The University and College Rugby League (UCRL), formerly known as the Student Rugby League, is the organisation which administrates university and college rugby league football in the United Kingdom, on behalf of the Rugby Football League and British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS).
Rugby league in universities has been an important vehicle for expansion of the game as players from outside the heartlands often first began to play at university level. Many continue to play after leaving university and this has led to the creation of teams in non-traditional areas such as London Skolars and the University of Gloucestershire All Golds.
Yorkshire Universities and Colleges played against Lancashire at Halifax's then ground The Shay, Halifax in 1976. The Yorkshire side was selected by Fred Lindop, coach and professional referee and included a number of players from Airedale & Wharfedale College. 22 - 0 down at half time the Yorkshire side fought back to tie the match at 22 - 22.
History
Founded in 1967 when a team was created at Leeds University by Andrew Cudbertson, Jack Abernathy and Cec Thompson, other teams soon joined in areas of the United Kingdom which lay outside of the games traditional heartlands. The first university game was between Leeds and Liverpool in 1968. A year later the Universities and Colleges Rugby League was formed after student pioneers fought hard to get the sport recognised in higher education. Portsmouth and Swansea were early non-traditional areas to accept the game.
Rugby League reached Oxford University in 1976 and the first Varsity fixture against Cambridge University took place in 1981. The varsity match has 'discretionary full blue' status.
Student Rugby League reached Scotland in 1989 when a group of students at Aberdeen University established a team and formed the first Scotland Students squad.
The Pioneers were formed in 2005 and made their inaugural tour that year to Estonia. In the following years, development tours visited the Czech Republic, Latvia, Ukraine, Norway, Kazakhstan, Greece, Poland, Morocco and in 2014, to Ghana.
By 2006, the Student Rugby League had over 70 member clubs playing in 9 leagues, club locations ranging from Napier in Scotland to Exeter in the South West of England.
The elite Premier North & South competition was formed as the Super 6 in 2008.
In 2014, the Student Rugby League was renamed the university and College Rugby League (UCRL).
Student Rugby League Pyramid
Premier North & Premier South Northern 1, 2A & 2B; Midlands & Western 1; South East 1 HE Merit League
The Premier North & South competition is the elite student league. Five matches from the 2011 Super 8 including the inaugural Grand Final were televised live and free-to-view on Premier Sports. The BUCS Competition is split into nine playing leagues with the Premier North and the Premier South being supported by five regional leagues. The fixtures run from October until March leading up to the Championship play-off series.
The U19's College Competition is split into three leagues, the North West, Yorkshire and the Premier Division. The college leagues play from September until March culminating in a top four play-off series. The Carnegie Champion Colleges is the knock-out competition for the Further Education sector.
Alongside SRL competitions, the top university sides can qualify for the Challenge Cup.
League Restructure
Following the 2023-24 season the pyramid was restructured to form the National League. The inaugural National League featured the top 4 teams from the Premier North and top 2 teams Premier South from the previous season. The team's for the inaugural 2025-26 season were: Exeter, Leeds, Leeds Beckett, Loughborough, Newcastle and Northumbria. Promotion to the National League is decided in a single leg playoff between the winners of Northern 1A and Southern 1A.
The remaining teams from the Premier North Division were moved to Northern 1A whilst teams from the Premier South were moved to Southern 1A. The Midlands & Western 1 division was renamed to Southern 2A whilst a new Southern 2B division was formed from teams primarily from Southern 1A.
Current BUCS Rugby League Pyramid: +PremierNational LeagueTier 1Northern 1ASouthern 1ATier 2Northern 2ANorthern 2BSouthern 2ASouthern 2B
Past winners
Year Super 8 Premier North Premier South Northern 1A Northern 2A Northern 2B Midlands 1A Western 1A South 1 South East 1A Midlands 2A Western 2A 2007-08 N/A Leeds Metropolitan University Loughborough University Edinburgh Napier University Bangor University Leeds Metropolitan University 'A' Nottingham University N/A N/A N/A Lincoln University University of Wales Institute, Cardiff 2008-09 Leeds Metropolitan University Edge Hill University University of Wales Institute, Cardiff Northumbria University 'A' Bangor University Leeds University Cambridge University N/A Oxford Brookes University Coventry University University of Gloucestershire 2009-10 Loughborough University University of Central Lancashire Loughborough University 'A' Leeds Trinity University Liverpool University York St Johns University Sheffield Hallam University N/A Oxford Brookes University Loughborough University 'B' Glamorgan University 2010-11 