RUGBY ROUND-UP: Excellent wins for Saints and Welsh

Newbold fighting for the ball against Newport, with Ben Nuttall, Curtley Bale and Jamie Mapletoft up close PICTURE BY STEVE SMITH

Rugby St Andrews and Rugby Welsh produced two great wins on Saturday to maintain third spot in their respective divisions.

Saints beat ninth-placed Manor Park 36-6 away from home and stay just a couple of points behind next week’s visitors to John Tomalin Way, league leaders Old Coventrians. Saints are level on 41 points with second-placed Shipston on Stour in a very close Midlands 3 West (South).

Old Covs also won their first game of the new year 34-12 against bottom club Old Wheatleyans.

It was a tough day for Lions at Moseley Oak PICTURE BY RAY ANDREWS

In Midlands West 5 (South) Rugby Welsh won 17-10 at six-placed Birmingham Exiles. Welsh now have to wait until February 17 for their next league fixture when they travel to Keresley, who are fourth in the table, also on 20 points after four wins. Aldridge are top with 28 points, ahead of Atherstone on 24.

Newbold didn’t have such a good day, going down 43-19 at third-placed Newport (Salop) in the Midlands Premier. The Parkfield Road side remain 13th out of the 14 teams, and next week make the shorter journey to seventh-placed Nuneaton, who beat 12th-placed Longton 52-19 on Saturday.

Depleted Rugby Lions lost 31-17 at Moseley Oak in Midlands 1 West, injury reducing them to 14 men for much of the game. Lions stay fifth and their opponents seventh. They will hope to have a few more players back from injury next week when they take on ten-placed Worcester at Webb Ellis Road. Worcester were beaten 34-22 by league leaders Burton on Saturday.

After their victory at Fenley Field earlier this season, Old Laurentians couldn’t manage to do the double over Midlands 2 East (South) leaders Oadby Wyggestonians. OLs, now fifth, lost 34-12 away from home. This weekend’s opponents are ten-placed Oakham, who won 31-12 against Stamford, in 11th, in their first game of 2018.