FITNESS. FASHION. FOOD.
BUCS Take Over Twickenham
BUCS Rugby Championship Finals at Twickenham Stadium
by Barbara Sike
20th April, 2018
Breezy morning in the Western borough. The grass is freshly cut and untouched. Side screens dressed in red and the shield-shaped logo on the screens ready to go. The stands are quiet, ready for the crowd. Calm before the storm in Twickenham.
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On the 11th April, the British Universities and Colleges Sport took over the iconic Twickenham Rugby Stadium to host the final matches of the men and women’s university championships. The prestigious event saw over 5000 spectators in the previous year.
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“The BUCS finals is an amazing event! Watching the girls play in the finale made me more passionate about the sport and made me excited for its future and how it will develop as the years go on” said rugby player, Ellie Louise Kavanagh.
The nine captains of the BUCS Super Rugby teams in Twickenham Stadium / Photo from BUCS.org.uk
Months of preparation lead to the big day: from the fixtures arrangement to inviting special guests, live streaming set-up to marketing coverage, security and catering, a large team of experienced professionals joined forces to ensure the day is the most enjoyable and one to remember.
The first game to kick off was the women’s final. Two universities with a long history of the highest level of rugby performance, Hartpury and Exeter faced each other on the pitch. The thrilling game ran on tight scores to the very last minute, when a brilliant score from Hartpury brought the team up to even points of 32-32, pushing the game into extra time. The match continued in a heated manner, seeing a number of players injured in the last minutes of the fight. But Exeter managed to carry the ball over the try line one more time and secure the win of the 2018 Championship title.
Hartpury captain, Tom Pashley walking to the podium to take the well deserved trophy / Video by Barbara Sike
The women's final was full of excitement keeping the fans on their toes for a long 100 minutes / Photos from BUCS.org.uk
The excitement of the crowd was touchable as the men’s squads were announced whilst the women’s teams took their well-deserved medals from the presidents of the RFU and SRFU, chair of BUCS Board and CEO of BUCS.
The season was in favour of Hartpury College as both their women and men’s teams succeeded into the finals. The Gloucestershire side arrived at the stadium in hope to defend their title against Cardiff Met University. The Welsh team showed a consistently good performance throughout the whole season, giving them high hopes for the chance to win on this April afternoon. However, some of their key players have been injured in the semi-finals, including their captain, Aled Evans.
“I think there was definitely an effect on Cardiff Met with the injuries sustained in the semi-final. Losing two club leaders are always going to be difficult but losing your captain and vice-captain going into a final is huge” said Simon Cruise, co-organiser of the competition.
“Although they played a great game, with a highly impressive comeback, Cardiff Met's inability to see out the game once they took the lead was, I believe, was a function of the losses they had taken in the semi-final.”
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The teams, however, did not disappoint the crowd; they delivered a sensational game full of excitement. Fans on the stands teased each other back and forth after each score, chanting traditional rugby anthems. The crowd had to wait until the last minutes for the game-decider score: Hartpury crossed the line and secured a second Championship title for the side with a 27-24 win.
The final whistle signalled the end of the match and the end of the 2017/18 university rugby season. The exceptional games were a true reflection on the high standard of higher education sport, drawing attention to the possibilities and opportunities in the sector not just for students, but for professional teams and sponsors as well.
Oliver Robinson received the Player of the Year award for the 2017/18 season / Gif by Barbara Sike