Historic Season for Saints Rugby

The Men’s Rugby 1st XV capped off their historic season in emphatic style, clinching the BUCS Trophy with a 23-15 win over Loughborough (“Luff-buh-ruh” for the avoidance of doubt). The final was part of the national BUCS “Big Wednesday” event, which also saw the women’s football team claim the title.

Try-scorers James Murray and Angus Mather were instrumental in a hard-fought victory against the Loughborough 3rd XV. The clinical boot of the “ice man” Chris Schreuder proved decisive, as it has in many first team encounters.

“They had the home advantage, which made it even tougher,” first team hooker Archie McCusker tells The Saint. “The club’s never won a national trophy before, so to end our season in that fashion was pretty special.”

The road to the final was anything but straightforward. The Saints had to negotiate a tough cup run that included a long-awaited victory over Manchester Metropolitan.

“They’re our bitter rivals,” McCusker emphasises. “For some of the lads, this was their eighth time playing them and they’d never won before.”

Man Met are not the only Manchester-based outfit to fall short this season…

Winning has become a habit for the Men’s 1st XV; it’s been a season of silverware after their victory in the Varsity match against Edinburgh last September.

“You put in six, seven weeks of prep just for that one game,” McCusker recounts. “To win it was immensely rewarding.”

Anyone who was in and around Why Not nightclub in Edinburgh on the night of 23 September or indeed the morning of 24 September 2024 can attest to just how rewarding a victory that was.

The Saints also notched up a third-place finish in the highly competitive Men’s Premier 2 North.

Much of the success has been down to the on-field leadership of senior players, notably skipper Fergus Cato, a fourth-year Maths and Economics student.  

“Fergus has been terrific,” McCusker adds. “The way he sets the standard with his physicality and all-round work ethic is exemplary.”

It wasn’t just the Saints veterans leading the charge. First-year David Brown made an instant impact, highlighting the strength of the club’s development system. “We’ve got a great crop of younger lads coming through,” McCusker notes. “Credit has got to go to David Morris, our coach, who has instilled a great culture and performance level that has played a huge role in our success.”

Saints rugby have been equally active off the pitch. In November, they raised over £20,000 as part of Movember, the nationwide campaign to raise awareness for men’s mental health. The club’s fundraising efforts culminated in the much-anticipated Mo Ball, a highlight of the year for many an egg-chaser.

With the help of University Chaplain, Reverend Samantha Ferguson, the club set up a peer support group, meaning players now have anonymous access to a trained support network.

The St Andrews 7s tournament is the final date in the university rugby calendar. Taking place on Saturday 26 April, this year marks the 55th anniversary of the largest student-run event of its kind. 

“It’s always a great day out. I think there’s a BrewCo beer stand again.” As well as a talented rugby player, McCusker — or “Robo” as he’s known in the rugby club — is an astute salesman.

Image by Sandy Coul