Friday night - Carnegie blotting their copybook with a 29-20 win on
5 April, 2013.
Saturday September 20
Doncaster v Worcester, KO 14:30
Saturday's clash at Castle Park pits together the side that came up
from National One with the side relegated from the Premiership.
Worcester did the double over Doncaster the last time they played
at this level, winning 30-28 at Sixways and 37-16 in the return
match. Knights fly-half Jamie Lennard and Director of Rugby Clive
Griffiths come up against their former clubs.
London Scottish v Bedford, KO 15:00
Top plays bottom at The Athletic Ground as lowly Bedford go in
search of their first points of the campaign. The Blues have left
with losing bonus points on their last two visits to Richmond,
falling to a 19-15 defeat last season and 26-23 the previous year.
The Blues have only won once on their travels in nine matches in
all competitions.
Rotherham v Plymouth Albion, KO 15:00
Rotherham are on a five-game winning streak against a Plymouth side
that has not tasted victory at Clifton Lane since New Year's Day
2011. Titans ran in seven tries as they cruised to a 45-10
win in last season's corresponding fixture. These two
well-established Championship sides first met in league rugby back
in 1995 when they were in the old Division 4.
Sunday September 21
Bristol v Cornish Pirates, KO 15:00
The last nine matches between the sides have ended in home wins.
Marco Mama became the first Bristol forward to score four league
tries in a match in over 500 league games in last season's
corresponding fixture, a 46-33 win for Andy Robinson's men. Pirates
took the honours in the two other games played last season - 21-15
at the Mennaye and 23-21 in the West Country double-header at Sandy
Park.
Nottingham v Jersey, KO 15:00
Nottingham have not begun a league campaign with three straight
wins this side of the Millennium. Jersey did the double over
Nottingham last season, winning 22-19 at Meadow Lane in October
before edging an equally tense game at St Peter, 17-13, to provide
head coach Harvey Biljon with his first win in charge of the
team.
