Match Preview

It’s good to be back. With one week of BUCS Super Rugby already under the belt, we can now get into the swing of potentially a record-breaking season.

Our opener was an incredible advert for university rugby. A high-scoring encounter, with a near 26-point comeback as well as some rugby of the highest quality. EURFC came out the blocks firing as tries from James, Joseland, Ribbons, and Gentry secured the bonus point within half an hour. A late Seb Driscoll try further extending the lead before the break. Exeter fully in control and already looking good for the three-peat.

The half-time team talk must have done wonders for Hartpury though, as they were the ones in the ascendency after the break. 4 tries of their own in the second half was only repelled by Jack Forsythe’s score on debut. A nervy finish followed as a 75th-minute score for the visitors kept things interesting till the end, but Exeter did enough to hold on.

A game of the highest order, but one the boys had hoped to have won more convincingly, especially with the look of the scoreboard at the break. However, it was a 5-point victory, putting us 2nd in the early standings.

A key man in last week’s victory, as well as a 2x time BUCS Super Rugby champion, is Archie Owlett. Having come off the bench at Sixways in 2022, he got his chance to impress from the start in 2023 and put in a quality performance at the StoneX.

Now in his final year at Exeter, he is “enjoying his rugby more than ever, and it's been a great 2 years” with his over aim being to “just enjoy it”.

With the dominance of the scrum across BUCS and Saturday teams it looks like he has been, and with the set-piece being an area Owlett identified as the key to EURFC’s success.

“The set-piece is huge and sets a good platform for our backs to play off and play some champagne rugby”.

Coming into this week, the prop highlights the “need to turn up from the off” and “winning those small battles” against Nottingham. The aim will be to push our hosts onto the back foot early by “winning the early collisions”.

TEAM NEWS

Gareth Elliot opts to make too many changes to his starting XV, opting to keep the momentum going from an excellent first half against Hartpury.

Williams, Vajner and Owlett all continue to start, but are backed by an all-new 2nd row partnership. Both Joe Bailey and Alfie Bell are currently in Chiefs academy and will be joining up yet again but this time in green and white. Josh Cunningham moves to the back row alongside Forsythe and Driscoll.

In the backs James and Mignot both impressed last week and keep their starting sports. As do Ribbons and McCaig whose impressive centre partnership continues to flourish early in the season. The back three sees just one change as Zack Wimbush comes in to replace Kofi on the wing.

Plenty of new faces on the bench as Elliot Young, Ronan Kelly and Ed Volley all prepare to start their BUCS campaign.

Plenty to look forward to this week as EURFC look to continue their unbeaten start to the season across all teams!!