Tuesday 22 March 2016

Lions and Titans win on BUCS Finals Day


After some near misses in the past two seasons the Birmingham Lions once more sit proudly at the top of the British University tree. This past Sunday in Leeds they overcome old adversary Stirling Clansmen 19-13 in a game as close as the scoreline suggests.


As was expected both teams defenses were on top for the majority of the game and the Lions had to rely on two well executed long passes to get a foothold in the game. On a bright, clear day perfect for football it was the Clansmen who opened the scoring when Alex Crowe caught a well-designed pass play from Andres Donat. The response was swift as the Lions’ Michael Akinlade hauled in a pass from Sammy-Lee Baker and raced 65 yards to the end zone.
Image courtesy of Andy Neale - Whizzyfingers Photography
Stirling started to boss the play and dominated for large periods but couldn’t punch the ball in. The Lions D had been on top form all year and that form didn’t desert them when it mattered. Two 4-and-outs and a blocked field goal were enough to galvanise the Birmingham offense and Xavier Ajuwon bulldozed his way in to score from 30 yards out, shrugging off would be tacklers.

13-7 down it was time for Stirling to bounce back and QB Donat tied the scores up when he dashed into the end zone. Akinlade then broke the tied game and got the winning score with another long run slicing through the Stirling D. The Lions D were not letting their colleagues on offense have the final say as they intercepted a last ditch Hail Mary to secure the win. Michael Akinlade was deservedly named the games MVP with his two scores proving pivotal moments in the game.
Image courtesy of Andy Neale - Whizzyfingers Photography


In the Division One title game the Swansea Titans prevailed over the NTU Renegades in another close game. NTU were first on the board with a short pass from Callum Doherty to Kieran Goncalves. After a fumble recovery for a touchdown the Titans were back in business. NTU tacked on a field goal but Swansea QB Joe Cotterill ran in for a short score before finding Rui Rodrigues for another TD. The Renegades kept on plugging away but couldn’t seem to find that killer touch that saw them progress through the playoffs, Swansea ending up 21-16 winners. Titans Jacob Amadi was named MVP with his bruising running help keep the clock ticking.

Saturday 19 March 2016

BUCS Premier Championship Preview - Clansmen v Lions


The two most successful University programs meet on Sunday in Leeds, for the right to be named National Champions.

For the Stirling Clansmen they are hunting an unprecedented third straight title, whereas for the Birmingham Lions it’s a case of trying to reclaim a title they have not won since 2013.

Birmingham really set the standard in British Uni ball reaching six straight title games from 2009-14, winning three times. Then the Clan came along and swept all before them as they took the Lions crown in a thrilling game which can be viewed below, and then retained their Championship last season with a 46-6 demolition of Hertfordshire.


A look back at how the teams reached the Final shows that even though they had the same record, the paths differed. Birmingham got off to a flyer with back-to-back shutouts in their opening two games, before close rivals Hertfordshire managed to put up some points against them. Stirling got off to a slow start with a single point win at home to Derby and a two point victory in their third game against Durham.

After that Stirling went on a scoring rampage averaging 38.2 points per game, with a defense that only allowed 6.5ppg in those remaining five games. The Lions have always been known for their stingy D and conceded just 5.6ppg all season.

Lions in the trenches v Durham
Action from the Lions Semi-Final game against Durham. Courtesy of Andy Neale – Whizzyfingers Photography https://www.flickr.com/photos/whizzyfingers/sets/72157663362100283

The playoffs were to be another show of offensive strength from the Clan as they put up 101 points in their two games. Not to be outdone the Lions scored just one fewer, but alarmingly allowed their opponents to score 22 on them in each of their postseason matchups.

Here is the full list of games that led the teams to the John Charles Centre for Sport in Leeds this Sunday, with kick off at 12pm.

BIRMINGHAM LIONS

v IMPERIAL 47-0

v KINGSTON 36-0

at Hertfordshire 32-12

at Bath 27-9

at Imperial 20-6

v BATH 41-8

at Kingston 2-0

v HERTFORDSHIRE 27-10

Quarter-Final

v LOUGHBOROUGH 42-22

Semi-Final

v DURHAM 58-22



STIRLING CLANSMEN

v DERBY 21-20

at Loughborough 26-7

v DURHAM 30-28

v HALLAM 41-12

at Durham 32-10

at Hallam 33-8

at Derby 43-0

v LOUGHBOROUGH 42-3

Quarter-Final

v BATH 59-21

Semi-Final

v HERTFORDSHIRE 42-13



Following the Premier Championship Final, the two teams that gained promotion to the Premier Divisions next season will face off for the National Championship.

