By Rob Cole

The great London Welsh revival has gathered a pretty strong head of steam and the long climb up the league ladder from bottom back to the top will reach the second rung this weekend if they can clinch a single point at Old Deer Park.

Given they smashed the league record with an amazing 113-0 win over Vermulians last weekend, in a game that was shortened due to their dominance, it looks pretty certain they will complete their mission, and second successive promotion, against a Cheshunt side currently sitting in eighth place in the league.

Last weekend’s triumph included a massive 17 tries and 38 points (14 conversions and two tries) from Jonathan Williams. It means the Exiles are 10 points clear of Datchworth at the top of London 3 North West with two games to play.

Having topped 100 league points in winning the Herts/Middlesex Division 1 title last season, London Welsh will be looking to move up into London 2 North West next season and take another step back towards their former status. Last season’s two promoted teams, Grasshoppers and Welwyn, are currently sitting mid-table in the higher league.

With two home games to go, against Cheshunt this weekend and then second placed Datchworth on 6 April, promotion now seems a formality. The question is, can London Welsh, under the coaching guidance of former Osprey Cai Griffiths, continue their Phoenix-like rise up the rankings.

The target next season will be to reach London 1 North, with the London & SE Premier League the next rung on the ladder after that. From there the National League system beckons, with National League 2 South followed by National League 1.

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The latter is the gateway to the Greene King IPA Championship, one step below the Gallagher Premiership, which is the league from which they were removed in 2017 due to financial issues. The fightback continues!

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