Under the Friday night lights at Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club, UCL Men’s Rugby defeated KCL 24-19 in their sixth consecutive Varsity win, rounding out a dominant 32-13 victory for UCL in the 2026 London Varsity Series.
The first twenty minutes saw constant offensive pressure from both sides, though frequent turnovers and poor offloads denied either side an early try.
A battle for possession in the 24th minute gave KCL their first opportunity to put some points on the board, but the penalty kick was missed by inside centre Ray Peh, leaving both sides scoreless at the 30-minute mark.
UCL finally broke through after 32 minutes to score the first try of the game, with a missed conversion leaving the Purples 5-0 up just before half time.
KCL responded immediately by winning the ball from kick-off inside UCL’s 22, followed by a strong rolling maul and a 13th season try for KCL captain Steven Coker. A successful KCL conversion left KCL 7-5 up after a scrappy but passionate first half.
UCL came out blazing after the half-time break, with a strong attacking line and a big carry from blindside flanker Harry Clayson opening up the KCL defence and leading to a 44th-minute try for Sahil Sharma.
A successful conversion brought the score to 12-7 and marked a huge shift in UCL’s momentum from the first half, setting a precedent for the remainder of the game.
This momentum continued following more great carries from UCL’s backs, with a well-timed grubber kick bouncing around in KCL’s try area and seemingly controlled by a UCL player before ultimately being disallowed by the referee.
UCL soon extended their lead to 17-7 in the 55th-minute, mauling from just inside the 22 all the way to KCL’s try line in a brilliant display of spirit and power. Another successful conversion from captain Struan Fotheringham put the Purples twelve points ahead with just over twenty minutes to go.
After a difficult first half, UCL were starting to come into their own, showcasing the "liquid rugby" that carried them to an unbeaten BUCS season this year, winning seven games from seven.
A run from Millan Verwoert and a quick offload to his centre pairing, Oliver Brown, left KCL exposed out wide as UCL scored in the corner and brought their lead up to 24-7 after 59 minutes.
As the conversion rattled off the bar and fell short, UCL fans continued to taunt their KCL counterparts, for whom a first Varsity Rugby win since 2020 was looking increasingly unlikely.
KCL responded with some powerful carries from their forwards, though struggled to break through a well-organised wall of purple shirts as UCL continued their high-pressure defensive tactics with some huge tackles.
KCL were eventually awarded a penalty after countless phases of attack and opted to kick, but KCL fly-half and vice-captain Nico Razmilovic could not deliver the three points.
After numerous opportunities, replacement back Luca Suzuki finally secured another try for KCL, beating 5 UCL defenders down the byline and scoring in the corner. A tough conversion hit the bar once again, this time trickling over and securing King’s an extra two points, leaving the score at 24-14 with seven minutes to go.
KCL kept up this offensive momentum against a spirited UCL defence, slowly making ground before scoring with one minute left on the clock. A missed conversion kept the score at 24-19 as the clock ran out, leaving KCL one last chance to level the score as UCL kept their defence tight and disciplined.
A late penalty gave KCL their best opportunity to cause last-minute upset, opting to kick to touch and pressure UCL from the lineout.
Ealing buzzed with a tense passion as UCL fans waited desperately for an opportunity to kick the ball out, with KCL still clinging on to their last offensive opportunity.
Multiple turnovers exemplified what had been a scrappy match, before the Purples eventually managed to get rid of the ball and secure the win. This year’s 24-19 victory marks the sixth consecutive varsity win for UCL Men’s Rugby, as the stands exploded in euphoria.
Coaches, club members, WAGS, and fans alike immediately took to the pitch to celebrate a dominant performance from the Purples, wrapping up this year’s London Varsity Series with triumphant results for both UCL Men’s and Women’s Rugby.