Round 14 Review: Derby Day Shocks, Delight and stunning finishes Bring the Curtain Down on 2025
The final weekend of National League Rugby before the Christmas break was never going to be quiet, was it? (Photo Credit: Matt Fleming)
National One
Leeds Tykes (13th) produced one of the surprises of the weekend as they stunned league leaders Rotherham Titans (1st) with a deserved 19-18 victory at AMT Headingley Stadium.
The form guide and league positions can go out of the window on derby day, and that was the case in West Yorkshire as the Tykes downed their old foes.
Two excellent finishes from Albert Bradshaw helped Leeds edge into a 12-10 lead, with Rotherham’s points coming via Lloyd Hayes’ boot and an Andrew Foster try.
Hayes added another penalty before Callum Bustin crossed for the Titans, a score that saw him draw level with former skipper Zak Poole’s all-time try-scoring record.
However, Leeds had the final say. With 11 minutes remaining, Newcastle Red Bulls youngster Nathan Greenwood completed a slick move to seal the Tykes’ fifth win of the campaign.
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Despite the defeat, Rotherham’s losing bonus point keeps them top of the table for Christmas, though second-placed Plymouth Albion are now just one point adrift after claiming a fifth successive victory.
Ryan Lamb’s side ran out 35-10 winners away at Clifton (11th), with their strong pack destructive at Station Road.
There was also joy on the road for Blackheath (3rd), who moved into the top three after edging past Bishop’s Stortford (8th) 29-27 at Silver Leys.
Stortford were chasing a sixth straight win, but four second-half tries – two from Billy Harding, alongside scores from Ed Scragg and Archie Holland – proved just enough for ‘Club’, despite a late try from home full-back Jake Morris.
Elsewhere in the top half, an injury-hit Rosslyn Park failed to halt their blip in form as the fourth-placed side were beaten 17-12 at home by Tonbridge Juddians (7th) on Friday night. This was Park’s fourth defeat in their last five games.
Park’s losing bonus point means the top four are separated by just five points heading into 2026, while Sale FC (5th) remain firmly in contention following a 29-13 derby-day victory over Sedgley Park (9th) in front of 1,100 at the Morson Stadium.
Jos Gilmore’s late try secured the bonus point for ‘The Dogs’, but there was no festive cheer for Rams (6th) as they were beaten 31-25 by Dings Crusaders (12th).
Four tries in an 11-minute first-half blitz at Shaftesbury Park gave Dings a commanding platform, and although Rams’ Henry Bartlett crossed with 10 minutes remaining to make it a one-score game, the Bristolians held firm to claim back-to-back victories for the first time since March.
Dings now sit just one point behind 11th-placed Clifton, while Birmingham Moseley (10th) completed a perfect December with another crucial win.
Adam Balding and Ollie Thomas’ side defeated bottom club Leicester Lions (14th) 28-19 away from home, leaving the hosts facing an uphill battle heading into the new year.
National Two North
Scunthorpe (13th) moved off the foot of the National Two North table with a hard-fought 29-22 victory over Otley (9th).
Tries from Josh Lugsden, Will Dale and Olly Arnold gave The Greens a 19-15 advantage at the break, while George Lunn and Connor Parnell went over for the visitors.
Quick-fire scores from Lewis Talbot and Jamie Mayor early in the second half gave the hosts some breathing room, but Otley reduced the deficit through Kyle Finan’s try on 65 minutes.
However, Scunthorpe were able to see out just their second win of the campaign – a result that will undoubtedly give them a boost heading into 2026.
The Lincolnshire outfit, who also have a game in hand, are now level on points with Hull (12th) [who sit in the relegation play-off spot] after Dec Cusack’s side came off second best in the Hull derby.
Hull were beaten 29-0 by Hull Ionians (4th), who climbed into the top four after claiming a fourth successive bonus-point win, while over in Lancashire, Fylde (6th) and Preston Grasshoppers (8th) played out a thrilling 22-22 draw at Woodlands.
Hoppers recovered from a 19-0 half-time deficit to snatch a share of the spoils, meaning Fylde have now drawn three of their eight home games this term.
In truth, the hosts will be kicking themselves after tries from Will Hunt, David Fairbrother and Ben Turner had put them firmly in control at the interval.
Hoppers – who had lost the previous seven derbies – began their comeback with three quick second-half tries from Danny Maher, Jack Roberts and Rory Brand after Fylde’s Ben Walton and Fairbrother were sin-binned.
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Dan Cassidy’s penalty five minutes from time appeared to seal victory for Fylde, but two further yellow cards were punished by Maher, whose last-gasp second try, converted by Sam Freeman, earned a dramatic draw.
Elsewhere in Round 14, the top three all collected bonus-point victories.
Leaders Sheffield (1st) remain four points clear at the summit after making it 13 wins on the spin at the expense of near neighbours Sheffield Tigers (10th).
A second brace in two weeks for Zak Poole and a try from Rhodri Campbell gave the table-toppers a 19-10 half-time lead. A penalty try eight minutes from time then sealed a 26-10 success for Anthony Posa’s side in front of 1,427 at Abbeydale Park.
Second-placed Macclesfield stayed firmly in Sheffield’s slipstream by recording a sixth consecutive bonus-point win, hammering struggling Rossendale (14th) 56-0 at Priory Park.
It was the visitors’ 10th successive defeat, and the result saw them drop to the bottom of the table.
