URN

This Tuesday sees the return of the Charity Varsity series at Notts County’s Meadow Lane. Uni lead the series 6-4 going into Tuesday and have the opportunity to really take control with only 5 events left.
Last season saw a great defensive effort and intelligent offense in the Trent half give Uni an 18-7 victory, but that was last year and Uni won’t be able to rely on the boot of ‘Man of the Match’ David Heads this year.

The teams have had polar opposite seasons, with Trent unable to record a victory resulting in relegation from the higher tier, and Uni having a storming second half of the season which has seen them gain promotion. But this is Varsity. All regular season form tends to go out the window. Add this to the excitement of playing at Meadow lane in front of 5,000 spectators, and all bets are off.

Trent have an extremely physical side, and definitely size in their favour in the forwards and backs. Explosive centre Romey Vassel is back from a year abroad and after single-handedly bossing the 2010 Varsity. Uni will have to stop him if they’re to have any chance of winning this. Then there is the rest of the team who, whilst they haven’t won this season, have been playing against the best university rugby players in the country all season.

So another year, another Women’s Varsity. This year an all-conquering Uni side (our very own Team of the Year) prepares itself to face their Trent rivals in another monster tie. Uni have spent their entire season building up to this, tearing through all but one of the teams they have faced, amassing over 400 points on their way to promotion and topping their BUCS group. They have met Trent twice this season and the current score is 1-1: Varsity is the tiebreaker!

Working off the back of their small, highly mobile and offload-happy pack, Uni have not just beaten their opposition, they have dismantled them. Their potent backline, led by long-standing and free scoring fly half Izzy Joris, has posted one cricket score after another. Their crowning moment coming after 24 minutes against Anglia Ruskin, when the referee stopped play after Uni posted 74 points in that time!

Men's Lacrosse entered the varsity frame with a pulsating match, with 27 goals, some hard hitting crunches and an enthralling late comeback.

Those who were sceptical about the sport's credentials to be involved in the charity varsity series were left with egg on their faces, as both Uni's played what was said to be "the best lacrosse match ever played" by the Uni coach.

The match began with Trent taking a three point lead early in the first 5 minutes due their quick offensive passing. Many in the crowd were learning the trade of Lacrosse as the match was taking place, but were quickly impressed with the swift interplay between the Trent front 3.

Uni managed to claw 2 back more points but sloppy defensive play late in the 1st and early in the 2nd quarter's saw them fall further behind 7-3.

Another surging comeback from Uni, a common theme throughout the match, meant they only held a 2 point deficit going into half time, losing 8-6.

Uni after the break seemed to have learnt their lesson, levelling the game 8-8 with one stunning break on the counter and a speculative 20 yard strike.

With just hours to go before Uni 2nds take on Trent at Clifton Campus we've been given an exclusive preview of the players representing Uni today:

Mark Furmston AKA Furmo Dynamics (Forward)
Our starting forward, Furmo, models himself on Liam Gallagher and would rather be singing to the crowd than playing basketball. He will belt out songs at any opportunity so if he approaches you with a guitar in his hands you know to put your fingers in your ears and run. He is known for his consistent fade away jump shot and certainly knows his way around a ring. Expect to see him penetrating at any opportunity.

Marc Waldorf AKA Question Marc (Centre)
Known as question Marc because of his inexplicable confusion at the simplest of tasks, Marc is by far the biggest player on the team, a monster inside the key. This Austrian giant will steal many offensive rebounds and your hearts. Though he commits a lot of his time to the club, he prefers spray tanning, flowery shorts and wake-boarding.

Jack Davison (Forward) AKA El Presidente AKA Captain Jack

An in form Nottingham Uni. team are set to face near demoted Trent this coming Wednesday afternoon at Trent's Clifton Campus in what can only be described as one of the biggest fixtures in the Netball calendar.

After last year’s narrow win by a single point and a loss to Trent the year before, this new look Uni team will be looking to put their demons to bed and put in a performance to really prove that the balance of power in Nottingham netball is shifting. Following an impressive run of form in the Midlands 2A league (9 wins and only 1 loss since November), the Nottingham Uni. Netball team are looking to complete "the triple" this season, crowning a title and cup winning campaign with a victory over Nottingham Trent in this year's Varsity Series.

After a demotion from the top league last season, you’d think they would relish the lack of pressure associated with their underdog status. Not so it seemed, with the girls aware of what was at stake and the pressure on them not only to perform but to overturn Nottingham Trent on their own turf. Being in separate divisions has its advantages; with Trent having very little time to study Uni’s playing style meaning this new look side will be able to play their game and hopefully reap the benefits.