Round 21 Review: Promotion hopefuls halted, survival bids strengthened and surges continue
Some with title dreams and play-off aspirations were stunted across National One and National Two, while a cluster of clubs gave their survival hopes a major lift. (Photo Credit: Paul Kilshaw)
National One
Plymouth Albion (2nd) lost ground in the National One title race after losing 34-26 to third-placed Blackheath in front of 2,550 at Brickfields.
Albion were on an 11-game winning streak and had not lost at home for just over 11 months, which underlines just how impressive this bonus-point victory was for Blackheath.
The irrepressible Billy Harding, Tom Hughes and Jordan Burns fired the visitors into a 19-0 lead after 27 minutes, and that platform helped ‘Club’ to victory.
Archie Holland and Harding added tries number four and five for Tom Stradwick’s side while Sam Morley‘s late penalty denied their hosts a losing bonus. Blackheath are now just four points behind Albion.
Plymouth did record a try bonus point, but they are now five points adrift of Rotherham Titans (1st), who beat Birmingham Moseley (11th) 33-7 at Clifton Lane.
The Titans flew out of the blocks with two tries in the opening six minutes from Travis Gordon and Harry Newborn. James Norman and Luke Cole – on his 100th appearance – also crossed as the hosts stayed in control.
Their only score of the second half was a penalty try awarded after Ollie Stedman had dotted down for Moseley.
Next up for Roth is a trip to Blackheath – who they are nine points clear of – before they welcome Plymouth to South Yorkshire in Round 23.
At the other end of the table, Clifton (12th) boosted their survival hopes with a breathless 54-40 victory over bottom club Leicester Lions (14th), who are now all but relegated.
In a 14-try thriller, Clifton secured their bonus point inside 27 minutes and led 47-14 just after the break.
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Oliver Stirling, Harry Johnson and Zak Hamid all grabbed braces for the Lavender and Blacks, who now sit one point off the ‘relegation play-off spot‘ and three points from safety.
Dings Crusaders (13th) were unable to strengthen their survival bid after falling to a 47-12 defeat against Sale FC (4th).
Sale led 21-0 at half-time and, despite Tomas Gwilliam crossing after the interval for Dings, Fergus Mulchrone, Toby Wilson, Dan Birchall and Matt Bradley ensured a comfortable victory for the hosts.
Elsewhere, Sedgley Park (10th) rallied to earn two bonus points in a 31-28 home defeat to Tonbridge Juddians (7th).
Trailing 24-7 shortly after half-time, and down to 13-men following two yellow cards, the Tigers roared back as quick-fire tries from Danny Rylance and Rhys Henderson reduced the deficit to three points.
However, Will Bennett’s yellow card proved costly and was punished by Tom Kendrick. Sedge still secured what could prove to be a crucial try bonus thanks to Rylance’s second late on.
And ahead of their meeting next Saturday, both Leeds Tykes (9th) and Bishop’s Stortford (8th) maintained their momentum with impressive victories.
Leeds edged past Rosslyn Park (5th) 45-38 – despite building healthy leads on more than one occasion – with Eddie Crossland contributing 20 points in a fourth successive win.
Bishop’s Stortford, meanwhile, defeated Rams (6th) away from home for the second time in as many seasons, winning 36-31 at Old Bath Road.
Leeds have moved eight points clear of the drop zone, while any lingering relegation concerns for Stortford appear to have eased following a third straight success.
National Two North
Rossendale (14th) reignited their survival bid as the division’s bottom club battled to a hard-fought 29-22 victory over Sheffield Tigers (8th).
Scrum-half Finlay Rogers starred with 19 points as The Stags outscored their opponents four tries to three.
Player-coach Sam Bedlow and Jack Lightbrown crossed in the first half to help the hosts to a 19-15 lead, before Rogers added to his first try with a penalty.
Louis Redfern-Brown’s try on 70 minutes levelled matters, but Rogers responded almost immediately with a decisive score to secure Rossendale’s fourth win of the campaign.
