Newcastle University

The weather has turned decidedly wet and with it the focus returns to the rugby field with the new Intra Mural Rugby season fast approaching.

A re-organisation in the playing structure at the University means IM rugby fixtures will be played on Saturday afternoons from this season onwards.

Despite this change 10 teams have registered to battle it out this year, with league matches commencing on Saturday 20 October.  It will be a relentlessly tough programme for all teams with 9 consecutive league fixtures before the Christmas break.  Certainly clubs with smaller playing squads will find it very demanding as the season progresses.

Last year’s league programme threw up plenty of surprises with plenty of evenly contested fixtures and it is hard to envisage this season being much different.

Armstrong, the defending league and cup champions begin their league campaign against Engines at Close House.  While the pick of the fixtures on match day 1 will see the 2010/11 double winners Titans play last season’s cup finalists Agrics 1 at Cochrane Park.

Law Blacks have re-joined the league after an absence of 3 years and it will be the first season for the newly formed BioSci Falcons.

All teams are understandably excited as the countdown clock ticks closer and closer to when the action gets back underway for the 2012/13 Intra Mural rugby season.