BAFANL Premiership South Pre-Season Power Rankings

Finally, the BAFANL season returns! It's time for BBQ's and arguments about who had their respective last name first. Boy, how we've missed it! To be fair though, we've had a number of new leagues pop up to keep us occupied, so we've not totally bored.

To kick start the season, our residential rankers from the senior league return to make choices that not everyone agrees with, so sit back, wrap a blanket around you in this cold weather and enjoy the first lot of Premiership Power Rankings. 

1. London Blitz
You can’t doubt that the current champions deserve to be in the top spot heading into the first week of the season. To be honest, barring any major upset,s I can’t imagine they will move from the top spot until they face off against the Warriors at the end of the season. Although we may have to consider results against common opponents to make things interesting at the top. 

We’ve been hearing news of some big retirements for the Blitz and it’ll be down to their first game against the Copenhagen Towers in the EFAF Cup this weekend to see who takes the field again this year. 

GB Lions Interview: Head Coach Wayne Hill

Coach Hill waits with his team before taking the field. Photo c/o Ronnlunds Foto

DC: Congratulations on the win coach, how do you feel after such a historic victory?

I feel very honored. The coaching staff and players have worked extremely hard both on and off the field. And to produce a performance like that against a good Swedish team with some quality athletes is amazing considering we had only 2 practices.

Shamrock Bowl Conference Weekend Round-up

Another week of the Shamrock Bowl Conference and what a week! A score inside two minutes was required to split the Vikings and Trinity whilst a respectable 114 points were scored across the four match-ups.

The West Dublin Rhinos (left) fell to their third defeat at the hands of the Craigavon Cowboys (right) - photo by Ariane Boudias

GB Lions Student Team - Andy Fuller Statement

Andy Fuller pays tribute to everybody who joined together to make yesterday's GB Lions Students' fixture against Sweden a huge success:

"Dear Teams and Athletic Unions,

This weekend saw our Great Britain Student team travel to Sweden to take on their Swedish counterparts in a historic first encounter.

In a pulsating game the Great Britain team ran out victors by a score of 41 – 21.

Whilst the result is important, I write to draw attention and pay tribute to all those involved in the programme and to say thank you to you.

Our players and staff have been a credit to our sport and their respective institutions in the way they have approached their responsibilities in representing their country.

Moreover, if we look back to the start of the campaign when over 300 athletes from pretty much every corner of the country attended our trial camps we find that this positive attitude, allied to fantastic commitment, is pervasive across our sport and again reflects well on all those who participate in and support our great sport.

It is therefore appropriate to say thank you to all and to promise that I and all those involved, will continue to strive to match your commitment in everything we do in British student football.

Kind regards,

Andy Fuller"

Shamrock Bowl Conference Preview

Fixtures! The downpour has let up long enough for there to be some football to be played! 

South

It’ll be hard to find a team chomping at the bit more than the Cork Admirals who are yet to kick off their season after postponements. Their game at UCD is an intriguing one.

These two should have squared off previously had the match not been called off because of the weather, a match that would have told us more about where these two are heading in the season. The Admirals have very much kept themselves to themselves this off season and not much news has come out of Cork whereas UCD have only played one game, a very solid 11-0 loss to the UL Vikings, which showed off a stubborn defence.

UCD will be looking to take the game to the Admirals - photo by Ariane Boudias