2014/15 BUCS Review, Round 2: In Full Swing

As new players start to bed in and teams begin to familiarise themselves after the first few games of the season, BUCS rugby started to get into full swing this week with some intriguing battles and some big score lines throughout the country.

A North East derby took place in the Premier North A as Durham travelled to Northumbria on the back of an impressive victory over Leeds in their first outing.

However they came up against a confident Northumbria outfit who managed to overcome a second half sin binning to record a 35-22 bonus point win.

Durham looked to be ending their opponent’s unbeaten start as they led 19-10 and then 22-13 before Northumbria responded with a quick flurry of scores to stun their rivals, much to the delight of the home support.

The win leaves Northumbria top of the league having won all three of their opening fixtures.

Elsewhere in the division Loughborough condemned Leeds to a 27-0 defeat to leave the home side still searching for their first points of the season.

In the Premier North B, Edinburgh made the long journey to Bishop Burton only to fall to a disappointing31-13 defeat.

Bishop Burton’s win, which was thanks to a dominant display from their pack to keep them on the front foot, ensured they have taken the maximum ten points from two games and move to the top of the division.

Durham 2nds sit just one point behind the league leaders after their bonus point 24-12 win at York.

Despite losing their opening fixtures, York have ran their opponents close on both occasions, and were left to rue the early fifteen minute period in which Durham scored three of their four tries.

York fly half Ollie Martin kicked his side back into the game with four penalties to leave them only trailing 17-12.

However a late Durham breakaway try guaranteed both the win and the ever important bonus, while cruelly denying York their second bonus point of the season.

Nottingham Trent remain unbeaten after they drew 15-15 with Manchester, and Birmingham won 22-12 at Worcester to bag their first four points.

Switching our attention further south and to the Premier South A, Exeter continued their eye-catching start to the campaign with a ten-try demolition of visitors Swansea, which finished 66-6.

Their second consecutive bonus point success, the Green and Whites have already opened up a lead at the top of the table with a 100 per cent record.

Having notably beating reigning champions Hartpury in their first game of the season, Exeter scored five first half tries to lead 33-6 after Rich Adeniyi-Jones opening the floodgates with the first of the afternoon in torrential rain.

Hartpury's shaky start in defence of their title continued after they were narrowly beaten 15-13 at Cardiff.

Hartpury only lost two games throughout the whole of last year’s league campaign, and they have already matched that only three games into this season. Is the commitment to National 1 going to be a bigger impact than they thought; perhaps they should look at Loughborough!

Meanwhile Cardiff Met edged out Bristol 18-11 in their first outing of the season to move them level on points with their great city rivals.

Met’s winning start resigns Bristol to be the only team without a win so far in the division.

It was points galore in the Premier South B this week with Cardiff Met 2nds the highest scorers defeating Queen Mary 57-19.

Last year’s league leaders seem to have carried their form into this season judging by their two wins from their two matches.

UWE emphatically got their first victory of the season by crushing St Mary’s 49-6.

St Mary’s narrowly avoided relegation last year however they are rooted to the foot of the table without a point so far this year.

In addition USW Pontypridd and Cardiff comfortably saw off Exeter 2nds 24-3 and Hatpury 2nds nicked the win against Bath 2nds, come out 31-29 victors.