After a weekend of upsets, it’ll be interesting to see how a number of teams back up for round five this weekend.

Manly will be looking to continue their good form when they host Norths, Sydney Uni face the in form Two Blues, Eastwood play Warringah, Gordon host Randwick, West Harbour travel to Newcastle and Southern Districts play Easts.

We’ve handpicked five of the best one on one matchups to keep an eye on this weekend.

Langi Gleeson (Manly No.7) v Charlie Jeavons-Fellows (Norths No.7) 

The battle of the No.7s will be crucial on Saturday. Young Tahs backrower Langi Gleeson was brilliant for the Marlins in last week’s derby, scoring the winning try for Manly. After missing most of last season with a knee injury, Gleeson looks to be getting better every week. 

He’ll face up against Charlie Jeavons-Fellows who has also started 2022 nicely. When Norths are playing well, they get quick ball and attack from anywhere, something they weren’t able to do all evening in Cowra last week against Eastwood. 

Gleeson will need to slow Norths’ ball in the same way the Woodies did and Jeavons-Fellows will be out to stop him. 

Liam Richmond (Souths No.15) v Luke Glen (Easts No.15)

Souths are struggling and sit last after four rounds with just one win to their name. To try and spark something, Todd Louden was moved Liam Richmond from No.10 to fullback, with Blaise Barnes moving forward to take over the playmaking. 

Both Richmond and Barnes will need to do everything they can to limit the amount of ball they give gun Easts’ fullback Luke Glen, who is shaping as an early Catchpole Medal contender after the opening month of the season. 

Lona Halahola (Hunter No.8) v Prez Tufuga (West Harbour No.8)

Two of the biggest signings of the summer meet head to head in Newcastle this weekend. Halahola has been good for the Wildfires so far this season, but he hasn’t quite rediscovered the form that saw him picked as the best player in the Brisbane Club Rugby competition this year. 

Tufuga also has more to give and it would be fantastic to see the two find their best against one another in a match both sides probably think they should win. 

Alesana Pohla (Gordon No.11) v Christian Yassmin (Randwick No.14)

On a dry, sunny day it’d be great to see these two flyers go at it down the same sideline. But the forecast suggests we might not get that on Saturday and the two will probably meet on a wet, boggy Chatswood Oval. 

Despite that, they’ll both still play a crucial role getting their respective sides out of trouble from the back three and finding extra work through the midfield. 

Both Gordon and Randwick are coming off disappointing losses last week and won’t want to add another on Saturday. 

Ciaran Loh (Sydney Uni No.2) v JP Sauni (Western Sydney No.2)

Uni hooker Ciaran Loh is having a breakout season at Camperdown and is racking up five pointers on the back of a very good Sydney Uni maul. 

He’ll face former Waratahs contracted hooker JP Sauni on Saturday who joined the Two Blues after a handful of seasons at Norths. Sauni and Western Sydney are full of confidence and have nothing to lose against the Students this weekend.