BUCS Week 8 Preview: Could we see playoff spots secured?

Photo: Slsportsphotography

BUCS Week 8, the final week (ish) before the Christmas break, and by the end of the weekend we may see some teams practically secure a playoff spot. The weekend itself could include more high-scoring games across the Tiers and as well my “Game of the Year” is back! Another entertaining week is in store.

Premier National

UWE vs Durham – Game postponed

Nottingham Gold vs Loughborough (Saturday)

The Gold look to move to 6-0 on the season as they face the Loughborough Students for the second time in three weeks. The Gold are coming off a more than comfortable win against the Leeds Beckett Carnegie, and Loughborough come into this game after a blowout loss against the UWE Bullets. Loughborough are one place above Leeds Beckett in fourth place. Gold look to keep their distance from UWE Bullets in second as the Gold look to go into Christmas as the best team in the land.

Premier North

Newcastle vs Nottingham Trent

If Newcastle want to stay in the Prem a win against Trent would be a huge boost. A win for Trent could see them be top at the Christmas break. Trent have scored 91 points in four games which could help against a Raiders defence who have conceded 124 so far this season. This is set to be a match with drama in it throughout.

Liverpool vs Warwick

Much like Trent, Warwick are in touching distance of Leeds in first. A win away from home against a struggling Raptors side could put them in number one spot going into the festive period. Liverpool needs to jumpstart their season as the only winless side in the Prem North and facing second-place Warwick could be a tough matchup even if we saw an offensive improvement last time out. The Christmas break will be pivotal for the Raptors if they're to stay in the Prem North.

Premier South

SGS vs Cardiff

SGS are flying and facing bottom-of-the-table Cardiff this week. The Pride are by far the best side a real gap is growing between them and the rest in this division. The fight against relegation is hotting up and after Cardiff's loss last week against the Demons the Cobras are staring the threat of relegation in the face. If they can upset the Pride it will be a huge boost but no doubt they’re also eyeing the rematch against Exeter later in the season. The Pride will look to keep their high scoring offence working against a Cobras defence that has conceded 132 points this season.

Exeter vs Portsmouth – Game postponed

Tier 1

Scottish

Stirling vs Edinburgh Napier

Edinburgh Napier are coming off a walkover win last week against the Aberdeen Bulls and a win against Heriot-Watt in their last action. The Knights will look to start to build a bigger gap on the rest of the division as they travel to Stirling to face the Clansmen. Last time out the Knights beat the Clansmen 34-12 and will look to do the same and remain unbeaten. Stirling on the other hand will hope to pull off an upset in order to separate themselves from the pack forming in the middle of the division.

Northern

UCLan vs Northumbria

GAME OF THE YEAR PART 2!

The Mustangs came away with the win two weeks ago, but this game has the potential to disrupt the rest of the season. The Rams will look to stop the Mustangs from running away with the division and all but make their playoff place guaranteed, the Rams need a two-touchdown win if they want to return to the top of the table, but Northumbria will look to return home with a win and run away with the division. It is set to be another enthralling game in Preston.

Manchester vs LJMU

LJMU need to improve on another loss last week which sees them rock bottom of the division, whilst the Tyrants now move one stop above the Fury in fourth after MMU’s win last week and their concession against Northumbria. The Fury are struggling both offensively and defensively and it shows scoring 28 and conceding over 90, this week will need to see the Liverpool-based side change massively if they want to be playing Tier 1 ball next season.

Midlands & Yorkshire

Nottingham Green vs Coventry

Nottingham Green are quietly going unbeaten so far this season, and face second in the division Coventry Jets. Last time out the Green’s came away with a gritty victory against the Jets winning 12-6 away from home. The Greens will look to pencil their name into the Tier 1 playoffs and look to remain unbeaten whilst Coventry will look to try catch the Greens and make the division competitive.

Sheffield Hallam vs Hull

Hull come off a surprising draw against the Leicester Longhorns last week and now face their third game on the bounce when they travel to South Yorkshire to face the Sheffield Hallam Warriors. Hallam have had a long break after not being active since week 5 but hosts a Hull side that, until last week, looked to have been struggling on both sides of the ball. The teams met in week 2 with Hallam winning 32-0 and another victory like that will more or less see Hull remain bottom of the table for the foreseeable future.

