Round 16 Review: Important victories in relegation battles while promotion races gather pace
As anticipated in our preview, it proved to be a crucial weekend in the fight for survival across National One and National Two, with some clubs securing vital results while others face an uphill battle. (Photo Credit: Gareth Lyons)
National One
Dings Crusaders (10th) made it three successive home wins as they edged past Birmingham Moseley (11th) 25-19 at Shaftesbury Park.
However, the important victory was overshadowed by a serious injury to Bristol Bears youngster Josh Carrington, which led to a lengthy stoppage during the first half.
When play resumed, Harry Rowson pounced on his own kick to level the scores at 7-7 after Sam Clarke’s opener for Moseley. Tries from Josh Carr and Rowson again then gave Dings a 19-14 half-time lead.
Moseley, who had won all three of their December fixtures, had crossed through Morgan Dawes, but two Raff Weston penalties extended the Crusaders’ advantage.
Dawes’ second try on 69 minutes set up a tense finish, but Dings held firm to secure the win, moving four points clear of the relegation zone.
Fellow Bristolians Clifton (9th) also claimed a key victory as they defeated table rivals Sedgley Park (12th) 24-10 at Station Road.
After Ben Gregory had opened the scoring for Sedge, Brad Talbot (2), Ollie Harris and George Davey crossed for the hosts to seal the bonus-point win.
While Clifton ended a four-match losing run, Sedgley have now gone five games without a win and have slipped into the relegation places.
Leeds Tykes (13th) remain in the drop zone after a narrow 19-14 defeat against Sale FC (4th) on Friday night, with Alfie Longstaff’s try four minutes from time proving decisive.
The above results leave bottom club Leicester Lions (14th) 18 points adrift of safety following a 47-17 home defeat to Plymouth Albion (1st).
“The importance of the game was quite big for both sides”
After their victory over the Tigers, @cliftonrugby Head Coach Luke Cozens felt his team battled well in a penalty dominated game at Station Road yesterday. pic.twitter.com/A3i1O8yRZV
— Sedgley Park Tigers (@SedgleyTigers) January 18, 2026
Despite the Lions leading 12-7 early on, Ryan Lamb’s side secured a seventh straight win as Jack Oulton, Lucas Gulley and Morgan Stone all scored twice to move Albion four points clear at the top.
Rotherham Titans (2nd), who have a game in hand, are now Albion’s nearest challengers after grinding out a 35-27 win away at Bishop’s Stortford (8th).
Roth led 23-10 at the break, but quick-fire tries from Oliver Jones and Jack Biard reduced the deficit to a single point.
Jackson Barling and Isaac Bell then traded scores before a yellow card for Stortford back-row Harrison Langworthy was immediately punished as Morgan Veness crossed for the decisive Rotherham try.
Harvey Biljon’s side moved into second at the expense of Blackheath (3rd), who went down 36-19 to London rivals Rosslyn Park (5th).
After a difficult end to 2025, Park made a perfect start to the new year and led 24-7 early in the second half.
Billy Harding and Finn Osborne responded for Blackheath, but tries from Charlie Piper and Joe Luca Smith ensured Park ended a three-match losing run at The Rock.
But arguably the game of the round came in Kent, where Rams (6th) overturned a 26-7 half-time deficit to stun Tonbridge Juddians (7th) 35-33.
Doubles from Nathan Earle and Tom Kendrick had put TJs in control, but Rams fought back through tries from Zach Clow, Willo Bicknell and Oliver Hodgson to lead 28-26 heading into the final 10 minutes.
Earle completed his hat-trick to restore the hosts’ advantage, but James Baker’s try a minute from time sealed a remarkable fightback from Rams.
National Two North
Two second-half penalties from Kieran Tyrer guided Rossendale (13th) to a crucial 13-7 win over relegation rivals Scunthorpe (14th).
Tom Clark opened the scoring for Rossendale after Marcus Payne was yellow-carded, but Will Dale levelled the contest on 29 minutes.
However, it was the visitors who scored the only points after the break to clinch a vital win.
The Stags had lost 10 games on the bounce ahead of their visit to Heslam Park, but this victory will provide a massive boost for the Lancashire outfit, who have leapfrogged Scunthorpe in the standings.
In terms of Scunthorpe, they are now eight points behind Hull, but they do have two games in hand.
And speaking of Hull (12th), they secured back-to-back victories – and ended Fylde’s (5th) perfect away record – with a tense 34-31 win at the Ferens Ground.
First-half tries from Tom Minns (2) and Joe Adams, plus two penalties and three conversions from Reece Dean, gave Hull a 27-26 half-time lead.
Tipiloma Kivalu added another after the break before Jordan Dorrington’s late try set up a nervy finish, but Hull held on to move six points clear of danger.
At the top, leaders Sheffield (1st) made it 14 wins from 14 as they overcame Hull Ionians (6th) 26-17 at Abbeydale Park.
Scores from Elliot Fisher, Christian Hooper and Cameron Catleugh put the hosts 21-3 ahead at the break.
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Hull Ionians hit back to close the gap to four points, but Hooper’s second try five minutes from time secured another bonus-point victory.
Macclesfield (2nd) remain four points behind Sheffield, having played a game more, following a 38-26 win over Preston Grasshoppers (8th).
Despite Preston trailing just 21-19 at half-time, Macc were able to pull away in the second 40.
