Photo: Sam Allard - Fisher Studios Ltd
Just like that, we are into BUCS Week 5 of the 2024/25 season. Week 4 showed us some insight into who the top teams in their division might be but we will get more of a clearer picture this week as preseason favourites face off up and down the country. As always we have provided stream links where we have them but be sure to check out our social media platforms to stay up-to-date.
National League
Durham Saints vs UWE Bullets (Live stream)
The Saints host the Bullets in this National Championship rematch, the Bullets came out victorious that day but, with how close the Saints opener with the Nottingham Gold was, could this mean that the result will go the other way? Both teams are now sitting with a 1-1 record, UWE currently have the best point differential with 103 points whist Durham’s is only a net 4 points after close games with Nottingham and Loughborough. This is set up to be a great game in the Northeast.
Premier North
Nottingham Trent Renegades vs Leeds Gryphons
The Leeds Gryphons have started this Premiership campaign like no other, scoring over 30 points in each game so far, they currently sit top and are running away with the division at 3-0. The NTU renegades stand in their way. After their win the in Division 1 North playoffs last season against the Gryphons the Renegades look to put their season back on track and hunt down this Leeds side.
Premier South
Birmingham Lions vs Exeter Demons (Saturday)
The Lions are now 1-1 after a win and a loss against Cardiff. It will be interesting to see them in a game against another opponent in the form of the Exeter Demons. The Demons need to find the form from last season and a win against the Lions could put them on the right track for the rest of the year and jump-start their season.
Portsmouth Destroyers vs Cardiff Cobras
The Destroyers and Cobras come into this match with the same number of wins, whilst the Cobras have lost twice compared to the Destroyers once. The Cobras showed flashes of great stuff in their opener against the Birmingham Lions but since then they’ve lost against SGS and in their reverse fixture with the Lions. This Premier South is almost identical to last season and the Portsmouth Destroyers will hope to change that after Cardiff came out victorious in this match-up last season
Tier 1
Northern
Manchester Met Eagles vs Northumbria Mustangs
The Mustangs over-performed in their opener against Manchester, taking their free-scoring brand of football from Division Two straight to Tier 1 and the MMU Eagles are next in their way, the Eagles' win over the LJMU Fury is their only one of the season so far after a loss to UCLan last week, the Eagles will look to start scoring on offence after they still haven’t scored a touchdown this season. The long journey for the Mustangs will be a running theme this season and they’ll tick another off this week.
UCLan Rams vs LJMU Fury
The UCLan Rams have a high-scoring offence and haven't conceded a point this season. The Rams have scored over 40 points in their two opening games, they now play their first against an LJMU Fury side who, like the MMU Eagles, are yet to score an offensive touchdown and they face the tough task of turning that around against a Rams side who have not conceded a point yet.
Scottish
Glasgow Tigers vs Aberdeen Bulls
This is a reverse fixture from last week with the Tigers winning 16-0 they now sit 1-1 and the Bulls are bottom with a 0-3 record, the Tigers will look to put the Bulls to the sword this week as they play host this week. Glasgow's loss in the first game of the season to Edinburgh showed that the Tigers need to improve if they want to get anything from this season and back-to-back wins against Aberdeen will put them in a great position for the rest of the year.
Midlands & Yorkshire
Hull Sharks vs Coventry Jets
The two winless sides of the division face off this weekend in a clash where someone’s 0 has to go (unless they tie). The Sharks currently sit bottom of the Midlands & Yorkshire division after a loss to the Sheffield Hallam Warriors whereas the Coventry Jets have losses to the Nottingham Green and the Leicester Longhorns. Both sides will look to kick start their season as they look to avoid relegation into Tier 2.
South Western
Bath Killer Bees vs Swansea Titans
It’s a battle of the bottom two in the Tier 1 South Western division as Bath holds host to the Swansea Titans. An opening fixture lost to the Southampton Stags for the Titans is the only evidence we have so far. The Titans' defence held the Stags to only 6 points in the match which will give confidence to the players ahead of the fixture against a Bath side who, through two games, have only scored 2 points. It could easily be a low-scoring affair with both sides struggling to score so far this season.
