Mid Season Review: SWAC

Bath have followed up on last season’s deep Challenge Trophy run with an undefeated start to the 2012 season. Wins over Aberystwyth, Plymouth, Swansea and UWE leave Bath in command of the SWAC, but with Exeter, Cardiff, Bristol and Bath Spa left on the schedule, 8-0 is far from given. The addition of Blitz RB Deji Alli and a small graduating class of 2012 have certainly helped Bath out, and with a monster graduation looming in the summer, Bath need to get it done this season. The question is if they do take the SWAC title, how far can they go in the championship playoffs?

Cardiff have been incredibly disappointing thus far, with a win against Exeter being their only positive result in a 1-3 record. Coaching changes and a mostly rookie O-line could well explain their poor form, and we’re sure this season will just be a short blip for the perennially strong Cobras. Their first Welsh Bowl loss in eons is indicative just how bad a year this is for Cardiff – with remaining games against Bath, Plymouth, Worcester and Bath Spa, a 0.500 record is still possible but the playoffs look a long way away.

Mid-season Big Board Rankings Part Four, Rankings 31-40.

Another day, another ranking. Everyone reading this should be really grateful. I had to prioritise and write this article and watch the BCS game on my computer instead of enjoying the game in my living room. The things we do for you loyal followers!

Anyways, time to get back to the football, so...the list!

IFAF World Team: Coaches Diary

It may have flown under the radar a little, but a couple of weeks ago it was announced that Ryan Baker and Tony Athersmith were following in the footsteps of fellow Birmingham Lion and GB Uni Coach Wayne Hill and joining the IFAF World team coaching staff. 

Coach Baker agreed to write a short diary and take some pictures to share the experience and this is his first entry!

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I just wanted to ramble about some of the experiences so far from my trip to coach the World Development Team. But first I'd like to thank IFAF and BAFA for my selection. I was extremely excited and proud to represent British football.

Coach Baker (left) with fellow IFAF World Coach Tony Athersmith

Not really much to report for day one, pretty much straight to bed ready for day 2 after a 10 hour flight and nearly 45 minute road connection to the villa complex the team is staying at. Although a limo from the airport was pretty cool. Starting to think this could be a good trip! lol

BUAFL Big Board Rankings Part Three

Part three of our big board takes a look at the teams ranked 41-50.

If this were a person’s age, they’d be called ‘the golden forties’ (don’t understand why, no one actually gives you any gold), but in football terms, it know as the period when a team is in limbo and settled with being a completely average team.

Enjoy the list!

41. Staffordshire Stallions (1-2)

It’s been an up and down season for the Stallions in their new conference. Looking at their recent history, the Stallions will most likely be happy with the fact they’re 1-2 at the Winter break. What the team should be worried about is their combined total for their two losses. 12 points scored to 62 conceded isn’t going to convince anyone that the Stallions will be improving any time soon.

Mid-season grade – D – New conference, same results. If their D can shore up in 2013, the Stallions could end up playing the spoiler role in many teams play-off hopes. If their D can’t shore up, it will be off to the ‘powerless rankings’ for the Stallions!

BUAFL Academic Rankings

Below the two rankings side by side can be seen. The top 25 football rankings as decided by a panel of 12 coaches, players and journalists on the left and the top 25 if we ranked by academic prowess (stats from the complete university guide)

1.       Birmingham Lions (5-0) 2.       Hertfordshire Hurricanes (5-0) 3.       Loughborough (4-0) 4.       Southampton Stags (5-0) 5.       Stirling Clansmen (4-0) 6.       Derby Braves (5-0) 7.       Hull Sharks (4-0) 8.       Sheffield Sabres (4-0) 9.       Bath Killer Bees (4-0) 10.   UWE Bullets (4-1) 11.   UEA Pirates (4-0) 12.   Portsmouth Destroyers (3-0) 13.   Kent Falcons (4-0) 14.   Plymouth Blitz (3-1) 15.   Kingston Cougars (4-1) 16.   NTU Renegades (3-1) 17.   Leeds Carnegie (3-1) 18.   Solent Redhawks (3-2) 19.   Brighton Tsunami (3-0) 20.   Glasgow Tigers (3-1) 21.   UCLan Rams  (2-0) 22.   Warwick Wolves (2-1) 23.   Bradford Bears (3-2) 24.   Hallam Warriors (1-1) 25.   Northampton Nemesis (2-2) 87 - 14

1.       Cambridge (2-1) 2.       Oxford (0-3) 3.       Imperial College London (2-2) 4.       Durham (1-1) 5.       St. Andrews (N/A) 6.       #22 - Warwick (2-1) 7.       Lancaster (0-4) 8.       #9 - Bath (4-0) 9.       Bristol (2-1) 10.   York (1-2) 11.   Exeter (1-2) 12.   #3 - Loughborough (4-0) 13.   #4 – Southampton (5-0) 14.   Edinburgh (1-3) 15.   #20 - Glasgow (3-1) 16.   King's College London (1-3) 17.   Nottingham (1-3) 18.   Leicester (1-4) 19.   Surrey (0-4) 20.   #1 - Birmingham (5-0) 21.   Newcastle (1-3) 22.   Royal Holloway (0-4) 23.   #11 - UEA (4-0) 24.   #8 - Sheffield (4-0) 25.   Manchester (3-2) 48 – 44