The two favourites meet in the Manx Shield this week for the first time in the competition this season.

Multiple winners PDMS Southern Nomads host defending champions Douglas Celts at King William’s College.

The two last met in the Manx Trophy back in September with Nomads pulling off a big win 59-12 at Port-e-Chee.

Both sides have moved on since then and have repeatedly recorded large wins. They are locked together at the top of the Shield standings and something will give this week.

For me, Nomads are the likely winners here. They have a consistent side and are settled. Douglas, by contrast, have a much more uncertain line-up with many players vying for first team places. On the day, however, Douglas are capable of winning as they proved last season and this should be an intriguing game.

Elsewhere in the Shield, Ramsey B head to Ballafletcher to take on Vagas B. Ramsey have yet to win in the Shield and stand-in skipper Mike Caine will be looking to correct this.

Vagas’ first team have a winnable game away at Oldershaw too so Ramsey B will want to take advantage.

Vikings meet Castletown for place in Manx Bowl Final

The start of the Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield has somewhat blurred the fact that there’s still some unfinished business in the Manx Bowl.

Emerging Nomads have already qualified for the final but the other place is up for grabs with Western Vikings and Castletown both in with a sniff. They both have two remaining games but they’re against each other!

The first of these is this weekend and Vikings have the edge. They have a two-point lead over Town in the standings and a Vikings win this week at QEII will be enough to see them through. Town, on the other hand, must win both. Vikings put in a good shift to beat Ramsey B two weeks ago, but they weren’t quite as handy last Saturday when they lost to a very experienced Vagas B line-up.

Vikings’ skipper Liam Sweeney really is one to watch. A big second row is rarely a playmaker but Sweeney’s engine gets him to parts of the park other locks can’t reach and he invariably pops up on the scoresheet.

The Vikings centre pairing of Ollie Creasey and Danny McElroy was also impressive in the Ramsey game as was flanker Peter Crowe.

Town will, however, be competitive. Kunal Patel has been sharp in their back line since day one, Jim Emmet works hard in the 10 jersey and James Jones will put himself about in the back row. Expect a tough game with Vikings just edging it.

Fixtures for Saturday, November 25

North One West

Douglas v Carlisle @ Port-e-Chee ko 2.15pm

South Lancs/Cheshire Division Two

Oldershaw v Vagabonds @ Oldershaw

South Lancs/Cheshire Division Three (South)

Ramsey v Liverpool University Medics

@ Mooragh Park ko tbc

Shimmin Wilson Manx Bowl

Western Vikings v Castletown @ QEII ko 2.15pm

Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield all ko @ 2.15pm

PDMS Southern Nomads v Douglas Celts

@ King William’s College

Vagabonds B v Ramsey B @ Ballafletcher