Rugby: Hartford Homes Manx Cup gets underway

Douglas back at home after three away games

Fixtures 

Saturday 7 February

Regional 2 North West

Douglas v Birkenhead Park @ Port-e-Chee KO 2.00pm

Womens NC 2 North (South)

Vagabonds v Crewe & Nantwich @ Ballafletcher KO 1.30pm

Hartford Homes Manx Cup

PDMS Southern Nomads v Vagabonds @ Ballakilley Park KO 2.00pm

Report by Dave Christian:

Douglas at home this week

After three away games on the bounce Douglas finally return to action at port-e-Chee this weekend when Birkenhead Park visit them in Regional 2 North West. 

The game has been brought forward a week which means nobody else is playing and Douglas get a chance to bank some points to put a little pressure on the top three. 

A bonus point win could lift them as high as second place, albeit with the others having a game in hand.

They’ve met Birkenhead Park on eleven previous occasions with the Merseysiders leading on wins by 7 to 3. Douglas however won the last encounter away from home back in October.

 Park have won six from sixteen this season which suggests a little change in fortune which may just favour Douglas.

Skipper Blake Snell has been out with a knock for a couple of games and they’d love to have him back however some of the pack have really stepped up with Josh Campbell and Si Hoddinott leading the charge.

Harry Hewson carves up openings in the back line and the Martin twins Craig and Kyle have the pace to finish off. Birkenhead Park will be no pushover but Douglas have the firepower.

Vagabonds Ladies host Crewe & Nantwich

Things are tight in Womens NC2 North (South). 

Vagas currently hold onto fourth place but there are just three points separating four teams and one of those is this weekend’s visitors to Ballafletcher Crewe & Nantwich. 

Vagas won 51-10 in the reverse fixture so must start as favourites and while it looks like Sale and Winnington Park have the league sewn up.

Park have a tricky looking fixture away at third place Macclesfield this weekend, and the right result for Vagas could leave them with a foot in the door.

The two sides have met on seven previous occasions with Crewe leading four three on wins. 

The more telling stat is that Vagas have won their last two meetings including a big win in Nantwich earlier this season with the Vagas flyer Freya Crowe bagging four tries. 

They should have a pretty much full strength line up for this game. Maylyn Campbell is on holiday so will be missing but Greeba Taisia is a more than adequate replacement in the back row. 

The evergreen Sammie Macdonald will lead the team from scrum half after celebrating her recent 50th birthday and with her backline in excellent form they should rule the roost on their home turf.

Hartford Homes Manx Cup gets underway

The first game in this year’s Manx Cup takes place this Saturday at Ballakilley Park where Southern Nomads host Vagabonds. 

The competition will be played on a round robin format with games squeezed in as and when. 

The Vagabonds v Ramsey game will be a double header when the two meet on 28 Feb in the league, chiefly because it would be difficult to schedule in another fixture.

Neither Nomads nor Vagabonds have set the world ablaze this season. 

Nomads have struggled in the Shield while Vagas have toiled away in the league for little reward with only Ramsey having a worse playing record. 

Both will have something to prove this week.

Vagabonds are likely to be favourites. Their league experience will count for a lot and they have a powerful set piece. 

In Nomads last outing two weeks ago they were pushed around a little by Western Vikings up front and that doesn’t augur well for a game against Vagas. 

The Nomads back line was sharp that day. The Craine brothers, skipper Finn McGregor and the veteran Harry Brereton all worked well together with some sharp handling. 

That however may not be enough. Vagas will miss Loe Jouw from the forwards but Matt Rockwell and his men are likely to prove a tough ask.