2025-26 is the ninth season of BUCS Super Rugby, a university rugby union competition in the United Kingdom, (not including COVID-19 Effected seasons). The ten teams remain the same from the previous season: Loughborough University, University of Bath, University of Exeter, Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Swansea University, Durham University, University of Nottingham, Hartpury University, & Leeds Beckett University.
The league operates with a double round robin format where each team will play the other 9 twice, once at home, and once away - making for an 18-game season. Games are start in late September and run until a mid season break in late October or early November, after 6 rounds. Another 5 matches are played before the Christmas break. In January play resumes and proceeds through February & March. Playoffs are then contested in late March & April.
Teams earn league points according to:
4 pts for a win 2 pts for a draw 0 pts for a loss 1 Try Scoring Bonus point for scoring 4 tries 1 Losing Bonus point for losing by 7 points or less
Silverware and trophies At the end of the regular season, the team at the top of the league table is the league champion. Teams are ranked by league points, followed by points difference (points scored in games minus points conceded), then simply points scored.
The top 8 teams from the final league standings qualify for the National Championship playoffs. This is a seeded bracket, meaning the higher up the league table teams finished the more home games and relatively easier opposition they play.
In previous seasons, the 10th placed team would enter into a playoff to determine promotion and relegation with the divisions below, but for the 2025-26 the format was altered to automatic relegation for 10th. This team is replaced by the team who wins the promotion playoff match - contested between the two league winners of Northern Premier 1 & Southern Premier 1.
A lineal trophy is also contested; The Challenge shield. The holder defends it during every home game they play. Should they lose (at home only), the visiting team takes the Challenge shield with them.
Loughborough are the defending league champions, whilst Hartpury are the defending National Champions. At the start of the season, Exeter held the Challenge Shield. During Week 7, Cardiff defeated Exeter (33-50) thus claiming the Challenge Shield for themselves. The following week (Match Week 8), Bath won away at Cardiff 14-77 to take the Challenge Shield for themselves.
Teams +UniversityDebutNo. of seasons*2024-25 League Pos. 2024-25 PlayoffsBath2016–1773rd Quarter-FinalsCardiff Met2016–1776thSemi-FinalDurham2016–1774th Quarter-FinalsExeter#2016–1775th Semi-FinalHartpury†2016–1772ndWinnersLeeds Beckett2016–1778thQuarter-FinalsLoughborough*2016–1771stFinalistsCardiff2018–1959th (Did not Qualify for Playoffs)Swansea2019–20410th (Won Relegation Playoffs)Nottingham2022–2327thQuarter-Finals † Defending National Champions
* Defending League Champions
# Challenge Shield Holders at start of Season
League table The league table for 2025-26 is as follows:
# Current Challenge Shield Holders
Quarter Finals: 1st v 8th // 2nd v 7th // 4th v 5th // 3rd v 6th Semi Finals: 1st or 8th v 4th or 5th // 2nd or 7th v 3rd or 6th
Correct as of: 13 February 2026
Round-by-round The table below shows each team's progression throughout the season. For each round, their cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets: Team progression Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18 QF SF Final 21-54 42-14 12-35 35-38 54-22 43-26 38-42 14-77 36-19 21-41 29-24 14-29 39-26 18-20 56-26 17-26 40-31 7-17 48-30 36-20 41-14 41-7 56-28 21-43 49-24 19-54 31-24 33-50 14-77 17-16 29-31 24-21 82-14 19-28 28-34 56-26 15-45 40-41 42-40 48-30 36-32 56-28 12-35 17-14 14-10 25-34 36-33 15-19 13-17 29-31 29-24 17-14 30-28 27-26 38-19 5-26 50-49 26-27 27-25 27-24 26-29 21-43 17-14 45-7 43-24 38-42 33-14 56-7 24-21 24-21 32-14 29-21 27-26 26-21 38-42 14-42 7-17 21-35 36-20 36-32 12-41 52-28 35-38 45-7 14-33 33-50 5-29 26-42 63-33 49-40 32-14 30-28 18-20 61-28 29-19 53-40 42-40 27-25 58-48 † 21-54 54-36 39-27 19-60 45-21 14-33 36-33 33-14 17-16 14-19 29-36 26-35 39-26 48-26 26-21 15-45 53-40 26-27 28-25 27-24 42-14 33-26 40-14 45-21 31-24 24-22 5-29 13-17 21-41 19-23 26-35 29-21 12-53 61-28 5-26 40-41 19-28 28-39 54-36 52-28 40-14 19-54 43-26 26-19 15-19 56-7 14-19 49-40 82-14 52-22 12-53 38-19 38-42 40-31 80-33 28-25 58-48 41-14 28-39 26-29 39-27 49-24 54-22 25-34 24-22 25-32 26-42 24-21 29-36 14-29 52-22 28-34 28-29 29-19 50-49 19-28 21-35 41-7 12-41 33-26 19-60 14-10 43-24 26-19 25-32 36-19 63-33 19-23 17-14 19-28 48-26 28-29 17-26 14-42 80-33 Key: Win Draw Loss Bye DNQ = Did not qualify Not to be confused with Hartpury University R.F.C., who play in the RFU Championship.
Matches
Championship
The Championship competition has three rounds and typically takes place in April. It features the teams who finished in the top eight of the league.
Men's BUCS Super Rugby Milk Championships Quarter Finals: 1st v 8th 2nd v 7th 4th v 5th 3rd v 6th Semi Finals: 1st or 8th v 4th or 5th 2nd or 7th v 3rd or 6th
Playoffs
Promotion Playoff In Premier South 1, only 2 teams were eligible for promotion at the start of the season, one of which was Bristol. On Wednesday 28 January 2026, the only other eligible side (Brunel University) defeated Cardiff Met 2s to claim the league title. This confirms their qualification for the 2026 BUCS Super Rugby Promotion Playoff match.
On 4 February 2026 Newcastle University claimed the Premier North 1 league title to confirm their place as the second promotion playoff competitor.
As per 2025-26 format changes, the 10th placed BSR team will not defend their place in the league and will be automatically relegated.
National Championship Playoff Upon completion of the League matches, the 8 team bracket will be set.
The National Championship Final will be played on 22 April 2026, at Rodney Parade.
References