There was also an emphatic win for Tynedale (3rd), who brushed aside North-East rivals Darlington Mowden Park 39-0 to keep pace with Macclesfield.
And finally, Wharfedale (7th) produced an astonishing comeback to claim an unlikely 25-24 victory over Billingham (11th) at The Avenue.
Billingham appeared on course for their first win of the month after tries from Adam Brown, Luke Wilson, Anthony Jackson and Ben Hyndman had opened up a 24-10 lead.
However, with nine minutes remaining, Wharfedale sparked into life. Tom Beresford crossed before Jack Cherry added a converted try, and the reliable Archie Haddon held his nerve at the death to slot the match-winning penalty.
National Two East
National Two East promotion contenders Oundle (2nd) and Bury St Edmunds (3rd) shared the spoils in a thrilling 29-29 draw at Occupation Road, with home No.8 Anthony Maka crossing in the 80th minute.
Oundle had the chance to snatch victory at the death, but the resulting conversion was off target, bringing a pulsating contest in Northamptonshire to a close.
Bury flew out of the blocks, racing into an early lead with three tries in the opening quarter from Clark Macfarlane, George Grigg-Pettitt and George Bretag-Norris.
Although Grant Snelling struck twice for Oundle, a fourth try before the break from Samir Kharbouch ensured the visitors went into half-time in the ascendancy.
Snelling completed his hat-trick 11 minutes into the second half and, while Ben Penfold continued to keep Bury ticking from the tee, former Doncaster Knight Shaun Adendorff went over for an unconverted try for Oundle to cut the deficit to just five points heading into the final 20 minutes.
Maka’s late score then set up a dramatic finale, but Lawrence Rayner was unable to land the decisive kick.
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That result may have been welcomed by league leaders Old Albanian, who now hold a two-point advantage at the top after a commanding 57-17 victory over London Welsh (9th).
Dorking (4th) remain fourth following a hard-fought 29-12 win over Guernsey (10th), Player of the Match Callum Powell sealing the try bonus with two minutes remaining, while Canterbury (5th) continued their strong run of form, climbing to fifth after another victory.
Taff Gwilliam and Matt Corker’s troops made it five wins on the bounce as they defeated Kent counterparts Sevenoaks (11th) 39-17 at Knole Paddock, while there were notable successes for several sides in the bottom half.
Former England full-back Mike Brown celebrated his first win as Esher (8th) boss as the imperious Alex Wainwright struck a penalty three minutes from time to secure a 37-35 home victory over Westcombe Park (7th).
The EEEs had led 34-14 on the hour, but tries from Tom Vickers, Calum Harris and Ryan Jones flipped the game on its head as Combe edged in front.
However, the boot of Wainwright was on point as Esher clinched the victory.
There were also late heroics at Henley Hawks (13th), where Luke Allen’s side finally found themselves on the right side of a tight finish.
After suffering repeated late heartbreaks this season, Max Titchener kept his nerve from the tee to seal a 24-21 win over Barnes (6th).
While a third victory of the campaign would have delighted the Hawks, it wasn’t enough to lift them out of the bottom two as table rivals Havant (12th) secured a key 48-26 win away at bottom club Oxford Harlequins.
Three tries in a 14-minute spell after the break from Jacob Knight, Peter Austin and Will Sanders gave Havant a commanding lead at the Horspath Sports Ground.
Oxford Quins rallied to secure a try bonus through Harry Burn and Ben Jenkins, but they now sit 15 points adrift of Havant, who themselves are three points above the relegation places.
National Two West
Cornish bragging rights once again belonged to Camborne (1st) as a strong second-half display earned them a 28-18 victory over Redruth (10th) in dreadful weather conditions.
In front of a crowd of more than 2,000 at Redruth’s Recreation Ground, full-back Kyle Moyle kept the scoreboard ticking with three penalties as Camborne built a 16-10 lead, with Shaun Buzza scoring their opening try.
Jack Counter’s speedy intercept reduced the deficit to a single point, but tries from Jordan Nicholls and Andrew Hussell ultimately sealed the win for the Cherry and Whites.
‘Town’ head into the Christmas break seven points clear at the summit, with second-placed Luctonians responding to last week’s defeat against Camborne by dispatching bottom club Syston 35-7. Fly-half Bryn Goodall led the way with a brace of tries.
Barnstaple (3rd) also returned to winning ways at the first attempt as the Chiefs kept up their impressive home form by defeating a youthful but determined Exeter University (13th) 34-22.
Barum had built a 29-5 lead only for the visitors to reduce the arrears to seven points with 10 minutes to go. However, Brendan Darley’s late try sealed the deal for the hosts.
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They were joined in the winners’ lounge by Hinckley (4th), who ran riot at Loughborough Students (13th).
Emyr Lewis’ troops scored nine tries in a 57-33 victory over the bottom two side whilst Cinderford (5th) made it four wins from their last five following a 33-20 success against Old Redcliffians (11th).
Taunton (6th) continued their strong recent form at the Summerfield Stadium to move up to sixth. A hat-trick from 19-year-old wing Matthew Whitlock inspired Tony Yapp’s side to a fourth consecutive home win as they defeated Somerset rivals Hornets (7th) 29-21.
And in Cheshire, Chester (8th) completed an unbeaten December in style with a 44-29 derby day victory over Lymm (7th).
Prop Josh Woods grabbed a hat-trick at Hare Lane as Rhys Hayes’ side head into 2026 on the cusp of the top half.
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