The RFU ACE Boys League begins this Wednesday and it is a new dawn for the competition with two sides added to the competition to make it a sixteen team league.
Moulton College and Newman College are the two new entrants, Moulton College are partnered with Northampton Saints while Newman College are affiliated with Harlequins. As part of the new PGP all Gallagher Premiership clubs must have at least two state school/college partnerships.
Moulton College join the North Group alongside stalwarts Bishop Burton College, Brooksby Melton College, City of Oxford College, Gosforth Academy, Myerscough College, Oaklands College, and Stourport High School.
Newman College meanwhile join the South Group, where they will be alongside Beechen Cliff, Bishop Wand, Exeter College, Gordon’s, Hartpury College, SGS College, and Truro College.
Of course, the challenge for all is to see if anyone can stop the Hartpury College juggernaut this year. Last year Gordon’s beat Hartpury in the group stages, but the Gloucestershire side still went on to lift the title. Only twice since this competition began in 2008 have Hartpury failed to do so. The challenge for the 15 other competitors is immense, yet one that all will relish.
2024 also sees the introduction of a 10-team RFU ACE Girls League, which begins next week and will be previewed elsewhere.
The Boys league, despite the expansion, will follow a similar format to previous years. Each side will play every other side in their Group once through September and October. Then, in November, the league becomes national, with the top half facing off against counterparts from the other groups for their play-off placings, which take place in December. Likewise the bottom half.
ACE League Groups
North Group
Bishop Burton College
Brooksby Melton College
City of Oxford College
Gosforth Academy
Moulton College
Myerscough College
Oaklands College
Stourport High School
South Group
Beechen Cliff
Bishop Wand
Exeter College
Gordon’s
Hartpury College
Newman College
SGS College
Truro College
Round 1 ACE Boys League Fixtures
Wednesday 11th September
North
Bishop Burton College v Oaklands College
Brooksby Melton College v Stourport High
Gosforth Academy v Moulton College
Myerscough College v City of Oxford College
Life in the ACE League begins with a long away trip for Moulton College as they head up to a Gosforth Academy side famed for their free-running style of play and that finished 6th last year. It’s a tricky test but one that they will doubtless be relishing.
City of Oxford College were the side to beat Gosforth in that 5th place game last year, they begin away from home at Myerscough College, who finished bottom of the pile last year after a tricky couple of seasons. Myerscough are going to be determined to start this season with a bang and to turn around those fortunes, so City of Oxford, who had a number of players earn professional contracts last year, will have to be at their best.
Brooksby Melton College and Stourport High School last met in the 7th place play off last year, Brooksby winning 49-5. At home and after a good pre-season, Brooksby will be keen to repeat the trick, but Stourport will arrive with a fresh sense of vigour, under the new PGP they now sit within the Gloucester catchment area, and given how well Gloucester have worked with Hartpury, it would be no surprise to see Stourport also flourish.
The Yorkshire Academy was protected in the new PGP and Bishop Burton College are key to that Yorkshire Academy. They kick off at home against Saracens’ Oaklands College. The two had tough campaigns last year, Bishop Burton finishing 10th and Oaklands 12th, so both will be eager to begin this season with a strong performance.
South
Beechen Cliff v Hartpury College
Bishop Wand v Truro College
Exeter College v SGS College
Gordon’s v Newman College
Newman College’s ACE League debut is a massive one as they travel to fellow Harlequins affiliates Gordon’s, who had their best ever campaign last year, finishing third overall and being the only side to defeat Hartpury College. It is a huge challenge then for Newman College, but they will fancy it, their performances across all competitions last year were superb, and they will feel ready for ACE life. Gordon’s meanwhile, having sampled the upper echelons of the year last season, will want more and a good start will be key.
Champions Hartpury College have a tricky start to the season, a testing away trip to Bath affiliates Beechen Cliff, who finished 4th last year and have consistently been in that top four in the last few years. Both will want fast starts and good performances, for Beechen Cliff an early positive result against Hartpury College would set them up brilliantly, Hartpury meanwhile have the pressure of being champions and the expectation that their record demands, yet that is nothing new, they will be ready.
Truro College went all the way to the final last year, their best season in a long time, and they would love to go one better this year. They start with a trip to Bishop Wand, who had a tricky season last year, finishing 13th, though they showed their class in their final game by scoring 86 points. After the turmoil of affiliate club London Irish going bust last year, Bishop Wand will feel more settled now and be eager to rise up, Truro meanwhile will want to carry their momentum over.
Truro’s fellow Exeter Chiefs affiliates, Exeter College will host Bristol’s SGS College on Wednesday. Neither had quite the season they were looking for last year, but both have real history in this competition and have strong squads this year. A big performance on this opening week could set them up for the season and challenges ahead.
Further ACE Boys League Fixtures
Wednesday 18th September
North
Bishop Burton College v Brooksby Melton College
Gosforth Academy v Myerscough College
Oaklands College v Moulton College
Stourport High v City of Oxford College
South
Gordon’s v Bishop Wand
Newman College v Hartpury College
SGS College v Beechen Cliff
Truro College v Exeter College
Wednesday 25th September
North
Brooksby Melton College v Gosforth Academy
City of Oxford College v Oaklands College
Moulton College v Bishop Burton College
Stourport High v Myerscough College
South
Beechen Cliff v Truro College
Exeter College v Gordon’s
Hartpury College v SGS College
Newman College v Bishop Wand
Wednesday 2nd October
North
Gosforth Academy v City of Oxford College
Moulton College v Brooksby Melton College
Myerscough College v Bishop Burton College
Oaklands College v Stourport High
South
Bishop Wand v Exeter College
Gordon’s v Beechen Cliff
SGS College v Newman College
Truro College v Hartpury College
Wednesday 9th October
North
Bishop Burton College v Stourport High
Brooksby Melton College v Myerscough College
City of Oxford College v Moulton College
Oaklands College v Gosforth Academy
South
Beechen Cliff v Bishop Wand
Exeter College v Newman College
Hartpury College v Gordon’s
SGS College v Truro College
Wednesday 16th October
North
City of Oxford College v Brooksby Melton College
Gosforth Academy v Bishop Burton College
Myerscough College v Oaklands College
Stourport High v Moulton College
South
Bishop Wand v Hartpury College
Exeter College v Beechen Cliff
Gordon’s v SGS College
Newman College v Truro College
Wednesday 23rd October
North
Brooksby Melton College v Oaklands College (30th October)
City of Oxford College v Bishop Burton College
Moulton College v Myerscough College (30th October)
Stourport HS v Gosforth Academy
South
Beechen Cliff v Newman College
Hartpury College v Exeter College
SGS College v Bishop Wand
Truro College v Gordon’s