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 played in 3 blocks of 6 with games Match Weeks 1-6 played in September and October. Block 2 (Match weeks 7-12) is broken up by University Christmas Holidays but begins in Mid-November. The final block of fixtures (MW 13-18) will be played in February and March. Playoffs are then contested in late March & April. [1]
Teams earn league points according to: [2]
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 from Cardiff.
| University | Debut | No. of seasons* | 2024-25 League Pos. | 2024-25 Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | 2016–17 | 7 | 3rd | Quarter-Finals |
| Cardiff Met | 2016–17 | 7 | 6th | Semi-Final |
| Durham | 2016–17 | 7 | 4th | Quarter-Finals |
| Exeter# | 2016–17 | 7 | 5th | Semi-Final |
| Hartpury† | 2016–17 | 7 | 2nd | Winners |
| Leeds Beckett | 2016–17 | 7 | 8th | Quarter-Finals |
| Loughborough* | 2016–17 | 7 | 1st | Finalists |
| Cardiff | 2018–19 | 5 | 9th | (Did not Qualify for Playoffs) |
| Swansea | 2019–20 | 4 | 10th | (Won Relegation Playoffs) |
| Nottingham | 2022–23 | 2 | 7th | Quarter-Finals |
† Defending National Champions
* Defending League Champions
# Challenge Shield Holders at start of Season
The league table for 2025-26 is as follows: [3]
| Pos | Team | Pts | PF | PA | PD | W | L | D | BP | Pld | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bath (#) | 45 | 467 | 270 | +197 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 11 |
|
| 2 | Loughborough | 45 | 418 | 376 | +42 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 11 | |
| 3 | Exeter | 43 | 436 | 308 | +128 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 11 | |
| 4 | Nottingham | 35 | 331 | 336 | -5 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 11 | |
| 5 | Durham | 29 | 263 | 288 | -25 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 10 | |
| 6 | Cardiff Met | 28 | 278 | 281 | -3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 11 | |
| 7 | Leeds Becket | 27 | 245 | 310 | -65 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 11 | |
| 8 | Hartpury | 26 | 307 | 361 | -54 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 11 | |
| 9 | Cardiff | 20 | 274 | 391 | -117 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 10 | |
| 10 | Swansea | 13 | 220 | 405 | -185 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 11 | Relegation to Premier North 1 or Premier South 1 |
# Current Challenge Shield Holders