League ever-presents Rugby are into the semi-finals of the Division One Cup for the first time after snatching a top-two group finish with victory at Wordsley. The Gravediggers extended their unbeaten run at the Glassworks to four thanks to successive 5-1’s from Valeri Elin (15+1) and Zygmunt Zablonski (12+1), the pair brought into heat 14 by David Grainger as a tactical double change and then selected again to follow up their success in the last heat decider. The results turned a six point deficit into a 44-46 win for the visitors, a decisive one as it saw them finish top of their section, a draw would have placed them third and out at this stage of the competition for an 11th time in as many seasons. The Division One Cup is the only domestic club honour Rugby—who won the Club Pairs for the first time earlier in SL28—have yet to win, they will face holders Bridgwater in their maiden semi-final, the Baboons this week picking up the maximum four points on offer from their meeting with Nottingham, 55-35, the fourth secured with a last heat 5-1 from unbeaten pairing Bernd Hoover (15) and Odell Espeseth (14+1). Steven Potter’s side finish second in their group to Chalvington, the Chiefs rounding off an unbeaten qualifying campaign with a draw at Sedgemoor, a meeting they twice trailed in by eight. Chalvington have yet to win the competition, but did finish runners-up in both SL16 and 17, and it’s the most recent of runners-up, Whitemoor, who are their last four opponents this year. A 48-42 home win over Cambridge for the Witches this week was good enough to see them pip Newport Pagnell to a place in the semi-finals on points difference.

George Bull qualified through to the second round of the World Championship for first time in his career after a fourth place finish in his opening tie of SL28 at Wordsley. Bull and fellow Brit’ Adam Schofield (9) were amongst those to finish in the top eight of a meeting won by Oslo’s Frantisek Such (14). Whitemoor’s world number nine Anton Zontor (13) won the second of this weeks qualifiers in Malmo.

Seven league wins out of eight now for Smethwick who have extended their lead over Glasshougton at the top of division two to two points. More importantly the Meerkats’ advantage over fourth placed Netherton is now five points, their bid to end their six year spell away from the top flight boosted with a third away victory of the campaign. Coming at bottom side Loughton it perhaps was an expected one, however you wouldn’t have said that after the first nine races, with the hosts scoring three 5-1’s in that period. Smethwick hit back late on to take the points 43-47, as both Kristoff Muller (18) and Mike Conlon (15+3) completed six ride maximums, the pair joining forces to claim vital 5-1’s in heats 11 and 15, as well as winning heat 13 and 14 4-2’s in turn.

Brockmoor are still seeking their first competitive away win after being denied by hosts Halesowen in a meeting they led in by six. A second draw on the road for the Bulls in the end, despite their riders racing to ten of the 15 heat wins, three of which went the way of second string, Tomasz Blasiak (11+1). The result saw the Bulls drop to second in the table, however they regained the lead of the highly competitive division three with a later 61-29 home rout of Bristol.