Southampton storm the South
The South’s bragging rights are up for grabs this weekend when Southampton Stags, the combined student American Football team from the University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University, go head to head with the Portsmouth Destroyers.
They will be hoping for a repeat of last season’s emphatic 79-0 victory over Portsmouth to complete an unbeaten season in style and maintain their number one national position.
The Stags retained their British Universities American Football League Southern Division title at the weekend with an 87- 6 win over an outmanned and overmatched Surrey Stingers.
Graham Thorpe, Head Coach of the Stags, comments:
‘The Stags 100 per cent winning record is a testament to the hard work and dedication shown by the players, coaches and support staff. It’s an exiting time to be a member of the Stags and this year’s team has all the right attributes to emulate our College Bowl success of 2006. Our preparations have gone well this week and we remain confident that this weekend’s game with Portsmouth will help to further cement our place as the nations number one student football programme.’
Southampton Stags are celebrating two decades of college football this season and are aiming to mark the anniversary with the National Championship.
Southern Division Champions for the past three years, the Stags were last crowned national college champions in 2006 when they crushed the Teeside Cougars, from the University of Teeside, by a record 79-8 to win College Bowl XX.
Southampton Stags host the Portsmouth Destroyers for their final home game of the 2007-2008 regular season, on Saturday 16 February at Wide Lane sports ground, Eastleigh (opposite Parkway station). Kick-off is scheduled for 4pm.