Rugby’s bid for a first European Cup tie victory goes on after they suffered a unexpected opening round exit to Pila in this years competition. Despite taking a healthy 12 point lead with them to the Polish circuit, it was the Gravediggers who failed to make it through to the semi-finals, Pila winning the return 53-37 to progress by four. Rugby’s fifth straight first round exit was confirmed by Andreas Brammer’s (15) last heat win over Zygmunt Jablonski (13+1) and Valeri Elin (9), the victory completing a maximum for the world number 13 on the night. It followed successive 5-1’s which had turned the tie in favour of the hosts, Brammer taking the first ahead of fellow heat leader Radim Bercik (9+1) in heat 13, reserve Frode Thrane (9+2)—who’d scored just a point at Rugby—winning the penultimate race ahead of second string Tomasz Zajac (5+4). An early exit too for Smethwick in their first appearance in the competition in eight years. They’d beaten Oslo over two legs last time they met in SL22, not on this occasion, the Norwegians making light work of overturning a two point first leg deficit on home shale to win by ten, in front from heat two they secured aggregate victory with two races to spare thanks to a 5-1 won by former Kesgrave star, Rain Vink (10+2). Success though for one of Vink’s other previous clubs, Whitemoor, they the next to take on Pila after easing through to a 14 point aggregate win over Malmo in their first round tie. Last years defeated finalists are joined in the semi-finals by Chalvington, who reached the last four for only the second time in five attempts with an eight point aggregate victory over Krakow, second string Filip Sarka the stand out for the visitors in Poland this week, he winning three of his four races.

Four 5-1’s in the space of six heats secured Whitemoor victory at Bolsover with a race to spare. A remarkable achievement considering they had trailed their hosts by six at the halfway point of the division one meeting, Bernd Hoover’s (16) appearance as a tactical substitute in heat nine changing the momentum in favour of the visitors. He returned to the pits having combined with Deniz Rask (9+2) for maximum points, Hoover also won the next two 5-1’s, including a second with Rask in heat 13, Niklas Hatala (5+1) and Radim Urban (5+1) wrapped up things in the penultimate race. It was Trevor Walker’s side fourth straight league victory, one which takes them to the top of the division one table for the first time since the opening week of the season. At the other end of the standings Smethwick are left just points difference above the drop zone after being held to a home draw by Rugby, who end the week five points clear of the Meerkats as a result, although only one place better off than them in sixth.

Glasshoughton (26 points) remain top of division two despite losing at home for the first time this season. Netherton (23) are back up to a SL30 high third in the standings following the 44-46 victory at the Broomhill Arena, Cestmir Sulak (15) securing all three league points and his fourth maximum of the campaign with a last heat win over the disappointing Michael Langhorne (8). With three wins, Langhorne had been in much better form earlier in the week when the Gazelles took down March on their travels by the same 44-46 score-line, Langhorne victorious in a crucial last heat 5-1 ahead of team mate Adam Schofield (12+1) to take Matt Bernard’s side to their third away win of the campaign. Elsewhere Broadwell continued their good form at Longbridge, where the side that were bottom not so long again moved to within three points of the promotion places thanks to a last heat second place finish for Josef Plasil (12+1). That completing a single point victory for the visitors, in a meeting they had trailed in by five until they scored back-to-back 5-1’s in heats 13 and 14, Anton Zontar (11) winning the first of those, reserve Jack Mills (9+1) the second.

A first World Championship meeting win since SL27 for three-time GP winner Valeri Elin. The now 30 year old Rugby number one (14) dropped just a point in winning his second round tie in Kassel from world number two Taavi Raudnagel (11), the Russian now just one meeting away from qualifying for the GP series for the fifth time in his career. Chalvington world number seven Jason Danoff (14) won the second of this weeks ties, again by a comfortable three point margin, with Aussie’ Adam Ward (11) taking a surprise second.

Rugby have work to do if they are to make the quarter finals of the KO Cup for the 11th time in 12 seasons. The top flight side take just a four point advantage to division two outfit Great Barr, who will start the home leg of the tie as favourites to progress to the last eight for the first time.