Students getting set for the big kick-off
BUCS RUGBY
BUCS Super Rugby returns on Wednesday with the Women’s National League absorbed into the BSR umbrella.
Hartpury women and Loughborough men triumphed on finals day at StoneX back in April, Hartpury – the feeder team for Premiership Women’s Rugby champions Gloucester-Hartpury – beating a defiant Loughborough side to win their third championship in a row despite 12 international absences from their match day 23.
In the men’s match, underdogs Loughborough faced an Exeter side also looking for a championship three-peat – and their first ever league-championship double – having finished 15 points clear of Loughborough in the league.
Loughborough won 3531 to gain revenge for the 48-44 extra-time reverse the year before.
Heading into this season, Hartpury are clear favourites again. There were 10 BUCS alumni in Gloucester-Hartpury’s 23 on Saturday, and they underlined their title ambitions with an opening day bonus point victory over Edinburgh at the Hive Stadium. Edinburgh, who finished last season in fifth, were level pegging at 12-12 at half-time, but were subject to a playmaking master class by Hartpury fly-half Charlie Manns, who laid on three assists to help build a full-time scoreline of 38-24.
Given the Women’s BSR league is made up of just seven teams, it’s not until October 2 that action really starts to kick off with three fixtures, but Cardiff Met, who sat on top of the league table for most of last season only to finish fourth, host Edinburgh on Wednesday.
In the men’s league, there is a full five-game opening schedule, with Exeter’s mouth-watering rematch with Loughborough the headline fixture. There’s another potential high-stakes game between Bath and Durham, the latter beating the former to a play-off spot by six points. Cardiff take on Hartpury in a Anglo-Welsh border clash, Nottingham host Leeds Beckett and Swansea face Cardiff Met.
