May 6, 2017, by Kate Rothery

Nottingham Varsity – Week 2 preview

After a nail-bitingly close finish before Easter, the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University prepare to go head to head in the second week of the annual Nottingham Varsity Series from 7th – 14th May 2017.

With the current score at UoN 5 – NTU 4, week two of the series is set to be a fierce fight for the title as the two sides will face each other in some of the biggest events of the season!

Get your tickets here  and check out our preview for a run down on all the fixtures ahead.

Varsity Netball: 7th May 2017, Lee Westwood Sports Centre, 5pm – 7pm

With both teams playing in the same British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) league this season, NTU will be familiar opponents for the University of Nottingham side. Trent finished two places higher in the league than UoN so go into the match as favourites, however their last fixture finished 44-40 in University of Nottingham’s favour.

University of Nottingham haven’t lost a women’s Varsity fixture yet in the series and UoN Netball will be fighting to uphold that record. This one could go either way – spectators can be certain of a close encounter!

FREE entry. Large crowds are expected for this game, so arrive early to avoid disappointment. Please bring photo ID as this may be required.

Varsity Water Polo: 7th May 2017, David Ross Sports Village, 6.30pm – 8.30pm

After a successful turnout of 250 spectators at Water Polo’s debut appearance in the Varsity Series last year, UoN will be fighting hard to bring home the title for the second year in a row. The University of Nottingham currently sit a league higher in the BUCS competition, so this should be a safe point for UoN in the series. They should however be wary of a NTU team on form – they lost only one game this season on their way to the Midlands 2A championship.

FREE entry. Spectator spaces are limited, so arrive early to avoid disappointment. Please bring photo ID as this may be required.

Varsity Hockey: 8th May 2017, Nottingham Hockey Centre, 5pm – 9pm

A brilliant effort from both the UoN Men’s and Women’s Hockey teams in 2016 resulted in victories for both teams – an achievement that they will no doubt strive to recreate this year. In fact, the UoN Men’s team have not lost a game in Varsity since 2012, while the UoN Women’s team have been on a winning streak at Varsity since 2010.

The UoN Women’s squad should be confident of another win; they sit a league higher than the NTU squad who have had a mixed season in BUCS North B. Keep an eye out for sports scholar Eloise Stenner, currently playing in the England U21 squad. In the Men’s fixture, the result is expected to be tighter but again should go our way. UoN have already defeated NTU three times this season – twice on their way to league victory and in the quarter finals of the Championships. Watch out for UoN’s James Gall, who returns from GB senior international duty in Malaysia just in time.

Tickets are available on the door for £3; please bring photo ID as this may be required.

Varsity Basketball: 9th May 2017, Motorpoint Arena, 4.30pm – 10pm

Basketball Varsity, one of the most highly-anticipated events of the series, will return to Nottingham’s world class Motorpoint Arena for another night of tension and excitement on 9th May 2017.

The women’s fixture should be an easy point for UoN – the team have dominated this season with an unbeaten run to league promotion as well as victory in Division 2 in the National Basketball League. Keep an eye out for UoN’s Gaby Bronson – the sports scholar won Basketball England’s Division 2 MVP this year and will be looking to control the game in front of the Motorpoint crowds.

In the men’s game a thrilling last-minute comeback last year saw NTU clinch the victory, but UoN Men’s Basketball President and future SU Sports Officer Adam Pratchett is confident that his team can edge back the title this year. With an on-form NTU team having just been promoted into the same BUCS league as UoN, the competition has never been so fierce!

Tickets are £7 and available online here – please bring photo ID as this may be required.

Varsity Super Wednesday (hosted by Trent): 10th May 2017, 9am – 6pm

Round 2 of Super Wednesday is set to be a thrilling day of sport for everyone, with competitions taking place in Tennis, Horseball, Dodgeball, Wheelchair Basketball, Golf, Rowing, Trampoline, Ultimate Frisbee and Thai Boxing. With UoN claiming a 9-0 victory at last month’s Super Wednesday and a valuable Varsity point, NTU will be pushing hard to take a Super Wednesday victory back on their home turf.

Spectators are spoilt for choice; but make sure you get down to the first official Wheelchair Basketball Varsity fixture. With UoN Wheelchair Basketball becoming an official club for the 2016/17 season, they’ve been training hard and hoping to upset the longer established NTU side.  If the weather holds, then take a picnic down to the Trent Embankment to watch UoN Boat Club in action on the water.

FREE entry – please bring photo ID as this may be required.

Varsity Football: 11th May 2017, Notts County Meadow Land Stadium, 4.30pm – 10pm

After two disappointing losses last year, the UoN Men’s and Women’s Football teams will be giving their all to claim the victory for 2017. The Men’s squad will be especially keen to take their Varsity point, having narrowly lost out earlier this season to NTU in the BUCS Premier playoffs. NTU are riding high after their promotion this year, so it’s set to be a big game.

In the Women’s game, it’s also expected to be incredibly tight at Meadow Lane with NTU just five points behind in the league this year. Both their fixtures have finished 1-1 this season, so chances are this one could go to a penalty shootout!

With half-time showcase from Nottingham Knights, this one is not to be missed – make sure you get behind the #GreenandGold!

Tickets are £5 and online here  – please bring photo ID as this may be required.

Varsity Cricket: 12th May 2017, Trent Uni Clifton Campus, 5.30pm – 9pm

The Cricket fixture can be a tough one to call with the season only starting over the last couple of weeks. University of Nottingham compete a league higher than the NTU team, but have struggled in their first few games with narrow defeats to Birmingham and Worcester. The NTU team, who were victorious in the 2016 series, by contrast have started well beating the UoN 2nds as well as their own 2nd team.

This could be a crucial point for University of Nottingham, so will be closely watched by both sides.

FREE entry – please bring photo ID as this may be required.

Varsity American Football: 13th May 2017, Harvey Hadden Stadium, 6pm – 9pm

Nottingham Trent have traditionally dominated in the American Football Varsity game and compete a league above University of Nottingham in the BUCS competition. University of Nottingham love the big occasion however, and recorded a memorable win in last year’s event. The squad will also be keen to finish on a high after a disappointing loss in the BUCS playoffs earlier this year.

Watch out for UoN sports scholar Bryce Wilson; the former Western Carolina University defensive back will be hoping to make an impact in the game. With the fixture a possible decider, make sure you’re there to cheer on the #GreenandGold!

£3 tickets on the door – please bring photo ID as this may be required.

Varsity Rugby Union: 14th May 2017, Lady Bay Stadium, 1pm – 6pm

The final fixture of the 2017 Varsity Series is Rugby Union hosted at Nottingham Rugby’s Lady Bay stadium, which seats several hundred. If the series goes down to the wire, this could be a very tense encounter for the Green and Gold.

In the Men’s fixture this could be a tough ask for the University of Nottingham side. Rugby Union is flying at Nottingham Trent – their Men’s 1s have just been promoted to the BUCS Rugby Super League. The Women’s game should go the way of University of Nottingham; our team has been playing a league higher than NTU all season. However, the squad must be clinical – NTU Women’s 1s have been on form in Midlands 2A this year, demolishing Lincoln 39-0 in their last fixture.

£5 tickets on the door – please bring photo ID as this may be required.

Posted in BUCSVarsity