BUCS Round-Up: Exeter and Loughborough both open with wins

28 weeks ago, Leeds Beckett lifted the Championship Trophy under the light at Twickenham and now the new BUCS season got underway for the majority of teams on Wednesday.

The reigning champions got off the mark with a varsity win over Leeds University,(which was separate to the the BUCS season), but  Exeter and Hartpury began with wins in Premier South A.

Elsewhere there were wins for Nottingham Trent, Sheffield and Liverpool.

Premier North A

In Leeds Beckett and Leeds University’s division, Newcastle University got off the mark with a narrow 10-13 win away at Northumbria while last year's runners up Loughborough made a winning start as they beat Durham 5-12 thanks to scores from Brendan Mandivenga and Matt Edwards.

Results

Northumbria University 10-13 Newcastle University

Durham University 5-12 Loughborough University

Premier South A

After heartbreak for this division last season as none of their four sides made it to the Championship Trophy Final, current Premier South A champions Exeter put down an early marker as they thrashed Cardiff Met 38-0 to pick up the maximum five points as the new bonus point rule applies in BUCS Rugby this year.

However, they are not top of this league at the moment as newly promoted Bristol have played two matches and picked up two wins so far this season. They beat Bath 6-27 last week and narrowly edged out the University of South Wales 12-14 yesterday - who are also the newcomers to this division.

Bath have lost their first two games of this season as they were beaten 28-32 by Hartpury College and have now only won six of their last 14 matches. In terms of Hartpury, the 2013/14 Champions were beaten by Leeds Beckett in the quarter-finals last season and finished second in this league, so this win over Bath is the perfect start for them on their quest for Twickenham glory.

Results

Exeter University 38-0 Cardiff Met

University of South Wales 12-14 Bristol University

University of Bath 28-32 Hartpury College

Premier North B

Bishop Burton lost out on promotion to Premier North A in the play-off against Leeds University last season and got off to a losing start to this campaign. They suffered a 15-17 defeat to Loughborough University 2nds in horrendous conditions in Beverley.

After a disappointing end to last season where they lost three of their last four matches, Nottingham Trent began this year with a convincing 0-34 win against Worcester 1sts.

Elsewhere, the University of Manchester were edged out 18-16 by Durham 2nds and will be hoping this result isn’t a sign that they are in for another tough campaign. There was also a 24-14 win for Birmingham 1sts against St Andrews 1sts.

Results

Bishop Burton College 1st 15-17 Loughborough University 2nd

University of Worcester 1st 0-34 Nottingham Trent University 1st

Durham University 2nd 18-16 University of Manchester 1st

University of Birmingham 1st 24-14 University of St Andrews 1st

Northern 1A

Sheffield University were rampant in this division last season as they won the title by 21 points, but were beaten by Loughborough 2nds in the Premier North B playoff which means they will have to do it all again this season.

The Yorkshire side picked up from where they left off in this division as they won 24-12 against newly promoted Manchester Met 1sts.  Man Met had a 100 per cent domestic record last season and are now in Northern 1A for this first time since 2012/13. They finished bottom that season so they will not want a repeat of that this campaign.

Liverpool University seemed play second fiddle to Sheffield last season, but will take pride in knowing that they were the only side to beat the side from the Steel City last campaign. The Merseysiders began their new season with a 26-10 win over Newcastle 2^nd thanks to a brace from Jack Sheldrake.

Elsewhere the University of York beat near neighbours Hull 16-13.

Results

University of Sheffield 1st 24-12 Manchester Met 1st

University of Liverpool 1st 26-10 Newcastle University 2nd

University of York 1st 16-13 University of Hull 1st