Women's Rugby Union

We also compete in the AoC and Rosslyn Park National 7s. These two competitions bring together teams from all over England and Europe, allowing our students to engage closely with other rugby playing environments.

Our students come from all different clubs and schools around the country after being identified as promising and aspiring young rugby players. We have had a number of players represent their chosen counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Northumberland and Cumbria while in our women’s rugby programme.

Our past and present students enjoy success at a high level, including selection in County squads, England U18 Talent Development Group (TDG) and Centre of Excellence (CoE) squads, as well as a number of England Premiership, England U20s, England 7s and England Elite Player Squad (EPS) representatives.

With access to top class facilities and elite level coaching, there is no better place than Bishop Burton to play women's rugby.

Rugby training

Whilst at Bishop Burton, you will be able to improve and develop your rugby skills at an individual level as well as grow an in-depth understanding of the game, and what it takes to be a professional athlete.

You will be exposed to a full-time professional programme, preparing you physically, and mentally to take your next step into professional rugby.

You will train every day except for Thursday and will play games on a Wednesday. If there isn’t a game, we will focus on rugby skills and have internal game simulations.

In a general week, players get up to five hours of rugby training, three hours of strength and conditioning and one hour of skills. We also provide nutritional and lifestyle sessions throughout the year to help all players.

Our partnership with England Rugby 

Bishop Burton College is proud to have been selected as a partner by England Rugby. As one of only eight colleges in the UK to be chosen, we act as a flagship college, upholding a safe, inclusive and player-centred approach. Utilising the RFUs Rugby Safe coach and match official training programmes to upskill current players and coaches, we aim to advocate RFU's best practise, providing a safe and enjoyable rugby environment. We have the development of young people through their college journey at the forefront of our rugby programmes, using the sport as a vehicle to shape positive behaviours both on and off the field.

Entry criteria

Applicants to any of our rugby academies must demonstrate rugby ability and have played the game at club or school level before. You must also study a course at Bishop Burton College or University Centre Bishop Burton.

Junior academy players will normally have been playing at a high level of youth rugby union, been on an RFU DPP programme, or have been playing adult rugby union.

Senior academy players will normally have had regional or county honours, academy experience or have been playing at a high standard of adult rugby.

Players with any representative background are highly encouraged to apply, stating their honours.