Swansea Titans will join the South after they dispatched Surrey handily last weekend 45-9. The North will have a new team to worry over after the NTU Renegades defeated Glasgow 13-9 in a great game that went right to the wire. NTU had a great playoff run this season and will look to cap it off with the National title, but in Swansea it could be a game too far. This game is at the same venue and will kick off at approximately 4.15pm.

Saturday 12 March 2016

BUCS Playoff Schedule - National Final Round


For some of the teams the hard work has been done in the fact they have gained promotion to the next level. That doesn’t mean that pride is till at stake and a National title up for grabs.

The Division 1 teams have still got all to play for as not only are they playing for their North/South divide titles it also means promotion to the “promised land” of the Premier Division next season.

 


Glasgow have arguably been the most consistent team in all of Division One this season and will start as favourites against an NTU side that has defied the odds to make it this far. NTU have won two very close and hard fought games against what on paper at least looked to be a game too far in their season. Can they go one step further and reach the National Final?

In the South we could have a high scoring game as Surrey seem to be scoring t will right now, 63 points in their two playoff games so far including a shutout of Kent. They face a very talented Swansea unit that will be out to prove that last year’s success was no fluke and they see this as their opportunity to claim their Premier place.

DIVISION 1 NORTH FINAL

GLASGOW v NTU

DIVISION 1 SOUTH FINAL

SWANSEA v SURREY

Promotion has already been secured for the four teams battling out their respective North and South finals in Division 2. Does that mean they won’t play hard in this final game of the season? I think we all know the answer to that question!

LJMU have been on a mission all year and they breezed through their semi-final last week with a shutout of Edinburgh Napier, they come up against a determined Manchester Tyrants team that have also played with a point to prove all season and this has the makings of an epic game with lots of points on the board.

Portsmouth are always a consistent team and they got past Plymouth last weekend with relative ease that may have shocked some outside of their Uni but the confidence has been on display every week. Likewise Oxford, who have come through a feisty division and then knock off Greenwich last time out. Both teams will have to up their game next season but this game will go some way in showing what they could be capable of come next September.

DIVISION 2 NORTH FINAL

LJMU v MANCHESTER

PORTSMOUTH v OXFORD

 

Friday 4 March 2016

BUCS Playoff Schedule - Semi-Final Round


One week closer to finding out this year’s Champions of British University football. Can Stirling win it all again? Well they eased through, eventually, last week so they are still on course.

We lost 12 teams last week in the opening salvos of the postseason, another 10 will fall this weekend. The Division 2 teams start their playoffs and the North/South divide continues there as they chase down promotion.

PREMIER DIVISION – SEMI-FINALS

 

STIRLING v HERTFORDSHIRE

BIRMINGHAM v DURHAM

 

All four top seeds went through last week so this really is the cream of the Uni ball coming together. Birmingham will start as favourites to beat Durham, but their visitors will not lay down. Herts won an abandoned game so not fully tested in the postseason, and they will have to bring their game throughout to get past Stirling.

DIVISION ONE NORTH SEMI-FINALS

 

GLASGOW v NEWCASTLE

NOTTINGHAM v NTU

 

DIVISION ONE SOUTH SEMI-FINALS

 

SWANSEA v CARDIFF

SURREY v RHUL

 

Glasgow squeezed by Sheffield to face a spirited Newcastle, who last week knocked out higher ranked Warwick. Nottingham caused perhaps the biggest shock last week when they beat UCLan in a thrilling encounter, and host rival NTU. The battle of Wales has Swansea play host to Cardiff in what could be the best game of the weekend, and Surrey coming off a strong shutout of Kent have to deal with RHUL, who themselves had a great a win at Brighton last week.

DIVISION TWO NORTH SEMI-FINALS

 

EDINBURGH NAPIER v LJMU

MANCHESTER v COVENTRY

 

DIVISION TWO SOUTH SEMI-FINALS

 

PLYMOUTH v PORTSMOUTH

GREENWICH v OXFORD

 

After a week off the 8 teams in the Division 2 playoffs start their road to promotion. All teams are very strong and therefore even if a lower ranked team won on the road it would not necessarily go down as a shock.