The third round of the 2021 ACE League took place on Wednesday afternoon and it yielded some unbelievable games of rugby.

In general the Northern Conference went according to early form, but in the Southern Conference the entire table was blasted apart in yet another week of incredible, topsy-turvy, fixtures with more than one game decided by just a handful of points. It was a day for the away sides too, just one home team claimed victory across the six games this week.

Northern Conference

Gosforth Academy extended their unbeaten start to the season, doing so with a third bonus points victory from their three games as they beat Oaklands College 31-17 away from home. It leaves Gosforth top of the conference heading into next week’s mid point in this first phase of games, where they will have a bye.

In second place, just behind Gosforth, are Bishop Burton College, who have also won three from three – the only other side in the conference to do so. They travelled to Stourport High School on Wednesday and the Worcester Warriors affiliates gave a good account of themselves, keeping touch with the Yorkshiremen who eventually secured a 17-10 victory.

City of Oxford College claimed their first ACE victory of the season on Wednesday in a stunning performance away at Myerscough College, sealing a brilliant 38-7 victory to send them soaring to third place and completing a clean sweep for the away sides in the north.

Brooksby Melton College had a bye this week, but took on former ACE side Henley College, who are now linked with Ealing Trailfinders. Brooksby were much changed, but in any event a 64-0 triumph from Henley College will have put the whole league on high alert, and it surely can’t be long before Ealing have a side this ACE competition.

Southern Conference

It was a madcap day in the Southern Conference with games going right down to the wire, and by the end of it only the side with a bye, Hartpury College, were left unbeaten in the standings.

Exeter College started the afternoon unbeaten and looking strong. They faced fellow Exeter Chiefs ACE side Truro College, which always ensures a healthy battle on the field. So it proved, with Truro absolutely bouncing after last week’s victory over Bishop Wand, creating a game that could easily have gone either way, with Truro edging it 35-31 to close to within two points of Exeter in the table, with Exeter in second, a point ahead of Hartpury and level with Bishop Wand.

Things were even closer in the big West Country derby between Bath’s Beechen Cliff and Bristol Bears’ SGS Filton College. Beechen Cliff were finalists in 2019 but that did not phase the visitors as the two went absolutely toe to toe in a classic game of ACE rugby, with the results just swinging to the away side, Filton taking it 29-28, leaving Beechen Cliff still in search of a first victory.

It was all left then to Bishop Wand to seek out the only home win of the day as they hosted fellow new entrants Gordon’s to London Irish’s Hazelwood training complex. The Exiles were in absolutely rocking form as they charged to a 33-5 victory, a victory that send them right to the very top of the conference as they brace for that toughest of challenges next week, a trip to Hartpury College.

Coming Up

With the top 4 in the Southern Conference separated by just two points, next week should be big. As mentioned, unbeaten Hartpury host table toppers Bishop Wand, meanwhile Exeter College head to Gordon’s and Truro College host Beechen Cliff, with SGS Filton College enjoying their bye week.

In the North, Bishop Burton College have a chance to go top when they host Oaklands College, with Gosforth having a week off. Meanwhile chasing City of Oxford College and Brooksby Melton College are at home to Stourport High and Myerscough College respectively.

If you have any photos, video, reports, or any other content from the week’s ACE rugby then please do send it in via our social media channels or admin@nextgenxv.com and if you are interested in us live streaming one of your games or an event then please do get in touch!

ACE League Standings After Round 3:

North:

ACE League Round 3 Results (22^nd Sept)

North

Myerscough College 7-38 City of Oxford College

Oaklands College 17-31 Gosforth Academy

Stourport High 10-17 Bishop Burton College

Brooksby Melton College v Bye

South

Beechen Cliff 28-29 SGS Filton College

Exeter College 31-35 Truro College

Bishop Wand 33-5 Gordon’s

Hartpury College v Bye

Round 2 Results:

North

Bishop Burton College 31-17 Myerscough College

City of Oxford College 26-29 Brooksby Melton College

Gosforth Academy 22-8 Stourport High

Oaklands College v Bye

South

Gordon’s 0-38 Hartpury College

SGS Filton College 15-24 Exeter College

Truro College 22-21 Bishop Wand

Beechen Cliff v Bye

Round 1 Results:

North

Brooksby Melton College 29-33 Bishop Burton College

Myerscough College 19-22 Gosforth Academy

Stourport High 33-29 Oaklands College

City of Oxford College v Bye

South

Exeter College 24-7 Beechen Cliff

Hartpury College 54-12 Truro College

Bishop Wand 26-17 SGS Filton College

Gordon’s v Bye

Further ACE League Fixtures:

Round 4 (29^th Sept)

North

Bishop Burton College v Oaklands College

Brooksby Melton College v Myerscough College

City of Oxford College v Stourport High

Gosforth Academy v Bye

South

Gordon’s v Exeter College

Hartpury College v Bishop Wand

Truro College v Beechen Cliff

SGS Filton College v Bye

Round 5 (6^th Oct)

North

Gosforth Academy v Bishop Burton College

Oaklands College v City of Oxford College

Stourport High v Brooksby Melton College

Myerscough College v Bye

South

Beechen Cliff v Gordon’s

Exeter College v Hartpury College

SGS Filton College v Truro College

Bishop Wand v Bye

Round 6 (13^th Oct)

North

Brooksby Melton College v Oaklands College

City of Oxford College v Gosforth Academy

Myerscough College v Stourport High

Bishop Burton College v Bye

South

Gordon’s v SGS Filton College

Hartpury College v Beechen Cliff

Bishop Wand v Exeter College

Truro College v Bye

Round 7 (20^th Oct)

North

Bishop Burton College v City of Oxford College

Gosforth Academy v Brooksby Melton College

Oaklands College v Myerscough College

Stourport High v Bye

South

Beechen Cliff v Bishop Wand

SGS Filton College v Hartpury College

Truro College v Gordon’s

Exeter College v Bye