IT’S winner takes all for Anthony O’Riordan’s Colchester in their top-of-the-table promotion clash.

The Mill Road side’s head coach takes his side to Eton Manor in a final day battle for a place in the national league.

London and South East League division one north leaders Colchester take on their second place hosts seperated by two points.

Colchester have 119 compared to Manor’s 117 with both sides only having lost one game this season.

And the only team to deny Colchester victory are tomorrow’s opposition, who beat them 15-14 on the opening day.

If Colchester take the win and promotion they will play at the highest level the club has ever attained.

O’Riordan said: “It is the biggest game I have been involved in as a coach and I think it is the biggest game for Colchester ever.

“It is a cup final and it is winner takes all.

“At this stage everyone is excited about the final game.

“But it has been an exciting season from beginning to end.

“We are not going to try to stop the excitment because that is what fuels the team.

“We are not even thinking about promotion we are just focusing on this final game.

“The loser will get a second bite of the cherry in the play-off (against the second-placed team from London division one south) but we want to get it done and over on Saturday.”

And O’Riordan isn’t fazed by the opening day defeat against Manor.

Since then Colchester have gone on a 24-match unbeaten run, racking up 1,208 points in the processs – the most in English club rugby this season – compared to Manor’s 862.

O’Riordan added: “We are in confident mood. When we played them at the start of the season the current squad wasn’t available and we only lost by a point.

“We had eight players from our current team missing in that opening game and we can take confidence from that.

“We have grown stronger over the season, as players, as men and as a rugby machine. Everyone knows their roles now and what is needed.

“Rugby is a simple game, run, catch and pass. And it is the team that can do that the best on the day that will win.

“We know what to expect from Eton Manor.

“We have had them watched.

“They play their game up front through their forwards.

“Their backs are just there as a means to get the ball back to the pack.

“We play a more holisitc game and we can score from anywhere on the pitch.

“The proof of the pudding is the number of points we have scored this season – the most in English rugby.

“I know we are only two points ahead of Manor in the table but you can just look at the points scored difference to see our attacking threat.

“I think we also have the best defence in the league.

“We also have the best scrum in the league – you can see that as in six games we have had to go uncontested, including last weekend’s win against Chingford, due to the power of our pack putting pressure on the opposition.”

O’Riordan is expecting a big crowd at The New Wilderness tomorrow as both sides battle for the title, kick-off 3pm.

He said: “I think there will be over a thousand people there on Saturday.

“We are taking three coaches of fans, family and friends of the players are going, as well as other rugby clubs from the area are coming down to support us.”