TV debut for rugby team in a league of their own

A TV appearance beckons for Edge Hill's student rugby league team as they compete in the national Student Rugby League's elite British University and College Sport (BUCS) Super 8 competition.

The team will kick off this year's competition against Gloucestershire University at the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham, with the cameras of Premier Sports TV in attendance to screen the whole game live.

Paul Greenwood, Head of Sports Services explains, "Back in 2008 the BUCS Super 6 was established with the intention of bringing the best university teams in the country together. Last year this was expanded to eight teams and, as winners of the Premier North League the previous year, Edge Hill was invited to join."

Paul continues "BUCS Super 8 is the highest level in student rugby league and played nationally. There are some excellent players in the competition and each university will already have several linked to, or signed for, professional clubs."

As one of the country's strongest student rugby teams, it is hoped that the Edge Hill team can go far in both the BUCS Super 8 and the British University and College Sport Championship knockout cup, for which they are seeded third, behind Loughborough and Leeds Met Carnegie.

"Those two are by far the strongest teams in both competitions," adds Paul, "but unless there is an upset I'm really hopeful we can at least reach the semi finals."

Paul continues, "Edge Hill's success in sporting competitions also helps to put our University on the map nationally. These achievements are something that sports-minded people notice when making their study choices, linking this with our range of sports-based courses."

To train and prepare for the competitions the BUCS Super 8 team has full access to Edge Hill's £3.9 million ‘Sporting Edge Complex', part-funded by a lottery sports fund grant and awarded the prestigious Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) Mark.

The complex is not only used for elite competition however, this fully-accessible facility is also used by Edge Hill students, staff and people in the wider community who use the fitness suite, attend exercise classes or bring their children to enrol on a wide number of junior activity programmes. In addition over 50 local clubs and teams use the facilities each week whilst GPs refer their patients for a bespoke exercise programme. This can see over 160,000 people of all levels and ability using or visiting Sporting Edge each year.

Premier Sports TV viewers with a Sky dish, decoder and card will be able to watch all the BUCS Super 8 competition free of charge.  

For further information about Sporting Edge, visit: www.edgehill.ac.uk/sportingedge