Just one point now separates the bottom three sides, with Scunthorpe (13th) slipping back into the relegation zone following a 50-19 defeat at top two-chasing Macclesfield (3rd).
Sam Adu, Samson Shute and Alex Davies each scored twice in an eight-try victory for Macclesfield, who remain one point behind second-placed Tynedale with a game in hand.
Hull (12th) moved out of the drop zone – albeit only on points difference – after claiming a try bonus point in a 35-25 defeat to Tynedale (2nd).
Level on points with Scunthorpe – who have three games in hand – Hull had led 25-14 at the break thanks to a Tom Lineham hat-trick, a Jack Render score and the boot of Reece Dean.
80’ TRY
Double digit tries for Hoppers!
A brilliant pass from debutant Attis to find Freeman who dumps it off to Walker who gets a try on his return game.
Freeman conversation just wide.
The ref blows for FT and Hoppers are back to winning ways!
The final score 66-26
— Preston Grasshoppers (@RugbyHoppers) February 28, 2026
But Tynedale, not for the first time in recent weeks, came from behind in the second period, scoring three unanswered tries.
Hull will now watch one as both Rossendale and Scunthorpe fulfil games in hand next week. Rossendale welcome leaders Sheffield to Marl Pits, while Scunthorpe travel to Sheffield Tigers.
Preston Grasshoppers (11th) eased any relegation concerns with a blistering 10-try 66-26 win over Darlington Mowden Park (5th).
After seven matches without victory, this was a timely and emphatic response from Dan Orwin’s side. Jacob Browne scored a hat-trick, while Player of the Match Sam Freeman and Tom Ailes both crossed twice.
The result leaves Hoppers 12 points clear of the bottom two, although they have played two matches more than Scunthorpe.
League leaders Sheffield (1st) secured their 18th successive win with a 52-7 victory at Billingham (9th).
Anthony Posa’s side were clinical once again, with Jack Dawson, Rhodri Campbell and Christian Hooper all scoring twice.
Elsewhere, Hull Ionians (4th) edged Otley (10th) 29-27 at Brantingham Park, while Fylde (6th) ended their seven-game winless run in style with a 45-7 victory over Wharfedale (7th) at Woodlands.
Winger Leo Gilliland starred with a hat-trick as Fylde claimed their first win since Round 13.
National Two East
Oundle (3rd) saw their title ambitions dented as Canterbury (5th) fought back from 21 points down to claim a stunning 51-33 victory at The Marine Travel Ground.
Tries from Rian Hamilton (2), Tevita Vaenuku and Anthony Maka gave Oundle a commanding 28-7 half-time lead, and the promotion hopefuls looked set to extend their unbeaten run to 13 matches.
But Canterbury produced a remarkable turnaround. Five consecutive tries from Tyler Oliver, Presley Farrance, James Stephens and Frank Morgan (2) punished two Oundle yellow cards and turned the contest on its head.
Matt Collins responded for the visitors, but the final 10 minutes belonged to Canterbury as a penalty and drop goal from Frank Reynolds were followed by Oliver’s second try.
Defeat saw Oundle slip out of the top two, and they now trail leaders Old Albanian (1st) by five points.
OAs bounced back from last week’s loss to their title rivals with a 54-29 victory over Oxford Harlequins (14th).
Oluwaseyi Ajeigbe (2), Matt Ramzanpour and Ben Alexander helped establish a 28-12 lead in a hard-fought first 40 before three quick-fire second-half tries put the result beyond doubt. Oxford Harlequins, to their credit, did collect a try bonus point.
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Bury St Edmunds (2nd) moved into the play-off position after a dominant 64-22 win at London Welsh (10th).
James Shanahan’s side have now lost just one of their last 11 matches and ran in 10 tries at Old Deer Park, with Clark MacFarlane completing a hat-trick and Alex Earnshaw adding a brace.
