BUCS Is Back . . . And So Is The Alternative Route Into Pro Rugby

Swansea University captain, Ben Gregory, left, with Joe Cowell, captain of Cardiff Met. Pic: BUCS Rugby.

BUCS Is Back . . . And So Is The Alternative Route Into Pro Rugby

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By Rob Carbon

BUCS Super Rugby is set to return with a bang this week with the opening two rounds featuring two classic Welsh derbies.

Wednesday night will see Swansea University host last season’s semi-finalists Cardiff Met at St Helen’s.

A week later it will be the battle of the Welsh capital institutions, when Cardiff Met host Cardiff University at the Arms Park.

They have increased the capacity for the Cardiff clash to 4,000, while Swansea are hoping for a gate of between 2,000-3,000 this week as interest continues to build. And why wouldn’t it, given the quality of the players on display.

England No.8 Alex Dombrandt and his Harlequins teammate Luke Northmore were tearing it up for Cardiff Met a few seasons ago, helping them to reach the final at Twickenham, and three of last season’s side have headed to Welsh regions – skipper Iwan Shenton was picked up by Scarlets and Wales U20 prop Rhys Barrett headed into the Cardiff Rugby squad.

Cardiff University’s former skipper Marcus Ramage has just made his debut for English Premiership champions Leicester Tigers on loan from Nottingham and lock Griff Evans has joined the Scarlets.

 

The tournament has become a hot bed of young talent with more and more teams providing alternative pathways into professional rugby in addition to the traditional academies.

No wonder, then, that the fans are flooding to watch the matches – and they are not just students and scouts!

This will be the third season that the three Welsh universities have featured in the 11 team tournament and the standards keep on rising.

Swansea went to Cardiff Met last year and beat the home side in terrible conditions to make a major statement about their programme.

Now, skipper Ben Gregory is eyeing up a repeat this week to get his team off to a flying start.

Cardiff Met reached the final four last season before going down to eventual champions Exeter University in Topsham.

 

Gregory, who played in the back row for Wales U20 last season, has trained with the Ospreys and is inspired by the progress made by his former student teammate Max Nagy.

They were joined by lock Huw Sutton, now on the Ospreys books, in joining in with the pros during the Covid restrictions and now go down to Swansea.Com Stadium to watch Max mixing it with the top teams in the URC.

“We all went in training together and you could see that Max was right at home and fitted into the Ospreys environment. It was great seeing him back from injury and playing against the Scarlets last week,” said Gregory.

 

“He still comes and watches us on a Wednesday night, passing on his wisdom to everyone else. He doesn’t really want to leave and we can’t get rid of him.

“He knows that Swansea University has played a massive part in his rugby career and helped him so much and he wants to give something back. That’s why he’s there for matchdays and training.

“My first goal is professional rugby but this way I get a degree at the end of my course. A lot of professional players don’t have that and have to go back to it later on.

“We get a degree at a young age and can go straight into another career in our thirties if we do progress in professional rugby.”

Cardiff University kick-off at Bath on Wednesday.

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