Shared Triumph: Red Roses’ glory reflects the rise of Women’s BUCS Super Rugby

England running out for a World Cup final on the hallowed turf at Twickenham in front of a sell-out crowd, in the same week that Universities across the UK welcome around 1million new students to their campuses, makes me feel particularly proud as CEO of British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS). 

Will Roberts, CEO, British Universities and Colleges Sport

The business of women’s sport is booming – rightfully so – and the sight of a partizan ‘HQ’, packed to the rafters with 82,000 fans is testament to the skilful marketing campaign for this competition, spearheaded by World Rugby and the RFU. 

But there must be a pathway to these heights of performance, to the empowerment and platform forged by these phenomenal athletes, and the commercial opportunities that they ultimately produce. Without the investment and support of Universities within the BUCS membership, there would be no all-conquering (hopefully) Red Roses. No glass-ceilings punched through or heroes for young girls to aspire to be. 

This might sound bold, yet Universities, and the competitions they take part in, are by-design intended to provide a ‘finishing school’ for developing players keen to pursue their education and post-playing career preparation whilst honing their skills. No fewer than 40 players representing England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales at the 2025 Women’s World Cup competed by the BUCS Rugby programme – representing Hartpury, Edinburgh, Loughborough, Durham, Cardiff Met and Exeter.  

2024 World Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne and England captain Zoe Aldcroft both represented Hartpury, whose unique combined college and university programme supports athletes through further and higher education whilst receiving first class coaching and support. Such is Hartpury’s strength that England’s Emma Sing featured in their back-to-back BUCS National Title winning teams in 2022 and 2023 when England scrum-half Mo Hunt was their coach. 

Those individuals have the unique drive and focus to elevate themselves to the elite level, but without the platform that student sport has provided them, they could equally have been lost to the game. With a combined ability to enhance their career prospects while simultaneously competing at a fiercely high standard, they flourished and are now delivering at the highest level. 

This week also sees the beginning of our BUCS Super Rugby competition for the 10th season. Our member institutions have worked tirelessly with our executive to create a competition for both men and women that is looked upon enviously across the world, demonstrated by the opening fixture of the Women’s season taking place at the legendary Cardiff Arms Park between Cardiff and Cardiff Met!

Our own commercial partner, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, have contributed significantly in recent years, including providing the financial injection that enabled BUCS to provide first-class officials for the women’s competition last season. This is a small contribution which will ultimately help all four home nations to flourish not just in 2025, but in decades to come. 

This Saturday I will sit back, enjoy the show, and raise a glass to those BUCS members, students and fans who have helped make this moment possible. 

BUCS sponsored the Educational Institute of the Year award, at the 2025 Sport Industry Awards