Club Snapshot & Background

• Full Name: Bournville Rugby Football Club
• Ground: Avery Fields, Stirchley, Birmingham
• League: Regional 1 Midlands
• Club Structure: Bournville runs multiple senior sides, a thriving youth and mini section, and has a strong community focus. Their website and social media highlight a commitment to developing talent and engaging with local schools and players.
• Playing Style: Known for a high-tempo attacking game, Bournville combine a powerful forward pack with a skilful backline. They favour expansive rugby and are effective at converting pressure into points.

Season So Far: 2025–26
Bournville have started the season strongly, combining big wins with some tight, competitive encounters:

• R1: Bournville 69–7 Nuneaton
• R2: Bridgnorth 24–17 Bournville
• R3: Bournville 20–13 Stourbridge
• R4: Bournville 31–7 Drybrook
• R5: Bromsgrove 34–33 Bournville
• R6: Bournville 41–19 Newent
• R7: Dudley Kingswinford 14–64 Bournville
• R8: Bournville 47–17 Lichfield
• R9: Lutterworth 14–15 Bournville

Key observations from these results:

• Bournville are capable of high-scoring, dominant wins, particularly at home.
• They remain competitive in close games, often prevailing by narrow margins, as seen against Bromsgrove and Lutterworth.
• Their results reflect a balance between strong attacking play and disciplined defence.

Strengths to Watch

1. Forward Power: Their pack provides a platform for both scrummaging and open play, combining strength with mobility.
2. Attacking Depth: Bournville’s backline is capable of breaking defensive lines, exploiting overlaps, and finishing scoring opportunities efficiently.
3. Consistency at Home: Avery Fields provides a supportive environment, where the club often controls the pace and territory.
4. Youth Integration: The club continues to develop younger players through their structured pathway, adding energy and unpredictability to the senior team.

Banbury Considerations

• Defensive Focus: Containing Bournville’s dynamic backs and managing field position will be essential.
• Set-Piece Accuracy: Competing at the scrum and lineout is vital to prevent Bournville from gaining attacking momentum.
• Clinical Finishing: Banbury must convert scoring chances efficiently to challenge a side that can dominate possession.
• Discipline: Avoiding penalties and turnovers will be key, as Bournville are adept at capitalising on opposition mistakes.

Final Thoughts
Bournville RFC offer a stern test for Banbury RUFC, combining high-scoring potential with the ability to grind out close victories. This fixture at Avery Fields is a chance for Banbury to apply the lessons from previous narrow defeats and build on the confidence gained from their emphatic win at Nuneaton.

Strong focus in the forwards, composure in attack, and disciplined execution could make the difference in a tightly contested encounter.