Senior Men’s Rugby Union Academy – Bishop Burton College

The Bishop Burton College Men’s Rugby Union Academy competes in BUCS rugby and has been established for over a decade. During this time, the academy has achieved multiple promotions, including three seasons competing in Premier North 1.

The team currently competes in BUCS Northern Tier 1, facing regular competition from universities such as Liverpool, Durham and Northumbria. This provides student-athletes with experience of high-level, competitive university rugby alongside their studies.

The academy is designed for students who want to combine academic study with a structured rugby performance programme, supported by professional coaching and regular competitive match play.

The Men’s Rugby Union Academy has achieved sustained success within BUCS rugby, including successive promotions between 2009 and 2015 and winning the BUCS Rugby Union Trophy in 2016. A number of former students have progressed into professional and international rugby, demonstrating clear pathways beyond college and university study.

Rugby training

Players are supported through a high-quality rugby performance programme that is balanced with their academic commitments.

In a typical week, academy players receive:

• Three on-field training sessions, focusing on individual, unit and team skill development
• Three strength and conditioning sessions, delivered by experienced performance staff
• Full-time medical support
• Video analysis to support technical and tactical understanding
• Team meetings
• Additional one-to-one sessions to develop game knowledge and individual performance

Medical Support

Players across all academy teams have access to dedicated medical and performance support both on and off the pitch. The medical team includes graduate sport rehabilitators, sports therapists and a dedicated strength and conditioning coach who works with players in the gym.

The medical team has experience across professional, semi-professional and amateur sport. Players receive individualised assessment, tailored rehabilitation plans and ongoing support to help them recover from injury and return to play safely.

The academy uses advanced equipment to support treatment, rehabilitation and performance monitoring, including:

• Game Ready Pro 2.0, which uses cold therapy and compression to help reduce swelling following injury

• ActivForce 2, which provides live feedback on force production during movement to support return-to-play decisions

• VALD force plates, which measure force output to help adjust rehabilitation programmes and assess readiness to return

• Blood-flow restriction cuffs, which allow players to train at reduced load while still achieving strength gains, supporting recovery and reducing the risk of further injury

All medical staff are registered with their governing bodies, including BASRaT or SST, and hold current pre-hospital trauma qualifications. This ensures players receive a high standard of medical care during training and competition.

Scholarships

Sports scholarships may be available to support eligible players within the Men’s Rugby Union Academy. Scholarships are designed to help students balance their academic studies with rugby training and competition.

Availability and criteria vary. Students are encouraged to discuss scholarship opportunities as part of the application process.

Entry requirements

All players must first be accepted onto a course at University Centre Bishop Burton before being considered for the Men’s Rugby Union Academy.

Partnered with England Rugby

Bishop Burton College is a recognised partner of England Rugby and one of only eight colleges in the UK selected for this role. As a flagship college, Bishop Burton upholds a safe, inclusive and player-centred approach across its rugby programmes.

The college uses RFU RugbySafe coach and match official training programmes to upskill players and coaches, ensuring best practice is followed in training and competition. This partnership supports the creation of a safe, supportive and enjoyable rugby environment.

Player development sits at the heart of the rugby programme, with a strong focus on supporting young people throughout their college journey. Rugby is used as a vehicle to develop positive behaviours, leadership skills and personal responsibility both on and off the field.