South Western

Bristol vs Swansea (Friday) – UPDATE: Bristol 19-2 Swansea

Swansea have gone from a team that were immovable and now they’ve been moved... a lot. The Titans play their fourth game in a row and injuries and fatigue could be an issue for the Welsh side this week. Bristol is 2-2 and will look to catch second place as they host the Titans in a match that could see the Titans have a real threat of relegation. It is another fixture that has implications for the rest of the season.

Bath vs Southampton

The Killer Bees scored more points than they have in any other game last week as they scored 8 in a 15-8 loss to Bournemouth, which is an impressive result against the high-flying Bobcats. The Stags are coming off a win against the Titans and another win this week can cement their place in second whilst the Bees will be dragged into the relegation battle and their future will rest on the return fixture with Swansea. The Killer Bees have shown though they can hang tough at home.

Southern

Brunel vs Reading

Brunel are on fire! They face a Reading side who are struggling. In comparison to their opposition, Brunel have scored at a high rate, although they come off of a tough victory last week away to Brighton this week they host the Knights who last time out they put 54 points on and it could easily be the same this week and penicil their own name in the playoffs.

Brighton vs Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire come off a great win against Oxford last week and now have the long travel to Brighton who put up an impressive performance last week against Brunel holing their high-powered offence to 11 points and scoring against them too. We can’t forget that these sides have met before, and Hertfordshire came out 43-0 winners that day, but we can see a clear improvement from Brighton and will see this as a match which they can show how much they have improved, especially at home.

South Eastern

KCL vs Essex

KCL top of the table against Essex bottom of the table. A tale of Essex who can't score against KCL who can and will, a matchup we haven't seen before yet this season but again has the potential to book KCL in the playoffs and also push Essex towards relegation.

Kent vs UCL

Kent will look to keep pace with KCL this week as they pay hosts to UCL. A game that has not happened yet this season and both sides have a real shot to win the match and push themselves up the table. UCL are 2-2 after a walkover win was granted to UEA when their match up was called off earlier in the season but if that never happened both sides would be 2-1 and this game would be seriously important for the rest of the season. This game could give either side a huge boost before the Christmas break.

Tier 2

North Eastern

Sunderland vs York

Sunderland looks to be an interesting side, putting over 50 on YSJ two weeks ago and then struggling against the Jags the week after scoring only 12. The Centurions having not played all season now have two on the bounce and York held Sheffield to their lowest points all year and like Sunderland scored twice on them. This week will have playoff implications as whoever wins will have a valuable head-to-head going into the second part of the season. Its set to be an interesting and entertaining game for the whole division.

Midlands

ARU vs De Monfort

The two bottom sides face each other this week in a game that could be good for both sides, a win for either side will give a confidence boost for the rest of the season. The Lions come into the match scoring the most out of the two with 28 to the Siege’s 8, but they have conceded more points with 80 to 71.

Derby vs Lincoln

If Lincoln have any aspirations for playoffs a victory against Derby would be a huge boost otherwise, they’ll be in a scrap with Cambridge later in the season. 20-40 Derby win was the result last time these teams met and with the game being at home we could see the same result again this week.

South Western

Gloucester vs Aberystwyth

We haven't seen the Welsh side since October, it is a similar story with Gloucester, the Gladiators have not played since week 5. It is hard to grasp what these sides will look like this week. With both sides' matches being called off left and right, it is hard to see what this division is looking like. Hopefully the picture will clear up over the next two weeks.

Worcester vs Bath Spa

It's a similar story for this game as Bath Spa sit bottom but they have only played one match Worcester have played twice and a win against local rivals Gloucester could boost them to win this match as they host the Bulldogs. Bath will need to stop the Royals from scoring as we’ve seen it was a struggle against Plymouth. Both sides will look to win this as the division starts to shape up.

Southern

Surrey vs Oxford Brookes

We finally get to see two undefeated sides face each other, as Oxford Brookes face the Stingers in a match up that sees two 2-0 sides go head-to-head. Brookes have scored 103 and conceded 0 that will be a record they want to live up to as they travel to a Surrey side have scored 65 and conceded 6, it set to be a great entertaining matchup in which we’ll see the shape of the division.

South Eastern

Greenwich vs Imperial

After Greenwich’s win last week against the Chargers, they host an Imperial side who will look for their first win of the season. After a draw against the City Wolfpack will look to see if the side can compete with the Mariners this week. The 1-1-1 Mariners will look to leapfrog the Wolfpack this week with a win.