The Rugby Northeast conference already has its key games, and in fact we’re not that far from playoff time.

UMass-Lowell and Bentley College are now 2-0 and the race for 1st in the league. Bentley’s two wins are by razor-thin margins, 11-10 over Norwich and 12-5 over Middlebury. Lowell has won twice, too with a close win (22-12) over Middlebury, and a big win over New England College.

Norwich is 1-1 and will be the team that nobody is particular stoked about meeting in the playoffs.

Right now it looks as though Norwich is in good shape to be 3rd or 2nd in the league when the regular season is done.

Bentley and Lowell face off this coming weekend. That game is massive, because the winner will likely be #1 in the Rugby Northeast, and would then play the #4 team in the playoffs. 

If Lowell loses, that team still has a game against Norwich, a game that would likely decide who is 2nd in the league, and maybe event 1st as Norwich still has Lowell on the slate.

And who is #4? Well that could be New England College, but unlikely, because NEC is struggling and 0-2. It would be Providence, as the Friars are 1-1 and 4th right now. But Middlebury, despite being 0-2, is poised to be 4th. Middlebury’s two losses were very close, and to UMass-Lowell and Bentley. Middlebury can finished 4th with wins over NEC and Providence, and this weekend it’s Middlebury vs Providence, which probably helps confirm who is in the top four.