Students face off for rugby championship glory

Two University of Stirling students will face off in the final of the FOSROC Super Series Championship – the highest domestic rugby competition in Scotland.

Samuel Rockley is in the Stirling Wolves squad and Christopher Elliot plays for rivals and current champions the Ayrshire Bulls.

The highly anticipated match at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday will be televised by the BBC and on the Scottish Rugby website for those outside the UK.

The tournament aims to bridge the gap between amateur and professional rugby and is the first step on the high-performance rugby ladder in senior adult rugby.

Christopher Elliot (left) and Samuel Rockley

Stirling Wolves player Samuel Rockley, who is in first year and studying a BA (Hons) Sport Development and Coaching, said: “I’m buzzing for the final and the prospect of playing a fellow Stirling student gives the match an extra edge.

“We’ve worked really hard to get to this stage and we’re going to give it everything to get the win in front of our supporters.”

Christopher Elliot, of the Ayrshire Bulls, who is in the third year of a BSc Sport and Exercise Science, said: “We’re really excited for Saturday's game – it’s going to be one of the biggest I have played in.

“The continued support from the University of Stirling Sport’s strength and conditioning team has helped me to improve my performance dramatically this season.

“The atmosphere on Saturday is going to be amazing with a lot of friends and family coming to support us.”

Christopher Elliot (left) and Samuel Rockley

It is the first time that two students from the University have been in the squads of rival teams competing for the FOSROC Super Series Championship.

Cathy Gallagher, Executive Director of Sport at the University of Stirling, said: “It is great that two University of Stirling students will be part of the FOSROC Super Series final this weekend, the highest domestic rugby competition in Scotland.

“The University has been a partner with Stirling County Rugby Football Club since the inception of the competition and it provides an excellent performance opportunity for dual career athletes studying at Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence.

“Whilst our loyalties will lie with Stirling Wolves on Saturday, we also wish Christopher well as part of the Ayrshire Bulls squad.”

The University of Stirling’s sports scholarships are part of the largest high-performance sports programme in the UK, sending athletes to Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games. More information here.