**Thursday 30 May 2024 10:00 am**
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Rugby player development in the United Kingdom is heavily skewed towards the academies of existing clubs, where resources play a crucial role in nurturing talent. However, England international Alex Dombrandt, Tom Pearson, Wales captain Dafydd Jenkins, and Luke Northmore share a common thread: BUCS rugby.
While not on par with American College Football, BUCS represents university rugby and serves as a talent pool for senior clubs to scout from. Next week, GB Sevens scouts will converge on London for the Rosslyn Park University Sevens, armed with five golden tickets to award to standout players (tickets available here).
Joe Byrnes, sports commentator and former London Irish stadium announcer, explains that GB Sevens is committed to selecting five to seven players from the tournament to join the Rugby Europe circuit for GB this summer. These players have a shot at becoming full-time GB Sevens athletes.
“GB has committed to selecting five to seven players from the tournament to cap in Rugby Europe for GB this summer,” Byrnes tells City A.M. “This reflects their commitment to university rugby and the tournament, with the potential for this event to become the GB selector in future years.”
While this year’s selected players won’t compete in the Olympics due to the seasoned players on the World Series, there’s potential for them to be part of the LA 2028 Olympics. Spending Friday night at a traditional rugby club, watching future stars on the eve of the Premiership final, sounds like a perfect plan.
Rosslyn Park: the BUCS Epicentre
London has recently lost its hosting rights for the World Series, with this weekend’s finals moved to Madrid. However, next Friday will see DJs playing and alumni encouraged to join in a festival of BUCS university rugby.
Joe Byrnes adds, “We aim to create a high-quality tournament that offers students opportunities to GB. The universities, including BUCS teams Hartpury, Exeter, and Durham, will all be in one place for one night, an opportunity we rarely get. I want everyone to see how awesome uni rugby is and have a great time with a blend of fierce rivalries and loud cheering.”
Spending next Friday night in a traditional rugby club, watching future stars on the eve of the Premiership final, is an opportunity not to be missed.
