Another all-action BWPL season reaches its spectacular conclusion with the staging of the Champions Cup at Coventry next weekend (11/12 May), when City of Manchester women will be bidding for their first League and Champions Cup double while Polytechnic defend the men’s crown.   For Welsh Wanderers, their debut in the men’s competition is something to relish. It’s recognition of the predominantly young team’s remarkable achievement of rising from third in Championship 1 at the end of 2022/23 to this season’s peak of finishing immediately behind Manchester and Poly in both Division 1 and ..read more

BWPL clubs could find themselves targeting a three-point win next season – and facing the drama of penalty shoot-outs when games are drawn. The League Committee have agreed that new World Aquatics regulations, also adopted by European Aquatics, should be introduced in all divisions. This would mean every match being played to a finish. So, when a draw occurs after four periods, the outcome will be decided on a penalty shoot-out, with points awarded as follows: Win in regular time - three points Win after penalty shoot-out - two Loss after penalty shoot-out - one Loss in regular time  ..read more

Bridgefield were pushed all the way by City of Birmingham in the men’s promotion tournament at Haberdashers today (21 April) before completing their third win of the weekend and ensuring a place in Division 3 next season. The teams were level at 5-5 after two periods and 7-7 after three. Tom Curwen immediately edged Bridgefield in front before Ryan Padbury equalised for Birmingham. Curwen then hit the winner to make the final score 9-8, neither side managing a goal during the remaining five minutes. ​ The other promotion spot went to Cheltenham Spartans, who beat Castleford 15-12. Alex Hall s ..read more

Kirkintilloch & Kilsyth and Watford won twice on day two of the women’s promotion tournament at Haberdashers today (21 April) – guaranteeing that both will head for Division 2 at the start of the 2024/25 season. The Scots overpowered Otter Lutra 19-6, including hat-tricks for Isla Macdonald and Carolina Ioannou, and then defeated City of Bristol 11-7. The Bristol game was close at the start – 4-4 after the first period - but K&K took charge in the second, scoring six times without reply through Carolina Ioannou (2), Eugenia Arbus (2), Chloe Kirkwood and Isla Macdonald. ​ Earlier, Wa ..read more

Cheltenham Spartans and Bridgefield struck the first key blows in the four-team men’s qualification tournament at Haberdashers today. The top two in the competition stay in the League next season – with the third and fourth teams dropping out. The Spartans fielded an experienced team and it was two of their former first team regulars, Mark Banwell and Rob Parker (Photo: Trevor Hyde), who played leading roles in a 21-11 defeat of City of Birmingham. Banwell hit seven and Parker six. Michael Thomas, another ex-first teamer, was also among the scorers. Bridgefield beat Castleford 13-5 in the ot ..read more

Swim England are staging a water polo Pathway Coaching Conference at Sport Park, Loughborough University campus, on Saturday 25 May – and it’s free to those taking part. The event is aimed at coaches of all levels and includes presentations by Hungarian national team coach Gergely Lukacs, leading coach developer Paul Connelly and a member of the Great Britain’s women’s team from this year’s World and European Championships squad. ​Deadline for signing up is 18 May For more information, go to https://www.swimming.org/waterpolo/water-polo-coaching-conference-2024 ..read more

The most unusual and striking of BWPL trophies is about to go home to Wales after a gap of almost three decades! The beautifully created Peter Olson Memorial Trophy was expertly carved by former men’s National League chairman Bob Davies, of Newport, and presented to the League in the 1990s on behalf of the Birkenhead and Newport & Maindee clubs as a tribute to Olson, an outstanding forward who played for both teams and passed away at a young age. For many years, the trophy was presented  to the leading goalscorer in the former men’s National League and now goes to the top Super 5s ..read more

​City of Manchester and 20023 champions Polytechnic may have drawn their first Super 5s clash of the season, but it was Manchester who deservedly triumphed 15-12 in the crunch second meeting at Coventry to take the title for the fifth time. Manchester built an 8-3 lead during the second period, a buffer that kept them in control for the rest of the game, despite a spirited Poly attempt at recovery which, at different stages, saw them pulling up to 8-5, then 13-10. In the end, Manchester's finishing was much sharper.  Manchester goalie Malachy Byrne made several saves but crucially he w ..read more

City of Manchester won the women's Super 5s title for the seventh time - and fifth in a row - by defeating Liverpool Lizards in the winner-takes-all finale at Coventry today. The game was effectively all over before the end of the second period when Manchester's runaway start had built a 7-0 lead thanks to goals by Harriet Dickens (2), Brooke Tafazolli (2), Izzy Howe, Isabelle Robb and Lucy Blenkinship. To their credit, Liverpool battled back to reduce the Manchester advantage to 8-5. But, despite some excellent saves by Liverpool goalkeeper Hayley Price, Manchester eased clear in the final ..read more

Champions Polytechnic set up a men's Super 5s title decider against City of Manchester tomorrow when they defeated Welsh Wanderers 16-10 at Coventry today. The win avenged Poly's only defeat so far this season (Wanderers won a thriller, 21-20) and put them level on points with Manchester, who began day one with an 18-10 victory over Sutton & Cheam. Kimon Haralambous, Poly's skipper, scored four, as did Liam Neill. Dan Laxton contributed five for Wanderers, taking his total for the season so far to 28. Later, in their second match of the day, Sutton & Cheam beat Cheltenham 9-5 to comp ..read more