It’s cup week in rugby so with Douglas and Vagabonds taking a break from their league games, the focus on Saturday switches to Southern Nomads and Western Vikings as they get their Cheshire Bowl campaigns underway.

Both are away from home in the their opening games of the competition, with Nomads travelling to Port Sunlight and Vikings to Oldershaw.

The two English clubs have played each other in an opening round with Port Sunlight running out 40-38 winners at Oldershaw and grabbing pole position in the competition.

The two also line up in the same NORIWUL league with Sunlight currently fourth and Oldershaw a bit lower down in 12th.

Getting anything from these matches is probably going to be a big ask for the Manx clubs because of a lack of game time.

Nomads have a friendly behind them and one defeat by Ramsey in the Manx Shield, while Vikings have no form to measure at all this season.

Nomads played very effectively against Ramsey and weren't too far away from claiming the points.

The forwards were competitive and the Craine brothers, Mike and Rob, netted three tries between them.

They were perhaps a little light in the set-piece though and could struggle against an in-form Sunlight.

Vikings are also likely to struggle unless their preparation has been perfect. Harry Goodwin will always give them va-va-voom in the forwards and youngster Tom Randall will get around the park wherever they play him.

Enthusiasm, however, counts for little and I suspect we'll see an Oldershaw win in Wallasey.

Fixtures: Saturday, October 5

Cheshire Bowl

Port Sunlight v PDMS Southern Nomads @ Port Sunlight

Oldershaw v Western Vikings @ Oldershaw

- Round-up in next week’s Isle of Man Examiner - on sale Tuesday morning.

DAVE CHRISTIAN