URN

Simon Hopkins and Paul Moran ahead of the 20/02/12 Varsity Ice Hockey fixture, in aid of CP Sport

The showcase event of the Varsity calendar is back.

Two teams that know each other’s every strength and weakness.
Two teams containing current and former professional players.
A 7,000 sell-out at the National Ice Centre.

These are just three of the reasons why Ice Hockey Varsity is the success story it is. Even so, the idea of the event was initially unpopular with Varsity organisers. URN caught up with Simon Hopkins - an ex-Uni player, GB and current Uni Head Coach - who since coming up the idea of the Varsity fixture, has seen the occasion grow from year to year.

Hopkins is predicting a tight encounter between Uni and Trent, who go into the tie as slight favourites on paper after winning the game last year 4-2, and believes that the goaltenders will play a decisive role in the grudge-match.

Paul Moran, ex-pro for Nottingham and GB, and current Trent favourite, also thinks that the defence and men between the posts will ultimately decide the important details of the game…by how much Trent will defeat Uni. He predicts a Trent victory by 3 or 4 goals to 1, and that would only be on a night with good goalkeeping displays.

• Backfield: The group of offensive players the running backs and quarterback who line up behind the offensive line

• Down: A period of action that starts when the ball is put into play and ends when the ball is ruled dead (meaning the play is completed). The offense gets four downs to advance the ball 10 yards. If it fails to do so, it must surrender the ball to the opponent, usually by punting on the fourth down.

• Drive: The series of plays when the offense has the football, until it punts or scores and the other team gets possession of the ball.

• End zone: A 10-yard-long area at each end of the field. You score a touchdown when you enter the end zone in control of the football. If you're tackled in your own end zone while in possession of the football, the other team gets a safety (2 points).

• Extra point: A kick, worth one point, that's typically attempted after every touchdown. The ball is placed on either the 2-yard line and is generally kicked from inside the 10-yard line after being snapped to the holder. It must go between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goalpost to be considered good.

This Superbowl weekend also sees the 3-2 Nottingham Outlaws and the 2-2 Nottingham Trent Renegades in action in the American Football Varsity fixture. The Outlaws go into the game off the back of two victories and didn’t give up any points on their last outing against the DMU Leicester Falcons. They have recovered well from two loses against Birmingham and Loughborough, two of the best teams in the BUAFL Midland Athletic Conference and are now looking to push for a playoff berth.

This should be a hotly contested affair, last season’s fixture ended in a 6-0 victory for the Renegades and the Outlaws are looking for revenge; team captain and defensive lineman Declan Foley feels the game last year was fiercely contested with the Renegades lucky to snatch the game.

Time will tell whether this season will be different.

Tuesday night sees the return of Nottingham’s Varsity Series between Uni and Trent, with the opening ceremony taking the form of a Darts match between the two universities at Rock City. Proceeds go to CP Sport, a local charity situated in the Nottingham Science Park.

With tickets being snapped up almost immediately, URN went to the Boat Inn in Lenton, home of the University of Nottingham Darts Society, to see how preparations have been shaping up ahead of this hotly-anticipated showdown.

URN caught up with club president Josh Hole, to get his thoughts ahead of the first ever Darts Varsity fixture.

The team appeared in high spirits ahead of their pending encounter with Trent, and were happy to share with us some of their darting highs and lows, as well as their own personal messages and promises for the Trent team. Here’s what Josh cared to divulge.

Despite the opening ceremony not awarding any official Varsity points to the victors, the hype surrounding the night has been electric. Despite remaining tight-lipped when asked for specifics, Josh was still able to give us a sneak preview of what will be getting the crowd on their feet come Tuesday night.