WELCOME to
RODNEY PARADE
David Wright – Chairman, Dragons RFC
Welcome to the home of Dragons RFC for today’s BUCS Super Rugby Milk Championship Finals. It is a huge honour for our club to host today’s prestigious finals and we hope you all enjoy your time with us in Newport.
The finals are being held in Wales for the very first time today so our thanks to British Universities and Colleges Sport in entrusting us to host today’s showpiece finals.
After a thrilling knockout process over the last few weeks, the finalists have been confirmed for today’s two big fixtures and we look forward to now watching the best players in university rugby bid for silverware.
At Dragons RFC we are always keen to promote and support the next generation of talent in our great sport and indeed have several players in our own senior squad who first excelled in BUCS Super Rugby, including Wales international Aaron Wainwright, Barny Langton-Carter, and Morgan Lloyd.
It is therefore a special occasion for us all at our club as a fantastic crop of young players, that will all hope to go on to achieve great things following their time at university, get to showcase their talents at Rodney Parade.
Pob lwc to Cardiff Met and Loughborough in the women’s final at 3.30pm and Hartpury and Loughborough in the men’s final at 7pm. It is all set to be an action-packed day played out to the backdrop of a great atmosphere, so please raise your voices, and enjoy the occasion.
Enjoy your time at the home of the Dragons!
CONTENTS
Page 6 - BUCS Super rugby milk championship preview
page 8 - why the milk championship?
page 11 - MBSR - Loughborough vs Hartpury - their season so far
Page 12 - MBSR - LMC Chair Welcome
Page 14 - MBSR Final League Table
Page 17 - MBSR Milk championship bracket
Page 18 - BUCS Rugby union behaviour charter
page 21 - wBSR - Cardiff met vs Loughborough - their season so far
page 22 - wBSR - LMC Chair Welcome
Page 24 - Derek Morgan
page 27 - WBSR Final League Table
Page 29 - WBSR Milk championship brackett
Preview
It’s been another incredibly thrilling season of BUCS Super Rugby, with Hartpury winning the inaugural women’s competition, while Loughborough have returned to the top of the tree in the men’s competition.
The drama hasn’t stopped in postleague knockout competition, now known as the Milk Championships, where only four teams have made it through two gruelling rounds to set a date with destiny at Rodney Parade.
This year’s BUCS Super Rugby Milk Championships are sponsored by our partners AHDB and the
Milk Every Moment campaign. The campaign positions milk as a timeless staple in the fridge – not just as a beverage but a nutritional powerhouse. Milk is an affordable, natural source of seven essential vitamins and minerals (calcium, potassium, iodine, phosphorous, vitamins B12, B5, B2), as well as being rich in high-quality protein,
important for the growth and maintenance of muscles. Find out more at www.milkeverymoment. co.uk
With the very best teams and players that university rugby has to offer competing in the Milk Championship Finals, the day provides an opportunity to showcase the important role milk can play in supporting sport and
fitness goals. The women’s final will see Cardiff Met take on Loughborough. On their way to the final, Cardiff Met have travelled away from home pastures throughout the Milk Championships, beating Edinburgh 48-15 in the quarter finals, before denying the reigning champions a shot at retaining their title with a 19-12 semi final victory.
Loughborough dominated Cardiff at home 79-7 at home in the quarter finals. The African Violet then travelled away to Exeter
and just like 12 months ago they beat them in a thriller, winning 39-31 to book their place at Rodney Parade, their second final in the row.
Loughborough have also made the men’s final where they’ll take on Hartpury. On the road to Rodney Parade, they saw off Leeds Beckett 22-5 in the quarter finals. The league champions met Exeter in the last four, a repeat of last season’s final, and the outcome was the same, beating their rivals 31-24 for the chance to retain their title.
Their opponents will be Hartpury, who make a return to a Men’s BUCS Super Rugby Final for the first time since 2019. In the quarter finals they dispatched of Nottingham 62-14, and then overcame 100 minutes of unbelievable drama to beat Cardiff Met 43-34 (AET) in the semi finals.
We are now set for two titanic Milk Championship Finals that will round off an incredible season of BUCS Super Rugby.
CHAMPIONSHIPS WHY THE ?
The Milk Every Moment campaign is a joint partnership between BUCS and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) which aims to showcase the important role milk can play in supporting young people’s sport and fitness goals.
The campaign positions milk as a timeless staple in the fridge – not just as a beverage but a nutritional powerhouse, and sets out to educate students about the great benefits of including milk in their everyday nutrition. Milk is a natural source of seven essential vitamins and minerals (vitamins B2, B5, B12, calcium, iodine, potassium and phosphorus), as well as being rich in high-quality
protein, important for the growth and maintenance of muscles. In addition, the campaign promotes milk’s affordability and a good natural alternative to high-sugar energy drinks, supplementary protein powders and shakes.
