Banbury RUFC continue their Regional 1 Midlands campaign this Saturday with a third successive away fixture as the Bulls travel to Stourton Park to face Stourbridge RFC.

Head Coach Soane Tongaʻuiha and Director of Rugby Matt Goode take their side into Round 3 with two victories from their opening two matches, following wins at Syston and Broadstreet.

Stourbridge have made an equally impressive start and also enter the weekend unbeaten, setting up an intriguing early-season contest between two sides yet to taste defeat in 2026–27.

Two from Two
Banbury have made a strong start to the new Regional 1 Midlands campaign.

An impressive 47–26 victory away at Syston on the opening weekend was followed by a considerably tighter contest at Ivor Preece Field last Saturday.

The Bulls were pushed throughout by newly-promoted Broadstreet but ultimately came away with a 28–27 victory, maintaining their perfect start and securing another valuable four league points on the road.

With 75 points scored across their opening two fixtures, Banbury have shown plenty of attacking threat while also demonstrating the ability to manage two very different contests.

Saturday now represents another step up in challenge against a Stourbridge side who were among the leading teams in Regional 1 Midlands last season.

The Challenge: Stourbridge RFC
Stourbridge came within one match of returning to National League rugby during an impressive 2025–26 campaign.

After finishing third in Regional 1 Midlands, they defeated second-placed Newport (Salop) 36–26 in the opening promotion play-off before travelling to Devon and beating Topsham 24–12.

That secured a place in the National League Rugby Accession Final, where their promotion run eventually came to an end against Exeter University.

Stourbridge have carried much of that momentum into their historic 150th season.

They opened the new campaign with a 27–24 home victory over Bromsgrove before following it with a 34–24 win away at Burton last weekend.

Two victories from two leave Stourbridge alongside Banbury among the early unbeaten sides in Regional 1 Midlands.

Recent Meetings
The two clubs shared the points across their two meetings last season, with home advantage proving decisive.

January 2026 | Banbury 53–7 Stourbridge
October 2025 | Stourbridge 30–28 Banbury
February 2025 | Banbury 15–29 Stourbridge
October 2024 | Stourbridge 55–33 Banbury

Last season's fixture at Stourton Park was particularly close.

Banbury pushed Stourbridge throughout before the hosts ultimately claimed a narrow 30–28 victory, with just two points separating the sides at the final whistle.

The return meeting at the Graf UK Stadium produced a very different outcome, with the Bulls delivering one of their standout performances of the 2025–26 campaign in a commanding 53–7 victory.

Those contrasting results underline both the competitive nature of the fixture and the challenge that awaits Banbury on their return to Stourton Park.

Key Focus Areas for Banbury

Maintaining the Unbeaten Start
Two victories from two have provided Banbury with an excellent platform, but Saturday brings another demanding examination.

Stourbridge have also begun with back-to-back wins, meaning one of the division's unbeaten records will be placed under significant pressure at Stourton Park.

Starting with Intensity
Banbury will be keen to establish themselves early against a Stourbridge side playing on home soil.

A positive start, both with and without the ball, could prove important in preventing the hosts from building momentum and bringing the home crowd into the contest.

Set-Piece Platform
As with the opening two rounds, reliable ball from scrum and lineout will provide the foundation for Banbury's attacking game.

Against experienced opposition, accuracy at the set-piece will also be vital in avoiding unnecessary pressure and denying Stourbridge easy field position.

Discipline and Territory
The margins were extremely fine when the sides met at Stourton Park last season.

Banbury will need to manage territory effectively and avoid conceding penalties that allow Stourbridge opportunities to establish themselves inside the Bulls' half.

Taking Opportunities
The Bulls have scored 75 points across their opening two matches, demonstrating their ability to create and finish attacking opportunities.

Against a side that conceded just 48 points across its first two games, Banbury will need to make the most of their visits into the Stourbridge 22.

Building on Broadstreet
Last weekend's one-point victory offered a different challenge to the opening win at Syston.

Having found a way to win a tight contest at Ivor Preece Field, Banbury will look to carry that composure into another difficult away environment this weekend.

Final Thoughts
Saturday brings together two sides who have made perfect starts to the new Regional 1 Midlands campaign.

Banbury arrive at Stourton Park following consecutive away victories over Syston and Broadstreet, while Stourbridge have responded to last season's promotion near-miss with wins over Bromsgrove and Burton.

Recent meetings also suggest another competitive encounter could await, with the clubs sharing one victory apiece during 2025–26.

For Tongaʻuiha, Goode and the Bulls, a third consecutive away fixture provides another opportunity to demonstrate the progress made during the opening weeks of the campaign and strengthen an already encouraging start to the season.

Stourbridge RFC vs Banbury RUFC
Saturday 10th October 2026
Stourton Park, Bridgnorth Road, Stourton, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY7 6QZ
Kick-off: 3:00pm

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