We are excited to announce that StoneX Stadium will host this season’s BUCS Super Rugby and Women’s National League National Championship Finals on Wednesday 19 April.
Last season’s National Championship Finals, at Sixways Stadium in Worcester, saw Hartpury University take on the University of Edinburgh for the Women’s National League crown, before the University of Exeter clashed with league champions Durham University for the chance to become only the second team, after Hartpury University men, to win the BUCS Super Rugby Championship title.
It was Hartpury University who stormed to Women’s National League glory with a 36-22 win over an internationally stacked University of Edinburgh side, while the University of Exeter won its elusive first BUCS Super Rugby Championship title narrowly edging rivals Durham University 14-13.
With just over 90 days until the next instalment of the flagship event in the university rugby calendar, and this season alone being one of the closest to call, it is sure to be a fantastic spectacle in April.
BUCS National Performance Manager Michael Collins commented: “I am delighted that the BUCS Super Rugby and Women’s National League National Championship Finals will take place at a world-class venue such as StoneX Stadium. The rest of the rugby world is giving top-flight university rugby the attention and praise it deserves, and I am sure both finals will showcase the very best of these two great leagues.”
Katy Young, University Partnership Manager at the RFU, said: “It is always fantastic to see university rugby played at great venues across the UK. BUCS Super Rugby and Women’s National League contains a crop of incredible talent that we hope go onto achieve great things in the game following their time at university.”
There are many success stories from BUCS Super Rugby since its inception and last season the trend continued with 37 players going into the professional game, 11 from the final alone. The most notable being Player of the Match Daffyd Jenkins who since the final has become the youngest ever skipper in Premiership history when he captained Exeter Chiefs, and received an international call-up for Wales’ Autumn Nations Series match against Georgia.
Over in the Women’s National League and another star from finals day in 2022 was Edinburgh’s Meryl Smith. Last season’s top try scorer and Player of the Season represented Scotland at this year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and has now been offered a professional contract with Scottish Rugby.
The finals will take place after the annual Rugby Development Forum hosted in partnership with the Students RFU and RFU for university staff and students. Information on tickets to the finals and the forum will be made available in due course, and we look forward to welcoming you to StoneX Stadium on Wednesday 19 April.
