The fixtures for 2018’s Nottingham Varsity Series have been confirmed, and the University of Nottingham will begin the defence of their 2017 crown on home turf, as the city rivalry with Nottingham Trent University gets underway with Super Wednesday at DRSV (David Ross Sports Village) on the 25th April.
Once again the series will see two Super Wednesdays take place, with NTU hosting the second one on the 2nd May. Super Wednesdays see a number of sports pooled together into one event, where the two universities will compete for one series point awarded to the institution that claims most victories across the individual sports on the day. The Green and Gold will hope for similar displays to 2017, where they swept NTU aside with a 10-0 whitewash in the Super Wednesday at DRSV.
CONFIRMED: The Fixtures for #NottsVarsity18 – @UoNSport start their defence of the #Varsity crown on home turf as the series kicks-off with Super Wednesday 1 at DRSV on 25th April #GreenandGold #NottsVarsity pic.twitter.com/yvnv9BXMLw
— Impact Sport (@ImpactSport) February 26, 2018
Information and ticket links to each event can be found here.
The entire series was won by UoN by 12 points to 9, seeing them claim the city bragging rights for a sixth year running. Expectations are high once again, but UoN will have to recover from 2017’s loss in Ice Hockey should they want to create an early two-point gap in the series this time around. 2018’s second event sees the two universities clash on the Motorpoint Arena ice.
NTU made their nine victories in 2017 somewhat meaningful, with five coming through wins in Football (M+W), Ice Hockey, American Football and Men’s Basketball, generally considered the ‘bigger’ events.
The two Ice Hockey contingents stem from the Nottingham Mavericks Ice Hockey Club, and NTU players set an early forecast for how the Varsity event could pan out when they defeated UoN players at the Motorpoint Arena in the Battle of Notts.
“With new coach Mindaugas Janiska in charge, the Men’s [Basketball] outfit will hope to carry their superb league form into what would be an emphatic Varsity win
The Motorpoint Arena will be packed out with around 7,000 fans again when it hosts another highlight event of the series, with Basketball on 11th May. UoN did manage to claim victory in the Women’s event last year, getting past NTU with a 62-56 win. With new coach Mindaugas Janiska in charge, the Men’s outfit will hope to carry their superb league form into what would be an emphatic Varsity win.
On the 30th April, Thai Boxing will become an individual event for the first time ever. Trent won last year’s Super Wednesday match 3-5.
Entry is free for the Varsity Cricket on the 3rd May. NTU won by 100 runs last time out, but that was in 2016 as last year’s event was abandoned due to poor weather.
Another previous Super Wednesday event to become a standalone contest is Squash. The Green and Gold claimed a 4-0 victory last year and will be eager to impress once again on their new playing surfaces at DRSV.
7th May sees the two Rugby events pooled into one day. Trent drew first blood in last year’s series when they claimed a narrow 22-18 victory in Rugby League before the Women’s Rugby Union team clinched the series for UoN with a 21-7 victory at Lady Bay.
Lacrosse, Hockey and American Football comprise another intense day of Varsity action when the three events take place on the 9th of May. UoN Women’s Lacrosse recorded an eye-catching 21-0 victory last year.
Following the basketball, the series will draw to a close on 13th May with Netball and Futsal – both at DRSV.
Impact will be bringing the Green and Gold faithful all the updates as they happen, as well as for every Varsity event.
Stayed tuned on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Full Confirmation of Fixtures
Super Wednesday 1: 25 April
Ice Hockey: 27 April
Thai Boxing: 30 April
Super Weds: 2 – 2 May
Cricket: 3 May
Squash: 4 May
Rugby 7: May
Lacrosse: 9 May
Hockey 9: May
American Football: 9 May
Basketball: 11 May
Netball: 13 May
Futsal: 13 May
Tom Monks
Images: Notts Varsity Series
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