Harry Oliver converted his own try and added a penalty, while Dan Leake also crossed for his second as the Blues claimed a seventh straight bonus-point win.
Third-placed Tynedale began 2026 with a hard-fought 14-7 home win over Sheffield Tigers (9th), while Darlington Mowden Park (4th) came from behind to defeat local rivals Billingham (10th) 45-35.
Both teams were seeking their first win since Round 11, and it was Billingham who had a 23-10 half-time lead thanks to tries from Eldon Myers (2) and Kieran Clark while Luke Wilson kicked eight points.
DMP had been shown three yellow cards in the opening 40, but rallied in the second half to turn things around.
Liam Checksfield and Harrison Wood went over to put the hosts ahead before Lauchlan Hill responded for Billingham.
Ben Douglas and Joe Scarborough then swapped scores, but tries in the final 10 minutes from Reuben Dyer and Wood completed the fightback for DMP.
And elsewhere, Wharfedale (7th) made it three home wins in a row with a 32-14 victory over Otley (11th).
National Two East
Havant (9th) further boosted their survival bid with an emphatic 54-25 win over Sevenoaks (12th), building on last week’s victory over Esher.
The visitors ran in eight tries, five of them in the second half. Sean Shepherd and Will Perry both scored twice, while Sam Trodd and Ben Griffin also crossed after the break.
Sevenoaks were only 21-18 behind shortly after half-time, with Ben Adams contributing 13 points, but Havant pulled away as Oaks managed just one second-half try from Benjy Hewitt.
Henley (13th) moved to within a point of Sevenoaks after battling to a 13-13 draw away at Dorking (5th).
Henley led 13-5 at the interval through Max Titchener’s boot and a Sebastian Scott try.
A Tom Hardwick penalty and a Callum Watson score levelled matters on the hour, and although Dorking winger Tom Howe went close at the death, he was denied by a last-ditch tackle from Oskar White.
A post-tackle fracas also resulted in Howe being red-carded in the last act of the game.
Post match interview with Luke brought to you by Gary @gdevansinterior Elite Sponsor. A good couple of points on the road against a top team well needed. See you all next week for another tough match at home against Old Albanians which @gdevansinterior are match sponsor. 👍🏉👏 pic.twitter.com/EfbcnzhpgK
— Henley Hawks Rugby (@HenleyHawks) January 17, 2026
Bottom side Oxford Harlequins (14th) suffered late heartbreak as London Welsh (8th) snatched a 31-28 win at the Horspath Sports Ground.
After going 12-0 down in as many minutes, Oxford Quins hauled themselves back into the contest and kept in touch with their visitors to trail 24-17 at the break.
A Craig Irwin try cut the deficit to two points, and two penalties from Kieran Jenkins inside the final 10 minutes gave the hosts a 28-24 lead.
However, their hearts would be broken as Ben Davies’s converted try snatched it for London Welsh.
Fourth-placed Canterbury extended their winning run to seven games with a narrow away victory over Kent rivals Westcombe Park (7th).
Tries from Eoin O’Donoghue and Tyler Oliver, plus three second-half penalties from Frank Reynolds, secured the City Men’s latest success.
Above them, the top three all claimed maximum points. Leaders Old Albanian (1st) impressively defeated Barnes (6th) 28-22 at Woollams, while Oundle (2nd) stayed two points behind with a 35-17 win over Guernsey Raiders (10th).
Bury St Edmunds (3rd) continued their fine form with a dominant 47-19 victory away at Esher (11th).
National Two West
Loughborough Students (13th) earned a vital 38-24 home win over Lymm (8th) to boost their survival hopes.
Joe Pannese struck early, and further first-half tries from Matt Sell, Louis Callow, Rhys Hulse and Connor Van Lille put the Students firmly in control.
Although Lymm mounted a second-half response, Ben Webb’s late try sealed the win while the visitors claimed a try bonus.
Old Redcliffians (11th) also recorded a crucial victory, defeating Chester (9th) 36-29 away from home, with scrum-half Andrew Butler scoring 21 points.
Bottom club Syston (14th) were beaten 33-5 by Redruth (10th), with the visitors being reduced to 14 men following Niall Hurley’s second-half dismissal.
At the top, leaders Camborne (1st) came from behind to defeat Hinckley (7th) 36-26.
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Trailing 26-12 at the break following Hinckley tries from Will Callan, Rory Vowles, George Pattern and Sam Read, the table-toppers turned things around as Ben Priddey (2) and CJ Boyce touched down while Rory O’Kane kicked nine points.
Luctonians (2nd) also had to work hard for their 40-31 victory over Exeter University (12th) at Mortimer Park, while Barnstaple (3rd) were stunned late on as Taunton Titans (5th) scored twice in the final three minutes to claim a dramatic 31-24 away victory.
The Chiefs hadn’t lost at Pottington Road since December 2024, but going into half-time, it looked like that statistic was under threat.
Taunton held a 17-5 lead after Barnstaple lock Matt Gohl had been sent off, but a try from home No.8 Brandon Moore kept them in the fight.
Cameron Johnson’s double then moved the hosts 24-17 ahead, only for their hearts to be broken as Jay Toogood’s converted try levelled things up before Matthew Whitlock snatched a third win in four games for Taunton.
And also in the West Country, Cinderford (4th) moved up to fourth with an efficient 29-7 win over Hornets (6th), with tries from Sam Smith, Nathan Taylor, Callum Thompson and Jake Polledri sealing the deal.
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