These benefits make milk an excellent choice for university students seeking balanced nutrition to support their sport and fitness goals.
Will Roberts, CEO of BUCS, said:
“We are delighted to be working alongside AHDB to bring the Milk Every Moment campaign to those who compete in BUCS competitions
and events each year, as well as to the wider student sports community.
“The benefits of milk for young athletes – both from a nutritional and budgetary perspective – are clear, and we are thrilled to be able to work alongside AHDB to highlight this message to a Gen Z audience.”
Students are also given helpful tips and advice on the ways in which to incorporate milk into their diets pre- and post-workout or game day, as well as best times for consumption within their active lifestyles. For example, one of the best times to drink milk is 30 minutes to an hour after exercise, as it provides protein to support muscle maintenance and helps replenish glycogen stores when combined with an adequate carbohydrate intake.
As part of the ongoing partnership, Milk Every Moment is now the title sponsor of the newly renamed BUCS Super Rugby Milk Championships.
Through the partnership, AHDB have played a pivotal role in increasing parity to the female game, with this season being the first time that the women’s fixture will be played under BUCS Super rugby status, which is in part due to AHDB’s support in funding the required refereeing costs for the competition.
Paul Flanagan, AHDB Dairy Sector Director says:
“We are strong supporters of women’s sport and are delighted that Milk Every Moment is helping to facilitate this move to a higher-level competition.
“By working together, we are keen to showcase the important role milk can play in supporting young people’s sport and fitness goals.”
Learn more about the Milk Every Moment campaign at www.milkeverymoment.co.uk and view the activities on the BUCS Sport and BSR social media channels.
THE TEAMS AND THEIR SEASON
Loughborough HArtpury
1st in the league
16 wins
331 points difference
2nd top point scorer (70)
76% kicking success rate
114 tries
2nd in the league
15 wins
248 points difference
1st top point scorer (75)
76% kicking success rate
114 tries
WELCOME
As we gather for this exciting Milk Championship BSR Men’s final, we celebrate the culmination of another remarkable season of BUCS Super Rugby (BSR). This competition stands as a testament to the dedication, skill, and passion of our student-athletes, who have once again raised the bar for university rugby.
BSR is currently undergoing a comprehensive review to ensure it continues to evolve and meet the needs of all stakeholders. This process reflects our commitment to maintaining BSR’s position as a premier pathway for rugby talent development in the UK alongside the commitment to academic excellence.
The quality of rugby on display throughout this season has been exceptional. BSR continues to produce not only future professional players but also a wide range of graduates who go on to excel in various rugby-related roles, from strength and conditioning coaches, sports administrators’, performance analysts, high performing volunteers and beyond.
Men’s BUCS Super Rugby LMC Chair, Danny Milton
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the student-athletes who have poured their hearts into every match, balancing their sporting commitments with academic pursuits. Your dedication embodies the spirit of university sport and prepares you to become well-rounded, thriving graduates.
To the coaching and management staff of all teams, your guidance and support have been instrumental in nurturing these young talents. We also thank the universities for their unwavering support, providing the foundation for this competition to flourish. Our partnership with the National Governing Bodies has
been crucial in elevating the standard of university rugby, and we’re grateful for their continued support.
A thank you to today’s match officials and those referees and assistants who have supported every match this season.
Finally, we extend our appreciation to BUCS for their tireless efforts in organising and managing this competition, ensuring its smooth running and continued success.
As we look to the future, we’re filled with excitement and optimism. BSR not only showcases the best of university rugby but also provides a platform for personal growth, leadership development,
and lifelong friendships.
To all spectators, thank you for your support. Enjoy the match, and let’s celebrate the spirit of BUCS Super Rugby!
Before we conclude, myself and BUCS would like to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude to Nigel Gooding, the outgoing Men’s BSR chair. His dedication and hard work in facilitating the running of the league have been instrumental in its success and growth. We appreciate his contributions and leadership during his tenure. Thank you, Nigel!
BUCS Rugby Union Behaviours Charter
17 October 2023
The charter is geared towards improving our game day environments and the behaviours of those in attendance, both on and off the field.
With the season underway for 400 BUCS teams, 125 university clubs and 12,500 players playing in over 2000 fixtures, the time is now to set out our expectations for our
institution and club environments. We wrote to all clubs on 11 September expressing our shared expectations, but also detailing that the charter will aim to highlight the unacceptable nature of the likes of bullying and coercion in the name of initiations, anti-social activity by higher education rugby union clubs and abuse of match officials, spectators and opponents. It will also
give those affected means in which to confidently report such incidents resulting in swift and resolute action.
