Season Preview: Will Women’s Rugby Union Reach BUCS Super Rugby?

The University of Nottingham Women’s Rugby Union club come into this season with high hopes after their most successful season in BUCS history.

The 1s are coming off the back of an outstanding season, winning the BUCS Premier North, the second highest division in BUCS Rugby Union, after only losing their perfect record in the final game of the season.

They started last season incredibly strong, thrashing a to-be-relegated Glasgow 36-5 in their opening game before putting on a convincing 51-24 display against Northumbria. Their third game of the season showed their first proper test, as they narrowly beat the eventual league runners up Loughborough 2s 26-21.

However, it was their following game where heads may have turned, as they thumped Durham 49-0 at the start of November. Wins flowed through December and into the new year, with a 53-5 win victory against Glasgow, a more convincing 36-19 victory against Loughborough at home before a well fought 24-17 victory at defending champions Newcastle confirmed the title.

Their momentum was halted slightly by the end of the season, as they lost 20-7 away to Northumbria, and this momentum swing may have been crucial. As winners of the Northern division, Nottingham played their Southern compatriots Surrey, a team whose league campaign was flawless, in the Super Rugby Playoff.

Buoyed by a recent partnership with Premiership juggernauts Harlequins, the visitors were heavy favourites for the finale, and their quality showed. The game ended a resounding 81-5 to Surrey, leaving the Green and Gold to endure another season in the Premier North and with it all to do again this year.

It’s not just the 1s who enjoyed an excellent year. The 2s finished in a sensational third in Midlands Tier 1, while the 3s won Midlands Tier 3 and reached the Conference Cup final.

After arguably the greatest season in club history, now the task is to repeat it.

Manager Tim Westgate says his “team have bought in brilliantly” to his pre-season ideas and is looking forward to the new campaign where he wants to, “emulate and go one better than last year.”

They start their season off with arguably the toughest test of the year, when perennial contenders Newcastle make the long journey down to Highfields to contest a clash between the two most recent Premier North champions.

That result will set the tone for the season, and after long journeys to the north-east in the rest of October, the second vital home fixture will follow when UoN take on a Loughborough 2s side who last year suffered their only losses at the hands of the Green and Gold and will be desperate for revenge.

The return trip to Newcastle follows before the end of November, while 2026 comes to a close when they travel to Loughborough for the final game of the year. With nine games down by the end of the year, over the Christmas break it is highly likely the Green and Gold know the fate of their league campaign.

From there, if they emerge as league champions, it’s all about the playoff. Nottingham know they have what it takes to get to that point, and they have experience on the biggest stage.

The question is, can they deliver and finally secure their place in BUCS Super Rugby?

Matchday 1: 07/10/26 – Newcastle (H)

Matchday 2: 14/10/26 – Durham (A)

Matchday 3: 21/10/26 – Northumbria (A)

Matchday 4: 04/11/26 – Loughborough 2 (H)

Matchday 5: 11/11/26 – Birmingham (A)

Matchday 6: 18/11/26 – Newcastle (A)

Matchday 7: 25/11/26 –Durham (H)

Matchday 8: 02/12/26 –Northumbria (H)

Matchday 9: 09/12/26 – Loughborough 2 (A)

Matchday 10: 27/01/27 – Birmingham (H)

Kian Gadsby and Ollie Stevenson

Featured Image courtesy of UoN Sport. No changes were made to this image.

In Article Image 1 courtesy of UoN Sport. No changes were made to this image.

In Article Image 2 courtesy of UoN Sport. No changes were made to this image.