The 2019 AASE season kicks off on Wednesday, thirteen other teams all looking to wrestle the title away from the grip of reigning champions Hartpury College.
Once again the league is split into two groups, North and South, with seven sides in each. The sides will play the other teams in their conference once, meaning each week one side in each conference has a bye, before the conferences split in mid-October.
Thirteen sides remain from last year, but there is one change. Henley College in the south are replaced by City of Oxford College. The new boys have a huge challenge first up as they travel to Hartpury College on Wednesday afternoon.
The only side ever to have prevented Hartpury from winning the title are Exeter College, back in 2017, and they are also at home in the opening round as they host Bristol’s SGS Filton College. St Paul’s Catholic College host Truro College in the last of the Southern Conference opening round ties, with last year’s losing finalists, Beechen Cliff, having a bye.
Stourport High School enter their second AASE season this year, and if the example of new entrants of years gone by is anything to go by, Exeter College and Beechen Cliff for example, then they are a side to keep an eye on.
Their campaign in the Northern Conference begins with a home tie against Northampton Saints’ Moulton College.
Saracens’ affiliates Oaklands College also kick off at home, they welcome a Bishop Burton College side that were on the rise last year and will be hoping for more of that same improvement this.
Meanwhile Leicester Tigers’ Brooksby Melton College will travel to Myerscough College, with arguably the most exciting team of the fourteen over the last few years, Gosforth Academy, kicking the season off with a bye.
Overall it promises to be an exciting AASE season, the challenge will be on for sides to close the gap on Hartpury but the likes of Exeter College and Beechen Cliff have done so in recent times. Keep an eye out for Round 5 in the South on the 2nd October when Beechen Cliff host Hartpury College in a repeat of last year’s final.
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AASE North Group:
Bishop Burton College, Brooksby Melton College, Gosforth Academy, Moulton College, Myerscough College, Oaklands College, Stourport High School.
AASE South Group:
Beechen Cliff, City of Oxford College, Exeter College, Hartpury College, SGS Filton College, St Paul’s Catholic College, Truro College
North Fixtures: (South Fixtures Below)
Round 1 (4th September)
Myerscough College v Brooksby Melton College
Oaklands College v Bishop Burton College
Stourport HS v Moulton College
Bye: Gosforth Academy
Round 2 (11th September)
Bishop Burton College v Gosforth Academy
Brooksby Melton College v Stourport HS
Moulton College v Oaklands College
Bye: Myerscough College
Round 3 (18th September)
Gosforth Academy v Moulton College
Oaklands College v Brooksby Melton College
Stourport HS v Myerscough College
Bye: Bishop Burton College
Round 4 (25th September)
Brooksby Melton College v Gosforth Academy
Moulton College v Bishop Burton College
Myerscough College v Oaklands College
Bye: Stourport HS
Round 5 (2nd October)
Bishop Burton College v Brooksby Melton College
Gosforth Academy v Myerscough College
Oaklands College v Stourport HS
Bye: Moulton College
Round 6 (9th October)
Brooksby Melton College v Moulton College
Myerscough College v Bishop Burton College
Stourport HS v Gosforth Academy
Bye: Oaklands College
Round 7 (16th October)
Bishop Burton College v Stourport HS
Gosforth Academy v Oaklands College
Moulton College v Myerscough College
Bye: Brooksby Melton College
South Fixtures:
Round 1 (4th September)
Exeter College v SGS Filton College
Hartpury College v City of Oxford College
St Paul’s Catholic College v Truro College
Bye: Beechen Cliff
Round 2 (11th September)
City of Oxford College v St Paul’s Catholic College
SGS Filton College v Beechen Cliff
Truro College v Exeter College
Bye: Hartpury College
Round 3 (18th September)
Beechen Cliff v Truro College
Exeter College v City of Oxford College
St Paul’s Catholic College v Hartpury College
Bye: SGS Filton College
Round 4 (25th September)
City of Oxford College v Beechen Cliff
Hartpury College v Exeter College
Truro College v SGS Filton College
Bye: St Paul’s Catholic College
Round 5 (2nd October)
Beechen Cliff v Hartpury College
Exeter College v St Paul’s Catholic College
SGS Filton College v City of Oxford College
Bye: Truro College
Round 6 (9th October)
City of Oxford College v Truro College
Hartpury College v SGS Filton College
St Paul’s Catholic College v Beechen Cliff
Bye: Exeter College
Round 7 (16th October)
Beechen Cliff v Exeter College
SGS Filton College v St Paul’s Catholic College
Truro College v Hartpury College
Bye: City of Oxford College
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