On the 14 and 21 September, we hosted a webinar on the actions we have taken since the close of the 2022-23 season, which guided our members through exactly what the expectations should be when hosting and visiting opposition in relation to behaviours. We also discussed the charter, its significance in creating change and ultimately the sanctions applied if breaches occur.
Commenting on the developments made as we move into the 2023-24 season, BUCS Director of Delivery Sam-Bell Minogue noted, ‘It has been excellent working collaboratively with all partners to be able to implement the behaviour charter. Our collective aim to improve the experience of rugby union for all, both on and off the pitch is one of passion and importance and we hope this will absolutely have impact both in the short and long term. Thank you to all involved and best of luck to all this season.’
‘Universities play a huge part in rugby in England. Together we are all striving to build a game that has a culture aligned to our values of Teamwork; Respect; Enjoyment; Discipline and Sportsmanship. Together with the Students’ RFU, we fully support the creation of the Higher Education Behaviours Charter. Working together to protect our game will help us achieve a
flourishing game, delivering positive experiences on and off the pitch for all.’ - Katy Young, University Partnership Manager, Rugby Football Union and Marc Hyndman, Chair, Students’ Rugby Football Union
‘Rugby union is a game to be enjoyed by all and Scottish Rugby is pleased to be supporting BUCS alongside the RFU and WRU in the delivery of protect our game campaign. The values and behaviours shown by those involved in our game reflect on our sport as a whole. It is important that we work together to uphold these values to positively influence the culture in student sport to stamp out negative behaviours.’ - Vicky Cox, Head of Competitions and Compliance, Scottish Rugby
‘‘The Welsh Rugby Union are committed to working collaboratively with BUCS to ensure that we develop safe and inclusive environments in our game. We want players to make good decisions both on and off the field, and we fully support the BUCS Rugby Union Behaviour Charter. We will provide leadership in Wales by supporting BUCS and setting high standards to build a positive culture across the game’ - Jeremy Rogers, Head of Policy and Integrity, Welsh Rugby Union
As all BUCS teams set to take to the field tomorrow, we collectively wish our entire rugby union community the very best of luck in what should be a safe, inclusive and enjoyable season.
THE TEAMS AND THEIR SEASON
Cardiff met Loughborough
5th in the league
6 wins
141 points difference
2nd top point scorer (79)
64% kicking success rate
60 tries
rosie welcome
3rd in the league
9 wins
213 points difference
1st top point scorer (80)
84% kicking success rate
79 tries
WELCOME
It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the Women’s BUCS Super Rugby Final for the Milk Championship. Today marks the culmination of an incredible season of university rugby, showcasing the passion, dedication, and talent of the next generation of women’s rugby stars.
University rugby plays a vital role in the growth and development of the women’s game. It is a breeding ground for future internationals and club players alike, a
platform for emerging talent, and, most importantly, a space where players develop both on and off the field. The skills, resilience, and camaraderie built in university teams form the foundation of elite-level performance, and many of today’s athletes will no doubt go on to represent their countries at the highest level.
With the Women’s Rugby World Cup taking place later this year, the spotlight on the sport has never been brighter. The progress and
visibility of the women’s game continue to reach new heights, inspiring the next generation of players and supporters. Events like today’s final are a testament to that growth, proving that the future of women’s rugby is in great hands.
To the players, coaches, and supporters—thank you for your commitment and passion. Enjoy the match, celebrate the occasion, and let’s continue to drive the women’s game forward together.
Women’s BUCS Super Rugby LMC Chair, Rosie Williams
Derek Morgan
Today we celebrate the life of Derek Morgan, former Students’ RFU President, who passed away last year at the age of 88.
The WGD Morgan Trophy is named in honour of the late Derek Morgan, a man who held university sport, and rugby in particular, close to his heart. Derek was a student at Durham University when he won the first of nine caps for England in 1960. He coached English Universities between 1962 and 1970, and British Universities from 1965 to 1977.
Derek spent a quarter of a century as the Students representative on the Rugby Football Union (RFU), a job he reluctantly relinquished when he became Junior vice president of the RFU in 2001. He went on to become RFU president for the 2002/3 season, during which time the national side went unbeaten.
Derek’s daughter, Rhian, is here today and will present the trophy named in her father’s honour. Rhian played fullback for Wales in the first ever women’s rugby international at Pontypool Park in 1987.
She recalls that her father was not impressed, believing that women shouldn’t play rugby. Slowly but surely, however, he was converted to the cause, and his subsequent efforts to grow the women’s game are commemorated by the trophy being played for today.
We would like to than Derek for all that he has contributed to the development of university rugby union and we think he would have loved such a prestigious university rugby event being played in his hometown of Newport.