Bournemouth Bobcats vs Bristol Barracuda
The Bobcats' defence is yet to concede a single point whilst their offence has scored 63 in two games, they face a Barracuda team who will look to travel down to Bournemouth and spoil the party. The 1-1 Bristol side will need to rely on their defence if they're to have any hope in stopping this Bobcats side who are currently running away with the division.
Southern
Brunel Burners vs Oxford Lancers
The top two in the Tier 1 Southern face off in Week 5 as the Brunel Burners host the Oxford Lancers, the Burners have so far scored 82 points in two games, the Lancers, however, will look to put an end to that as they have a defence that didn’t concede in their game against the Reading Knights in there opening game. The Lancers will face a tough Brunel team who will look to stretch their legs at the top of the division.
South Eastern
UEA Pirates vs UCL Emperors
The Pirates host the Emperors this weekend with both sides currently having equal record at 1-1. UCL will look to put last week's defeat to the KCL Regents behind them and focus on a game that is there for the taking, however, the Norwich-based outfit will look to return to the Prem and a win at home against the Emperors could give them the boost needed to catch Kent in the top spot.
Kent Falcons vs KCL Regents
It’s another first against second in this match-up where the Kent Falcons host the KCL Regents. Kent looks to carry on their great start to the season with wins against Essex and UEA, scoring 41 and conceding 8, it will give the Falcons confidence going into a match against the 1-0 Regents. A 27-0 victory over the UCL Emperors for KCL last week means it’s going to be an entertaining game in Kent.
Tier 2
North Western
Staffordshire Stallions vs Lancaster Bombers
The Stallions are the surprise side out the of Division after beating Edge Hill and Keele whereas the Bombers, who were probably pre-season favourites for the division, had a 10-0 loss away to Edge Hill in the weekend just gone and now both sides face each other to see who can top this division and put them in prime position to make the playoffs.
Midlands
Lincoln Colonials vs Derby Braves
The Braves carried on last season's form in their victory last week against the ARU Siege, they will face the Lincoln Colonials who are sitting 2-0 on the year and top the division. This division looked to have two clear favourites and they go to battle this weekend, the Braves will need to play up to the challenge against a side who will be full of confidence. This is set to be an entertaining match-up and one that will have major implications for the rest of the season.
South Western
Gloucestershire Gladiators vs Worcester Royals
The battle of the M5 only around 30 mins stands in the way of these two programmes in a local derby that is set to entertain. It’s taken until week 5 but we finally get to see the Gloucestershire Gladiators as they face a local derby against a Worcester Royals side who sit at 0-1 after a 14-3 loss to Tarannau Aberystwyth. This fixture last year saw the gladiators come out victorious 20-6 and we know that the Royals will look to take the victory in this one.
Bath Spa Bulldogs vs That Welsh Team
( IYKYK - check out our podcast for more!)
Aberystwyth, not "That Welsh Team", travel to Bath this weekend to face the Bulldogs, after missing out two weeks ago because of a postponed game against the UWE Bullets 2’s. Last season's performance alongside their 14-3 win over Worcester will give them confidence to win this weekend and take the fight to Plymouth who currently sit in that number one spot. The Bulldogs however are currently bottom of the division after losing 45-22 to Plymouth. The Bulldogs will want to bounce back and prove they can put points on the board so Aberystwyth shouldn't see this game as an automatic win.
Southern
Royal Holloway Bears vs Surrey Stingers
Royal Holloway fell to a large defeat last week against Oxford Brookes whereas the Surrey Stingers are one of three undefeated sides in the Tier 2 Southern. This division has a clear divide so far with three undefeated sides and three winless sides, the Bears will look to end that this weekend as they host a Stingers offence who have scored 43 points in their only game against the Solent Redhawks. This game could be a decider to show the real divide in this division.
South Eastern
Imperial Immortals vs Kingston Cougars
The Immortals are another unbeaten side after last week's 0-0 tie against the City St George Wolfpack after a player injury led to an early abandonment, this therefore is a second debut for the Immortals as they host top-of-the-table Kingston Cougars who are yet to concede a point in the 2024/25 season. It’s hard to comment on the Immortals as we’ve not seen anything from them yet however the key to this game is to stop the Cougars offensive unit, if they can limit Kingston it gives them a fair shot but that’s easier said than done.
Be sure to get continued coverage of the BUCS season on the Inside Britball Podcast on all podcast platforms and on YouTube.