Everything you need to know about the brand new Women’s BUCS Super Rugby competition, starting in 2024.
This week, British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) announced the exciting introduction of the Women’s BUCS Super Rugby competition for the 2024-25 season.
The seven-team league is the second ‘Super’ level of competition under BUCS, mirroring the prestigious men’s league and represents a positive evolution of the existing Women’s National League (WNL).
The development marks a significant milestone in women’s university rugby, offering a premier platform for female players across England, Wales, and Scotland to excel both academically and athletically, while elevating the level of competition and providing a new arena for the best talent in the sport.
Find out which teams are involved, when it starts, and what this means for the future of women’s university rugby below.
What Teams Will Be Competing in the Inaugural Season?
In its debut season, Women’s BUCS Super Rugby will feature seven elite university teams:
Cardiff University
University of Exeter
Loughborough University
Hartpury University
Cardiff Met University
Durham University
University of Edinburgh
These institutions have a strong history in women’s rugby, with over 90 players having progressed from BUCS to top-flight competitions such as Premiership Women’s Rugby and the Celtic Challenge.
When does the BUCS Women’s Super Rugby season start?
The 2024/25 Women’s BUCS Super Rugby season will kick off on Friday 13th September, with a highly anticipated fixture between The University of Edinburgh and defending champions Hartpury University.
The match will take place at The Hive, Murrayfield (pictured), and will be streamed for free on a newly launched BUCS Super Rugby YouTube channel, dedicated to both the men’s and women’s competitions.
A New Era for Women’s UK University Rugby
The launch of Women’s BUCS Super Rugby is a landmark moment for university rugby in the UK, made possible through a collaborative effort between BUCS, England Rugby, Scottish Rugby, and the Welsh Rugby Union.
This partnership aims to build on the success of the Women’s National League, which has already seen 26 players progress to senior international rugby, including French international Maëlle Picut.
The former Durham student captained her university team to BUCS glory in 2022, winning the coveted Women’s National League (now BUCS Super Rugby) Title before representing France in the 2023 Women’s Six Nations Championship.
Read our interview with Maëlle to discover her insights into the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of being a student-athlete in the UK, and find out how she balanced playing elite-level rugby with her university studies here.
Want to play rugby at the highest level alongside your UK university studies?
At The Student Sport Company, we are proud to partner with some of the top university teams in the UK, including many featured in the inaugural BUCS Super Rugby campaign.
These universities boast world-class facilities, exceptional coaching, and a proven track record of developing future international players. If you aspire to compete at the highest level while pursuing your academic goals, our free service can help you get recruited by the UK’s most prestigious rugby universities.
Apply now to explore exciting opportunities or learn more about university rugby in the UK below.
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