UKAF 31 Bristol University 33
Late try denies UKAF Under-23s comeback against Bristol University
UKAF U23 31 – 33 University of Bristol
Friday 17 April 2026, Coombe Dingle Sports Facility, Bristol
UKAF U23 v Bristol University was a thriller. The UKAF Under-23s fought back from 21–7 down at half-time and took the lead with eight minutes to go, but a last-minute converted try by Seb McNamara gave the University of Bristol a 33–31 win at Coombe Dingle.
The fixture was the second trial match of the season for the tri-service Under-23 squad, a month after their win over Bath University, as they build towards July’s Military v Cancer match against a North Select XV. It was also the first UKAF Under-23 game ever streamed live. You can watch the full replay on YouTube.
Before kick-off, head coach Matt Clark described these matches as a chance to develop players and build a squad for the more senior capped games. Captain Tom Bullock led the side from number 8, with Ben Hurford-John at full-back as vice-captain.
Bristol fast out of the blocks
Bright sunshine turned to heavy rain just before kick-off, and the students adapted faster. Their scrum dominated early on, and after four minutes fly-half Seb McNamara put a superb cross-field kick into the hands of winger George Duffy, who scored in the corner. McNamara converted from the touchline.
Ten minutes later Bristol struck again. Their inside centre, a late call-up to the starting side, sent Henry Trevis over in the same corner.
UKAF struggled to get their backs into the game. Their lineout misfired, and Bristol’s aggressive line speed kept forcing them back. On the half-hour, the forwards finally made a visit to the 22 count. From a scrum in front of the posts, they picked and drove, and hooker Rory Hodges carried three defenders over the line. The conversion made it 14–7.
The rest of the half was costly. UKAF had a player sin-binned for repeated infringements at the maul, and tighthead prop Jack Devereux was stretchered off after a lengthy stoppage. Bristol took full advantage when replacement hooker Eddie Neland finished a lineout drive, and McNamara’s third conversion sent the home side in 21–7 up.
UKAF U23 v Bristol University: the second half
UKAF came out transformed. With the second half only seconds old, they pounced on loose Bristol ball and left wing Ben Callard raced in. Minutes later, after a fine high-ball take from James Moseley, Callard broke off a lineout maul for his second try. The conversion made it 21–19.
Bristol steadied themselves. Duffy and fellow winger Cam Knight combined brilliantly, and Knight fended and stepped his way to the corner to make it 26–19. But UKAF’s set piece was now working. Kyle Smith, who had moved from fly-half to scrum-half when Sam Edwards came on, finished a lineout drive, and the conversion went in off the post to level the scores at 26–26.
With around eight minutes left, UKAF hit the front for the first time. Another maul broke away down the left just as Bristol committed their defenders, and the try made it 31–26.
Sting in the tail
Bristol had one more push. A well-placed kick to the touchline was chased down, Knight linked with his full-back, and McNamara raced around behind the posts to score with barely a minute to play. The conversion gave the students a two-point lead.
UKAF threw everything at the restart and worked their way to the Bristol 10-metre line, but the defence held, a knock-on ended the move, and Bristol kicked the ball dead to seal it.
Looking ahead
It was a defeat, but a performance full of character from a squad that had been together for only a few days. The fixture looks set to become a regular one: Bristol’s director of sport, Matt Burch, confirmed that next season’s game is already agreed, and a women’s fixture is under discussion.
The squad now turns its attention to the Military v Cancer match against a North Select XV in July.
UKAF U23 team
1 Dylan Aitken, 2 Rory Hodges, 3 Jack Devereux, 4 Henry Rodmell, 5 Tom Ashton, 6 George Balmbro, 7 Robbie Hawkshaw, 8 Tom Bullock (C), 9 Harry Johnson, 10 Kyle Smith, 11 Ben Callard, 12 Ronnie Fulford, 13 Veremo Waqanidrola, 14 James Moseley, 15 Ben Hurford-John (VC)
Impact: 16 Brad Aven, 17 Spencer Latham, 18 Rowynn Turner, 19 Charlie Marshall, 20 Connor Hazell, 21 Ewan Bailey, 22 Sam Edwards, 23 Ollie Thorne