Photo: All Sports Photography
This weekend marks the highly anticipated semi-finals across all tiers of the BAFA Adult Contact. Teams are now just one win away from their respective championship games. In the Premiership, the top teams from the North and South Divisions face off in cross-divisional matchups, with the winners advancing to BritBowl XXXVI on Sunday 8th September. Meanwhile, Division 1 and Division 2 semi-finalists will be competing for a spot in their respective Championship Finals, which will precede the BritBowl and NWFL National Final games (on Saturday 7th September) respectively.
All games kick off at 2 pm unless otherwise stated.
Premiership
North
1 Manchester Titans (10-0) vs 2 Bristol Aztecs (8-2)
For the third consecutive year, the Manchester Titans and Bristol Aztecs will face off in the semi-finals. The Titans have come out on top in the last two meetings, winning 32-27 in 2022 and 39-19 in 2023. This year, the Titans boast the second-best offence in the entire adult contact league, averaging 44.8 points per game, and the second-best defence in the Premiership, allowing just 6.1 points per game. They are currently on a 27-game win streak, aiming for a third straight BritBowl title.
However, the Aztecs are no pushovers, with an offence that averages 40.3 points per game and a defence that concedes only 8.5 points per game. Both of Bristol’s losses this season came against the dominant London Warriors, but they enter the semi-final on a 5-game win streak. The Aztecs will likely study game films from the Titans' narrow wins against Newcastle Vikings and Tamworth Phoenix, games that showed the Titans could be vulnerable.
South
1 London Warriors (10-0) vs 2 Newcastle Vikings (7-3)
The London Warriors have been an unstoppable force this season, dominating their way to an undefeated record and aiming to make their 9th BritBowl appearance in the last 10 years. With an offence that averages 48.6 points per game and a defence that allows a mere 2.6 points per game, the Warriors are outscoring opponents by an astonishing 46 points per game. This semi-final against the Newcastle Vikings, who are making their first Premiership playoff appearance after being promoted from Division 1 last season, is expected to be a formidable challenge for the visitors.
The Vikings have defied expectations this season, starting strong with a 4-1 record before finishing the regular season at 7-3. Their offence averages 22.7 points per game, while their defence concedes just under 16 points per game. However, facing the Warriors, especially on the road with a 600-mile round trip, will require a near-perfect performance. The Vikings will need to capitalise on any mistakes by the Warriors to have a chance at pulling off an upset.
Division 1
NFC 1
1 Nottingham Caesars (9-0) vs 4 Yorkshire Rams (8-2) – 12 pm
The Nottingham Caesars are back in the semi-finals after falling short last year to the Newcastle Vikings. This time, they have home-field advantage and a defence that has been nearly impenetrable, allowing just 26 points all season at an average of 3 points per game. Offensively, the Caesars are equally formidable, scoring 32 points per game. They dominated the Scunthorpe Alphas 45-6 in the quarter-finals, setting up this showdown with the Yorkshire Rams.
The Rams, who have won eight consecutive games if you exclude a forfeit due to an administrative error, come into this matchup with confidence. They’ve navigated their way through the Wild Card and Quarter Finals, defeating Inverclyde Goliaths and Glasgow Tigers, respectively. The Rams average nearly 28 points per game on offence and concede just over 12 points per game on defence. They’ll need to bring their A-game to upset the Caesars and earn promotion to the Premiership North in 2025.
SFC 1
2 Rushmoor Knights (9-0) vs 6 Wembley Stallions (8-2) – 2:30 pm
Rushmoor Knights have been unstoppable this season, going undefeated and now standing on the brink of promotion to the Premiership South in 2025. They’ve already faced the Wembley Stallions twice this season, winning both encounters 35-28 and 29-16. The Knights average 38.8 points per game on offence and allow 14.6 points per game on defence. They secured their semi-final spot with a commanding 34-11 victory over South Wales Warriors.
The Wembley Stallions have been the surprise of the postseason. As the 6th seed, they’ve already pulled off two upsets, defeating Bristol Apache and East Kent Mavericks, both away from home. The Stallions average 26.4 points per game on offence and concede just under 14 points per game on defence. Despite losing to Rushmoor twice this season, the Stallions have shown they can defy the odds and will look to do so once more to secure a place in the Division 1 Championship Final.
Division 2
NFC 2
1 Sandwell Steelers (8-1) vs 4 Staffordshire Surge (7-2)
This will be the fourth meeting this season between Sandwell Steelers and Staffordshire Surge, with Sandwell holding a 2-1 advantage in their previous encounters. Sandwell are on a 6-game win streak and recently dominated Gateshead Senators 57-0 in the Quarter Finals. They average 29 points per game and allow just 12.5 points per game, making them a strong candidate for promotion to Division 1. However, their Head Coach Sam Astley is now in the US, which could impact their performance.
Staffordshire Surge, who started the season strong, shocked most by defeating Darlington Steam 45-14 in the Quarter Finals. They score at the same rate as Sandwell, averaging 29 points per game, but concede slightly more at 17 points per game. This semi-final will be a closely contested battle for sure.
SFC 2
1 Colchester Gladiators (8-1) vs 2 Essex Tridents (7-2)
This semi-final will be the third meeting between Colchester Gladiators and Essex Tridents this season. Colchester won both previous matchups, 13-12 and 23-15. The Gladiators advanced to this stage with a commanding 41-0 win over Berkshire Renegades in the Quarter Finals. They average 28 points per game on offence and concede just 10 points per game, showcasing their strength on both sides of the ball.
Essex Tridents, a newly formed team, have exceeded expectations this season. They advanced to the semi-finals with a gritty 9-0 victory over Sussex Thunder. The Tridents average 21 points per game and concede 8.7 points per game, making them a tough opponent for Colchester.
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