Cornish Pirates

Bedford v Titans

Bedford rate their chances of staging the game against Rotherham Titans as unlikely as heavy snow covers an already frozen pitch at Goldington Road.

Blues boss Mike Rayer has been urging the RFU to allow the club to make an early decision on a probable postponement and told Bedford Today,

"The pitch is frozen. Around 95 per cent of it is rock solid. Last week we had a number of volunteers helping us to get the game on and they did a fantastic job, but snow like this would take a bit of shifting.”

"The problem is the temperatures show no sign of lifting and you can't get the frost out of the pitch. We used a cover for parts of the pitch last week, but you can't leave those on because they kill the grass."

And Rayer stated the need for a quick decision because of the extra factors involved.

He added:

"We've got caterers, sponsors, hospitality and supporters to think about. It took a big effort to get the game on last week at such short notice and it would cost us quite a bit to get everything ready and then see the game called off late. We can't do anything about the weather, we just need a sensible decision."

The Sheffield Star reports that Rotherham’s enforced break over Christmas due to the weather has eased the problems caused by a virus affecting the camp www.thestar.co.uk/rugbyunion

Doncaster Knights v Plymouth Albion

The Knights will hold a 10am pitch inspection tomorrow (Friday) to decide the fate of this fixture but hold little hope of the game going ahead.

Lynn Howells told the Doncaster Star,

“We got the sheeting down before the frost really set in. The frost has got into the ground now and there's no point in putting sheeting down in that situation.

"The pitch is currently covered in snow but the ground is very hard beneath it so I'm not optimistic. We desperately want the game to go ahead if at all possible because we've already had two league games called off and the RFU are insisting that all postponed games be played by February 17.

"We had been using the astroturf pitch at the Keepmoat Stadium but that has not been available this week due to the snow. We've managed to do some work under the main stand and really it has been a case of doing what we can."

He continued that he would advocate a change to summer rugby if the RFU ever proposed such a move. Howells said, “I'm a big believer in switching to the summer and everybody I talk to feels the same. Rugby league stole a march on us when they did it

"Conditions like we've got now make it very difficult for the players - and that's if we even manage to get the games on. We're in a situation now here where we've got the games against Pontypridd (in the British & Irish Cup], Nottingham and Coventry to reschedule.

"We'll be forced to cram these games in which means we'll be playing against sides who haven't had as many postponements and will still be pretty fresh. Whereas we'll have some tired legs. That wouldn't be the case if the sport switched to the summer."

Full story www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk

Plymouth Albion chairman of rugby Graham Dawe told The Herald,

“It is our understanding we may be informed before tomorrow whether the game is to go ahead as planned. But as far as we are concerned the match is going ahead.”

"We are studying Doncaster's game and trying to identify their strengths and the way they defend in the backs. We are also trying to identify what team they are likely to select and what sort of plays they are likely to use off their line-outs."

Chiefs v Bees

Following a pitch inspection today at Sandy Park a decision is expected later today on whether or not this match can go ahead.

Rob Baxter told the Express & Echo,

“Our feeling is that it's looking very doubtful as there is more snow forecast and the temperatures are hardly forecast to get above freezing in the next three days.

"We will have a look at the pitch and the forecast and if there is a chance we could get the game on we will have a look again on Friday morning.

“I think we'll be able to make a decision this morning and, if the game is off, we will try to get all the players in on the all-weather pitch at some stage over the weekend.

We will also try and arrange a new date with Birmingham, but this will be the third game Birmingham will have had postponed.”

"There is not much time to get all the games played before February 20, and we will have to see if conditions improve for our game at Rotherham next weekend. We don't want to get into a situation where we have a big backlog of fixtures, but there's not much we can do about it."

Moseley v Bristol

The Billesley Common based side are also expecting this fixture to fall foul of the weather with a blanket of snow covering an already frozen pitch.

A spokesman for the club told the Bristol Evening Post,

“I think it is in severe doubt at the moment. The pitch is under three inches of snow – and it's frozen under that."

"We will officially make a decision on Friday morning. We will have the referee here on Friday to have a look – but it's not looking good at the moment."

Story www.thisisbristol.co.uk/bristolrugby

Cornish Pirates v London Welsh

This match is currently ON.

Updates will appear on this website and on associated message boards

Nottingham v Coventry

Sunday`s game at Meadow Lane must be a doubt with freezing temperatures and snow forecast to persist in the area.

Notts County FC are due to play on the pitch in a league fixture 24 hours earlier so a decision is probably likely tomorrow on both games.