With five matches remaining, plenty can still change, but notably, Bury host Old Albanian on the final day of the regular season.
Elsewhere, it was a big afternoon at the bottom as Henley (12th) climbed out of the relegation zone at the expense of Sevenoaks (13th) thanks to a crucial 45-26 victory over their table rivals.
A fast start, featuring tries from Will Benning, Ben Elsey, Leo Webb and Oliver Snook, gave Henley a 28-12 half-time lead, with Spencer Hayhow’s brace and the boot of Callum Jones sealing the result after the break.
Sevenoaks secured a late try bonus point through Ed Shepherdson, but Henley now sit three points clear in the ‘relegation play-off spot‘.
Esher (11th) are now just three points above Henley following a 30-5 defeat at Dorking (6th). James Botterill scored the EEEs’ only try while Dorking concluded February unbeaten.
And finally, Barnes (4th) extended their winning run to four matches with a 47-24 success over Westcombe Park (7th) while Guernsey (8th) leapfrogged Havant (9th) after a 36-26 win at Footes Lane.
National Two West
Hinckley (3rd) breathed fresh life into the play-off race with a commanding 36-0 victory over second-placed Luctonians at Leicester Road.
Beginning the afternoon 15 points behind Luctonians – with a game in hand – Emyr Lewis’ side struck three times in the opening 13 minutes to seize control.
Travis Bennett-Allcock (2) and Oliver Bee crossed early, before George Patten secured the bonus point on the stroke of half-time.
Luctonians’ second-half changes failed to shift the momentum as Hinckley’s defensive resolve, supplemented by a Rory Vowles penalty and Sam Read’s try, completed the win.
The Midlands side could now reduce the gap between themselves and Lucs to five points if they can win their game in hand against Taunton next weekend.
As for Luctonians, they still remain 13 points behind Camborne (1st) after the leaders fell to just their second defeat of the season, losing 40-17 away at Hornets (6th).
Hornets’ record at The Nest continues to be impressive, and this was another feather in their home cap.
The hosts led 19-12 heading into the final quarter, before Charlie Carter’s brace and a Sonny Davis try clinched this excellent win for Jon Richardson and Jack Gadd’s side.
With five games to go, Camborne are still firmly in control of the title race and will look to regroup ahead of the visit of Taunton in Round 22.
In terms of the bottom, Exeter University remain one point above the drop zone and in the ‘relegation play-off position’ after a 42-33 home loss to Lymm (8th).
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In a tense final 20 minutes, Lymm – despite receiving a red card and two yellow cards – edged clear as hat-trick hero Rhys Lilly delivered the decisive score. Exeter had to settle for a try bonus point.
Loughborough Students (13th) also claimed a try bonus point in a 56-29 defeat to Taunton (4th), with winger Freddy Elliott recording his second hat-trick in three weeks for the Titans.
Taunton have now won six of their last seven and could find themselves in the play-off hunt if they can defeat Hinckley in next week’s game in hand.
Bottom club Syston (14th) secured their first away win of the season with a stirring comeback against Old Redcliffians (9th).
Trailing 31-17 at half-time, Alex White’s side responded with three unanswered tries from Owen Carroll, Henry Grooby and hat-trick man Austin Nevitt to seal victory at Scotland Lane.
It leaves Syston 14 points behind Exeter University – who they host in Round 22 – so while it might seem a bridge too far for a great escape, the Midlands club are still fighting.
Elsewhere, there was late drama at Cinderford (6th) and Barnstaple (7th).
A madcap 13-try game at Bell Sport & Rugby Park ended with Cinderford’s Oliver Johnson scoring a 77th-minute try to secure a breathless 47-40 win over Chester (11th).
Former Italian international Jake Polledri also scored four for Cinderford, while Chester departed Gloucestershire with two bonus points.
As for Barnstaple, they were denied back-to-back home wins as Tom Cowan-Dickie’s try clinched a 21-21 draw for Redruth (10th).
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