There are just two fixtures on the domestic rugby calendar this Saturday and they’re both in the Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield.
Top billing without doubt is the match at Ballafletcher between Ramsey B and Vagabonds B.
Both still have a shot at winning the Shield title and the sides have to play each other twice.
Vagas’ Paul Howard and Ramsey’s James Wren have, however, agreed to play this game and let the result determine the points for both, meaning it really is the proverbial ‘six-pointer’.
Southern Nomads top the table and already have a hand on the title but they have one final game to play and it’s against Vagabonds B.
Vagas and Ramsey have a few more games to go and both must win them all to force a play-off at the top.
This means that the loser this Saturday is out of the running. The Manx Executive Head of Fixtures is grateful to both clubs for the common sense approach which is a massive help given the fixture backlog.
The reality was that even if both games were played, the loser of the first would be out of the running in any case, which meant that the gamble wasn’t quite as risky as it initially seemed.
Vagas go into this clash as undoubted favourites.
They have back-to-back wins under their belts and a quality line-up to pick from.
Johnny Beckley is starring in the back row and his soft touches are creating the tries for his team-mates.
Daf Lewis is wily at scrum-half and Jack Rowland’s kicking is as accurate as any whether out of hand or from the tee.
With Kim Tomlinson adding the firepower in midfield, this Vagas B side are a match for any.
James Wren’s Ramsey side are an awkward bunch and there’s plenty of guile from wise old heads Tommy Callister and Darren Ideson with Jordan Walsh supplying the pace outside and Ben Harding kicking the goals.
Southern Nomads’ first defeat in two years came courtesy of Ramsey, so on the day this could be close. Vagas should however just edge it.
Elsewhere there is another important game but for different reasons.
The Shield competition splits into two supporting leagues shortly and the battle is on to get a top-four finish.
Western Viking’s Ed Alderson set this as a pre-season goal and with his side currently in fifth, he needs some wins.
Vikings travel to sixth place Emerging Nomads this Saturday and with a 34-19 win under their belts in the Peel leg, they will fancy their chances for a double.
Nomads’ stand-in leader Orry Watterson will have other ideas. Expect this one to be close, but with Vikings just edging it.
Fixtures:
Saturday, February 27
Women’s NC North One
Halifax v Vagabonds @ Halifax
Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield both ko @ 2.15pm
Vagabonds B v Ramsey B @ Ballafletcher
Emerging Nomads v Western Vikings @ King William’s College