Sport & Physical Activity Education & Young People
2026 Free
British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) (Rugby League)

BUCS Rugby League Impact Report 2025-26 Season

British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) is the national governing body for higher education sport in the UK. Produced with the Rugby Football League, this report looks back over the four seasons from 2022-23 to 2025-26, during which the number of women playing BUCS rugby league rose by 63%.

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About

Working with the Rugby Football League, BUCS runs rugby league competitions for university students across the UK. Men's teams compete in the National League, introduced in 2023-24, the Premier League North and South and the Trophy 9s, while the women's game has grown through the Winter League, Women's 9s tournaments and a Women's Development Day. A Development Fund helps university clubs grow, and taster sessions and digital promotion bring new players into the sport, many of whom have never played rugby league before.

Key Metrics

Key Metric 1 Male players in BUCS rugby league rose from 1,300 in 2022-23 to 1,500 in 2025-26, a 15% increase.
Key Metric 2 Female players rose from 120 in 2022-23 to 200 in 2025-26, a 63% increase, and Women's 9s grew from one tournament with 9 teams to two tournaments with 20 teams.
Key Metric 3 The fixture completion rate improved from 84% in 2022-23 to 87% in 2025-26, and the Development Fund supported 15 successful applications with £4,317 spent over two years.

Key Outcomes

  • 54% of participants had no previous rugby league experience, showing the programme is bringing new players into the sport.
  • 76% of participants intended to continue playing rugby league.
  • Abi, a Northumbria student, switched from hockey to rugby league through university sport and now plays in a community setting.

Geography

UK-Wide

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