The Writers Poll - Week Ten

Our latest writers’ top 25 sees a huge change following a week of shocking victories. Once again, Birmingham and Hertfordshire top the list after completing their undefeated regular seasons and winning their respective conferences.

The surprise of the top five is the fact that Loughborough still remain in the number three spot after their loss to Birmingham. Even more surprising when we see that Stirling moved above Hull despite both teams winning at the weekend.

The biggest movers on this week’s rankings are the Cambridge Pythons following their three point victory over the UEA Pirates. The Pirates dropped seven places after this loss. 

Other teams dropping down on the list are Southampton, Kent, Brighton and Plymouth due to their losses last weekend.

Finally, two new teams prop up the bottom of the rankings as the Gloucester Gladiators and Leeds Celtics end week ten with a ranking next to their name.

The poll.

1.     Birmingham -

2.     Hertfordshire -

3.     Loughborough -

4.     Derby -

5.     Stirling +1

6.     Hull -1

7.     Bath -

8.     Sheffield +1

9.     UWE +1

10.  Kingston +2

11.  Portsmouth +6

12.  Southampton -4

13.  Cambridge +9

14.  Kent -3

15.  NTU -

16.  Warwick +2

17.  Carnegie +2

18.  Glasgow -2

19.  BNU +1

20.  UEA -7

21.  Manchester +2

22.  Brighton -8

23.  Plymouth -2

24.  Gloucester NEW

25.  Leeds NEW

Week Ten Powerless Rankings

Another week is in the books and we’re slowly advancing towards the end of the regular season. Actually, after this week there’s only one more powerless ranking left! What are we going to do until next season? Well, we have the end of season big board to look forward to, BAFANL football, then the pre-season Top 25 and powerless rankings!

Unfortunately for the teams on this list, their respective seasons are all but over after less than impressive seasons. No need to worry though because we always like to provide some positives at DC, so here’s ours for today. Players, coaches, fans, random man with his dog who seems to be at every game, just remember what Professor Brian Cox and the rest of D’Ream said – things can only get better!

Neil Edwards returns to the London Olympians

NEIL EDWARDS has returned to the London Olympians, where he will use his vast experience - including playing semi-professionally in Germany and participating in NFL Europe training camps to coach the club's defensive backs.

After playing as a junior with the Finsbury Park Stallions and London Capitals, Edwards joined the Olympians in the early Nineties and won national titles with the O's, Farnham Knights and Coventry Jets as well as overseas with the Landsberg Express and Stuttgart Scorpions.
He has learnt from some impressive names, including Jeff Reinebold, who last year worked under the Chicago Bears' new head coach, Marc Trestman, as defensive coordinator of the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes.

“Before I flew out to NFL Europe camp in 2001, [Olympians head coach Riq Ayub] set up a meeting with me and him and and he told me what was expected of me, what I was going to be facing and broke down things for me,” Edwards said of his time with Reinebold, who is a regular on Sky Sports' NFL coverage and is now special teams coach of the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “He kept an eye on me and told me how I was doing in terms of my progression.”

Now Edwards is back with the South London side and is eager to pass on his knowledge to the next generation of the 13-times champions of Britain.

Warwick @ RHUL: Womens flag‏ match report

In two, closer than anticipated games Royal Holloway Bears came out undefeated.

What can usually be anticipated is a slow start from Warwick with an anything but slow first touch of the ball for Calyx Schentrup saw her scamper up the sideline for a length of the field score.

Wideout April Heath then added a further 6 with a pass from “Elite” team mate Chloe Baton for a Bears 13-0 lead after Heath added the XP throw again from Baton.

Warwick’s efficient short passing and running game failed to break any big plays and it was up to Safety Martha Michaud to return an interception to pay dirt to make the final score 13-7 with Erin Robinson’s extra point pass to Carly Moorhouse being the last score of the first game.

Martha Michaud bursts through the Bears D (Photo by Elite Women Project)

NFL Combine: 5 Players With a Point to Prove

It's almost combine time for the 2013 NFL draft prospects and that means there will be plenty of analysis over the most minute details. As with every year there's a few guys out there who can massively help their money earning potential with a big performance in Indianapolis, so here are a few of the names that you need to keep an eye during their on field workouts.

Eddie Lacy – RB, Alabama

As a 'Bama back, Lacy has a couple of tough acts to follow.

Even though there is no consensus on who is the top running back in this years fairly weak draft class, Eddie Lacy is probably going to garner the most attention. He couldn’t have wished for a better stage and performance to end his college career on after running over and spinning around Manti Te’o and the Irish in the National Championship game. After playing behind a dominant O-line at Alabama his draft stock has risen dramatically, but his straight-line speed and quickness are two attributes that the scouts question and Lacy must perform well in these categories to ease the scouts worries and set himself apart from the other running backs.

The two drills that Lacy needs to have big performances in are the 40 yard dash and shuttle run. Experts say that his 40 needs to come in at under 4.53 to keep the haters quiet.