Leeds Metropolitan University Newcastle University Exeter University Northumbria University 'A' University of Salford Newcastle University 'A' Nottingham Trent University N/A Exeter University 'A' Coventry University University of Wales Institute, Cardiff 2011-12 Leeds Metropolitan University Leeds Metropolitan University 'A' Exeter University Northumbria University 'A' Manchester Metropolitan University Leeds Trinity University Coventry University University of the West of England Oxford Brookes University N/A Bath University 2012-13 University of Gloucestershire Newcastle University Cardiff Metropolitan University Northumbria University 'A' Manchester Metropolitan University Sheffield University Nottingham Trent University 'A' South Gloucestershire & Stroud College Brunel University N/A University of Gloucestershire 'A' 2013-14 N/A Leeds Metropolitan University Loughborough University Sheffield Hallam University Manchester University Leeds University Nottingham University Exeter University Cambridge University Warwick University Swansea University 2014-15 N/A Leeds Beckett University Loughborough University Manchester Metropolitan University University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) York St John University Coventry University Swansea University Brunel University Oxford Brookes University N/A 2015-162016-172017-182018-192019-20N/ANorthumbriaSt Mary'sLiverpoolLiverpool John Moores UniversityYork St JohnNottingham 1sSwansea 1aOxford BrookesNorthampton2020-21COVID Season 2021-22 N/A Northumbria St Mary's Liverpool John Moors University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) Leeds 2s Birmingham Exeter 2s Cambridge Loughborough 2sN/A2022-23Leeds Beckett 1sExeterUniversity of Central Lancashire (UCLAN)Manchester UniversityLeeds Beckett 2sNottinghamExeterCambridgeN/A2023-24*NorthumbriaLoughboroughNorthumbria 2sLancasterSheffield HallamLoughborough 2sExeter 2s
Winners Post 2024-25 YearNational ChampionshipNational LeagueNational TrophyNorthern 1ASouthern 1ANorthern Conference CupNorthern 2ANorthern 2BSouthern Conference CupSouthern 2ASouthern 2B2024-25Leeds Beckett 1sLeeds Beckett 1sNottingham 1sLiverpool John MooresNottingham 1sSheffield HallamLiverpoolSheffield HallamCardiffCardiffOxford Brookes2025-2026Northumbria 1sNorthumbria 1sNorthumbria 2sHullNottingham TrentLancasterEdge HillLeeds Beckett 2sGloucestershireGloucestershireOxford
National League
UniversityDebutNo. of Seasons2024-2532026-2712024-2532024-2532024-2532025-262
Season Structure
The Season has two phases:
League - a double round-robin tournament, where teams play each other home away. Championship - a knockout tournament featuring the entire league.
League The League season currently has 10 rounds. League points are awarded in the following way:
3 points for winning a match 1 point for drawing a match 0 points for losing a match
Championship The Championship competition has three rounds. It features every team from the League.
Quarter Finals: 3rd v 6th 4th v 5th Semi Finals: 1st vs 4th or 5th 2nd vs 3rd or 6th
Results
League and championship Final PositionSeasonSeason2024-252025-261Leeds Beckett (CH)Northumbria (CH)2Northumbria (RU)Leeds Beckett (RU)3Loughborough (SF)Loughborough (SF)4ExeterExeter (SF)5Leeds (SF)Nottingham6Newcastle (R)Leeds (R) (CH) Champions. (RU) Runners-up. (SF) Losing semi-finalists. (R) Relegated
Championship finals SeasonChampionScoreRunner-upVenuePre-National League 2019-20 Season interrupted by COVID-19 2020-21 Season interrupted by COVID-192021-22Northumbria28-19Leeds BeckettUniversity of Loughborough 1st XV Pitch2022-23Northumbria14-0Leeds BeckettUniversity of Loughborough 1st XV Pitch2023-24Northumbria34-0Leeds BeckettUniversity of Loughborough 1st XV PitchNational League2024-25Leeds Beckett26-16NorthumbriaUniversity of Loughborough 1st XV Pitch2025-26Northumbria28-0Leeds BeckettUniversity of Loughborough 1st XV Pitch
Relegation playoffs SeasonWinnerScoreRunner-upVenuePromoted from2024-25Nottingham 1sWalkoverLiverpool John Moore'sN/ASouthern 1ANottingham 1s38-24Newcastle 1sHighfields Sports Complex2025-26HullWalkoverNottingham TrentN/ANorthern 1A
Representative teams
In England, a series of regional games take place which lead to a North and South team being selected to play the University Rugby League Origin Game, from which the England team is selected.
Wales, Scotland and Ireland run national teams.
All four teams take part in the 4 Nations Championships that take place annually and the Tertiary Student Rugby League World Cup every four years. England also take part in the RFL President's Cup.
Previoualy a Great Britain and Ireland Academic Lions squad has been selected but this has been mothballed since 2014.
The 'GB Pioneers' are a representative team that undertake rugby league development tours to emerging nations.
See also Tertiary Student Rugby League World Cup Rugby league in England Rugby league in Scotland Rugby league in Wales British Amateur Rugby League Association British Universities and Colleges Sport Rugby League Varsity Match
External links Student Rugby League Great Britain Student Rugby League 'The Pioneers' Oxford University Rugby League Football Club Brunel University Barbarians RLFC
References