The trophy, which is actually a plate, can sometimes be seen as a lower award, but to some teams it is something to aspire to and having even a minor trophy in the cabinet is better than nothing (just ask Arsenal fans).
To some of these teams fighting it out in the second tier of post season competition it can seem like a bit of a damp squib after pushing for Championship playoffs and falling short. However with the glory also comes the BUCS points, which I am sure their respective Students Unions wouldn't mind at all.
Let the games begin!
Kent @ Manchester
This one is almost wash between our writers, which is surprising considering Manchester are more of the form team after the battering Kent took against UEA. Manchester's losses came early in the season with a week 1 forfeit to UCLAN and then a shellacking at the hands of second place Sheffield.
Kent seem to be a Jekyll and Hyde team in the last two seasons, having amazing form pre christmas and generally winning games, then struggling to replecate that form after the turkey has been scoffed and the students return to campus. Their only two games played post Christmas this year were losses to Herts and UEA.
Overall Prediction: If Kent can travel well, they should win.
Edinburgh @ Leeds
That Edinburgh are even in the playoffs with a 2-4-2 record is as much a surprise to many as it appears to have been to their own players and our writers do not put much faith in the traveling Scotsmen.
Leeds fought hard for their playoff spot and finished with a 5-3 record with their only losses coming to the team ranked above them in the BNE. They'll be looking to stamp out any hope early so they can rest starters for next week.
Overall Prediction: A walkover for Leeds if they don't lose their focus.
BNU @ Gloucester
Yet another clean sweep, this time for the Double Winging BNU over the Gloucester Gladiators. Our writers clearly put a lot more weight behind BNU's tougher schedule and high scoring offence with a tough and hard hitting defence that seems to finally be matching the output of thir much maligned offence.
We have written several times about Gloucester's weaker schedule and the fact they didn't play either of the top two teams in their division and lost to two of the higher ranked teams. They also only beat a single team with a winning record and that definitely looks to have been taken into account by our writers.
Overall Prediction: The wing will run riot! BNU to win.
NTU @ UEA
Probably the most surprising prediction of the weekend is this one. There can be no doubt that NTU are a very good side, but UEA are also a team with talent on both sides of the ball.
However rumors that UEA and GB Running back Chris Carson may be out for the game definitely took root with our writers and with our habit of believing anything we hear (jokes...) most writers appear to have taken that into account when predicting the game, even with Joseph van der Merwe as a capable replacement.
This is a game many predicted to be the best in the plate with two top teams banging heads. Whatever the result it's sure to be a classic!
Overall Prediction: Danny Miller to lead the Renegades to victory.
To some of these teams fighting it out in the second tier of post season competition it can seem like a bit of a damp squib after pushing for Championship playoffs and falling short. However with the glory also comes the BUCS points, which I am sure their respective Students Unions wouldn't mind at all.
Let the games begin!
Kent @ Manchester
This one is almost wash between our writers, which is surprising considering Manchester are more of the form team after the battering Kent took against UEA. Manchester's losses came early in the season with a week 1 forfeit to UCLAN and then a shellacking at the hands of second place Sheffield.
Kent seem to be a Jekyll and Hyde team in the last two seasons, having amazing form pre christmas and generally winning games, then struggling to replecate that form after the turkey has been scoffed and the students return to campus. Their only two games played post Christmas this year were losses to Herts and UEA.
Overall Prediction: If Kent can travel well, they should win.
Edinburgh @ Leeds
That Edinburgh are even in the playoffs with a 2-4-2 record is as much a surprise to many as it appears to have been to their own players and our writers do not put much faith in the traveling Scotsmen.
Leeds fought hard for their playoff spot and finished with a 5-3 record with their only losses coming to the team ranked above them in the BNE. They'll be looking to stamp out any hope early so they can rest starters for next week.
Overall Prediction: A walkover for Leeds if they don't lose their focus.
BNU @ Gloucester
Yet another clean sweep, this time for the Double Winging BNU over the Gloucester Gladiators. Our writers clearly put a lot more weight behind BNU's tougher schedule and high scoring offence with a tough and hard hitting defence that seems to finally be matching the output of thir much maligned offence.
We have written several times about Gloucester's weaker schedule and the fact they didn't play either of the top two teams in their division and lost to two of the higher ranked teams. They also only beat a single team with a winning record and that definitely looks to have been taken into account by our writers.
Overall Prediction: The wing will run riot! BNU to win.
NTU @ UEA
Probably the most surprising prediction of the weekend is this one. There can be no doubt that NTU are a very good side, but UEA are also a team with talent on both sides of the ball.
However rumors that UEA and GB Running back Chris Carson may be out for the game definitely took root with our writers and with our habit of believing anything we hear (jokes...) most writers appear to have taken that into account when predicting the game, even with Joseph van der Merwe as a capable replacement.
This is a game many predicted to be the best in the plate with two top teams banging heads. Whatever the result it's sure to be a classic!
Overall Prediction: Danny Miller to lead the Renegades to victory.
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