BUCS Bumper Weekend: Twenty-two games in stall for Week 2

Photo: Rhino Photography

After last week’s small slice of the BUCS pie, we are finally back in full swing. Twenty-two games take place this week, with national champions and fallen giants all getting their seasons underway. 

Premier National

UWE Bullets vs Leeds Beckett (Saturday) 

Starting the weekend off right, on Saturday, we see the reigning national champions take on the side who finished bottom of the national last season, but the West Yorkshire side has recruited, and man have they recruited well. Multiple American scholars join the programme alongside a bunch of great British talent, too. Coach Ripley’s second season looks to be the complete opposite of the previous season. UWE, on the other hand, have done what they always do and get some incredible American talent, including a former NFL player. UWE will take some stopping.

Loughborough vs Nottingham Gold 

After last season’s final disappointment, we get to see the Nottingham Gold back in action. We know they will have recruited the best of British under-19 talent, but as for scholars, we rarely know who the Gold have recruited, but one thing everyone knows is that under the guidance of Jason Scott, the Gold will always be challenging to get the sides' first national title. Loughborough, on the other hand, could be a dark horse. We saw last season in their wins against Leeds Beckett and Durham that they are a good side, but retention of players and the recruitment of new faces will ultimately lead to the team having a good season. We will need to wait a few weeks to see what Loughborough will look like and how they will play in a really strong national division. 

Premier North

Leeds Gryphons vs Northumbria Mustangs 

Leeds need to bounce back after last week’s loss to Newcastle. They will need to act fast and look to make West Park a fortress again. Last weekend needs to be put past as the Gryphons host a side who have only lost one regular season game in two seasons. The Mustangs are a well-coached, fundamentally sound team that will punish teams at will, and Leeds need to look out for this, or a top seed will slip away from them before the season has really got going. 

NTU Renegades vs Warwick Wolves 

The reigning Prem North champions Warwick Wolves come up against a Trent side who after Christmas last season looked like they could not buy a win, and with reports from a preseason match-up against UEA, it's not sounding good for the Renegades. But we will have to see how they fare against the side that shocked most of the Britball community last season and took the division by storm. This could very well be the continuation of last season, and Warwick go back-to-back Prem North champions. 

Premier South 

Portsmouth Destroyers vs Cardiff Cobras 

A consolation score late in the fourth quarter meant that the Destroyers could at least take something away from their trip to the Capital, but a disappointing showing from a side people expect to put up a fight to SGS. Last Sunday’s game will allow Cardiff to know what will work against Portsmouth. The Cobras somehow survived the drop again last season and another momentous effort to stay in the Prem South, and a big win against a side who are expected to be at the top of the division. This matchup could be a huge telltale sign for the rest of the season. 

Tier 1 Scottish 

Edinburgh Mavericks vs Aberdeen Bulls 

Edinburgh Napier Knights vs Stirling Clansmen 

Glasgow Tigers vs Heriot-Watt Wolverines 

The Scottish division this season gets off to a flyer straight away with two of the favourites in the Knights and the Clansmen facing off in the first match of the season. Both sides went deep into the playoffs last season, and both sides will look to return again. But they will have fierce competition from Edinburgh, who face an Aberdeen side who will look to bounce back after last season’s disappointment, and the Glasgow Tigers, who will look to return to the playoffs for the first time in a while. Herriot-Watt will look to build on a positive season against the Tigers, but this division could be a tight and feisty one. 

Tier 1 North 

Edge Hill Vikings vs Manchester Met Eagles 

Lancashire Rams vs Manchester 

This could be the closest North division to date, with Lancashire, formally UCLan, being the only ones who people can point to and choose as a favourite, but they start against a Manchester side who will look to build on last season and look towards the playoffs and what a way to start it against the side who finished second last term. The Vikings come into the division and instantly face a side that they may be seeing as relegation candidates, and the Vikings will know that a win in week two can really help their hopes of staying in the tier. 

Tier 1 Midlands and Yorkshire 

Leicester Longhorns vs Sheffield Sabres  

Sheffield Hallam Warriors vs Derby Braves 

Leicester blew hot and cold last year, and they have a chance to prove they belong in Tier One as they take on the Tier Two North winners from last season in the Sabres. Sheffield will come up into the division and look to compete from the off, and they will see the Longhorns as a side they can compete against. Their cross-city rivals also start their season this time against Derby, another promoted side who will find Hallam to be a tough test.

Tier 1 South West 

Bristol Barracuda vs Bournemouth Bobcats 

The always strong Bobcats will need to overcome a mammoth task of a minus-seven-point reduction before they snap the ball. Bristol will look to improve after last season and seek a return to the playoffs. This is a top match-up in the second week of the season and could give us a forecast for the rest of the season. 

Tier 1 Southern 

East Angelia Pirates vs Oxford Brookes 

Brookes are back in Tier one and will enter it in style, not just playing style but also the new uniforms. They face a UEA side who have had a positive preseason, the Pirates will look to return to the Prem, but Brookes will take inspiration from Northumbria and look to go back-to-back. This match-up could be a high scoring affair, and both sides could show their flair. 

Tier 1 South East 

Kingston Cougars vs Kent Falcons 

The Cougars are another side who return to Tier One, and they will look to return to last season’s form. A great season last year will give the Cougars hope they can build in Tier One and welcome the Falcons last year's quarter finalists after some strong defensive performances.

Tier 2 North East 

Sunderland Spartans vs York Centurions 

Druid Park welcomes two sides with a very different preseason, one recruited a bunch of Americans and look to build on a playoff season, the other hired a new head coach and looks to go one step further and return to Tier One. York will make the trip up and want to prove how good they can be whilst Sunderland will look to prove they are a side to reckon with and they can pose a threat to the division. 

Tier 2 Midlands 

Lincoln vs Angelia Ruskin Siege  

This division is wide open after having Nottingham Green and Derby in here the last couple of seasons, the division is so hard to call but two of the favourites face off in the first week. ARU will look to improve after a very middle of the road season whilst Lincoln could look to make that final push and get into Tier one, this division could be entertaining throughout. 

Tier 2 South Western  

Swansea Titans vs Worcester Royals 

UWE Bullets 2’s vs Gloucestershire Gladiators 

Anyone who watched our live podcast knows how good this division has the potential of being, and the fact I can’t say Gloucestershire, honestly, this division is so hard to call, could UWE 2’s be as good as Nottingham Green? They will need to prove themselves against a Gloucestershire side, who have the best media in tier two in my opinion. Swansea will look to start their slow rise to the Prem as they host Worcester, who could look to challenge for the top spot too. This could be an intriguing season. 

Tier 2 Southern  

Royal Holloway Bears vs Reading Knights  

Sussex Saxons vs Chichester Spitfires 

In the words of Forrest Gump “this divison is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get”. Could we see Reading return to tier one after a bad season last year, or could we see a side like Royal Holloway or Sussex prove to be a danger? We just do not know. Chichester could prove to be a tough task for the Saxons on opening day. This division certainly, from an outsider's point looks too tough to call. 

Tier 2 South Eastern  

Imperial Immortals vs Queen Mary Vipers 

Imperial had a poor season last year, and they need to put that behind them and really show who they are and look to improve quickly. They face one of the favourites for the division in the Vipers. They showed flashes of brilliance last season, and if the coaching staff can produce more of that, Queen Mary could find themselves in Tier One next season. Let’s just hope it is not like last year, where we could not complete a game in this division to start the season.