Swansea secured promotion by winning all eight league games including being awarded a walkover against Varsity opponents Cardiff in December and securing a 24-0 victory in the return fixture.

Cardiff have experienced mixed fortunes though finishing fifth in the league, winning four games and losing three, with their last victory coming away at the University of Newport in a 17-7 win.

Swansea coach Rhys Dixon has prepared his unbeaten side for the test against Cardiff by increasing the intensity of the training.

The training has been enhanced by Griff Harding and Gareth Beer, whose work is recognised by Dixon.

Harding has helped forge the backline into an offensively and defensively potent force, with the side scoring 304 points and only conceding 39.

Beer has spearheaded the gruelling strength and conditioning training sessions for the freshers’ side in preparation for their Varsity match on May 2.

“The ability to work closely with the 1sts, including contact drills and even the occasional bit of analysis from former Ospreys coach Sean Holley has really injected a professional attitude into the team,” he said.

Dixon has picked out the commitment of captain Jack Perkins, the physicality of No. 8 Liam Neil and kicking skill of back Jack Shields as key advantages in what he describes as “the result that really matters most this season.”

Vice-captain Eliza Slinn was proud of the attacking mind-set of Swansea’s forward pack in blustery conditions.

“Naturally our open play and offloading comes off really well, so we’ve worked on our set-pieces”, she said.

“It was nice to see it come into action.”

Swansea started the game brightly, with captain and inside centre Lizzie Hearn making incisive breaks.

But it was Marjons who scored the opening try. 15 minutes in, a defensive kick from Swansea saw Leanne Cording take advantage of the space and score.

The scores were soon levelled up, Burt powering over the line from the back of a five-metre scrum.

Five minutes later, Swansea set up a maul 10 metres out and scrum-half Katrina Morris peeled off and darted through the defence to score.

Swansea lost concentration and allowed winger Stacey Saunders to get round the back and score to take the lead going into the break.

The second half saw a revitalised Swansea side.

Burt scored her second try of the game after powering through the Marjons defence after another scrum.

Her hat-trick was complete when she found herself on the overlap.

The victory was complete with Hearn and Slinn both scoring tries.

Slinn added: “I’m really pleased the girls kept their cool and the forwards did an amazing job today.”

The win keeps Nicola Mooney’s side second in Western 4B Division, three points off unbeaten leaders Glamorgan.

Captain Mooney said the strong start to the second half was vital in their victory.

“The second half was better, especially in the first 10 minutes where we scored two quick goals,” said Mooney.

“After that we dropped off a little, but overall I’m very pleased.”

The 2nds took control from the start and their early pressure was rewarded when Danielle Hunt flicked in a short corner. Anne Chinnick made it 2-0 shortly afterwards.

After that nightmare start, the 3rds grew into the game.

But they were undone on the stroke of half time by quick thinking Ellie Jack who scored.

It was all one-way after the break with 2nds forward Sian Powell claiming three more goals.

Kirstie Cashmore rounded off proceedings.

Mooney added: “Glamorgan have easy fixtures left.

“But hopefully we’ll catch them.”

Swansea University 2nds 7-0 Swansea University 3rds

The club competition will run alongside the current Bucs league to give teams the ability to compete on a more regular basis.

Captain Victoria Hope said: “Basically we are going to do as we do for Bucs.

But because our second team has not been entered into Bucs, we have formed our own mini-league.

“The league will consist of Gloucestershire, Aberystwyth and either Bath or UWE – we are waiting to confirm which one.

“It is quite good as we are expanding our range of university competition.

We haven’t played Bath or UWE before, so it’s exciting to compete against someone different and to travel further afield.”

As the league is not being run through Bucs, the AU cannot fund the competition, so the club have been raising funds through cake sales.

The Swansea leg of the competition will take place on March 14, combining show jumping and dressage on the same day.

Hope added: “Unlike Bucs we are going to pick our own horses, as normally you pick out of a hat, so people will get to choose and get used to them.”

After leading 8-5 at the interval and completely dominating thereafter, captain Lizzie Hearn was devastated to start the season with a defeat.

She said: “We didn’t deserve to lose that, we were in their half practically the whole game.

“They had two lucky breaks and that was it, we were the better team today.

“To come out for our first game and play as we did, to lose 10-8 is shocking.

“We had so many opportunities.”

Swansea began the game well.

Full-back Hearn, who impressed throughout, broke through the Glamorgan defence early in the game, although she could not find support.

The dominant Swansea pack wheeled the resulting scrum and forced a penalty at the next ruck.

Number eight Carole-Ann Burt stroked the ball between the uprights to give Swansea the lead.

It did not last for long though, as a move by the Swansea backs on their own 22m line gave the Glamorgan flanker to intercept the ball and score the try. The conversion attempt was missed following the try.

Swansea hit back just before half time when a midfield break was kept alive by some superb offloads and culminated with a dark-blue flyer smashing through the Glamorgan covering tackle to cross the whitewash.

After the break it was one-way traffic, but a combination of handling errors, lack of shape, and the elements stopped Swansea adding to their score.

They were punished in the cruellest fashion when Glamorgan put turnover ball through the hands and their winger showed great pace to score from half-way with just two minutes remaining on the clock.

“If we keep working in training, we’ve got a good chance in this league,” Hearn added.

“Half of the girls had never played in this team before, in our first game last season we lost 65-5.”

Swansea University 1sts 8-10 Glamorgan 1sts

Surviving a relegation battle was a great achievement for the Swansea University 1sts lasts season, who trained just twice a week and were without a coach.

Captain Pete Ockwell explained that this lack of resources made it difficult for him and his fifteen team mates to compete with some of their rivals.

But with new coach Nick Bowen putting the team through their paces he expects his team to fair better this season.

Bowen will be looking to British Universities representative Ryan Batley to be the cornerstone of his defence.

In his first season, the Llanelli FC player won a silver medal at the World Student Games in China, losing 2-0 to Japan in the final.

Batley’s experience will be key in helping Swansea get back in the Bucs Premier division, where they were two seasons ago.

Despite recent setbacks Swansea managed to retain their Varsity title in a scrappy game against Cardiff.

The visiting green and white army were sent into raptures as Swansea fired home their penalties to secure victory in the nail-biting, albeit unofficial, penalty shoot-out.

The second team were relegated from a tough Western 2B league last time around.

Swansea were accused of trying to play too much at times last season but the size of their players meant there was no plan B if their slick style did not bear fruit.

They found it difficult to compete against the likes of Hartpury college, sport specialists, especially after Sam Weber broke his leg mid-season.

But with Weber now fully fit and playmaker Dylan Morgan continuing his good form from last season, it is hoped that Swansea can target promotion.

Another side to play attractive football but maybe not get its just rewards were Swansea 3rds.

“We relied on Dave Boyle too much for goals but for a team of 90% freshers we came together and performed well, achieving a mid-table finish,” said 3rds captain Jack Owen.

Glamorgan 2nds were runaway league winners last season and Owen believes Gloucestershire 2nds are favourites for the title this year.

Swansea hope they can make Fairwood a fortress and produce performances away from home like the one which saw them turn around a two goal deficit to win 4-2 at UWE, they should challenge for honours.

The 4ths, labelled the most boring team in the men’s club, would have been disappointed by their fifth place finish last season.

It was an agonising end to the season for the 5ths as they surrendered the league title by losing on the final day of the league season.

Rob Donald impressed at centre-back and there were plenty of goals in this Swansea side.

Captain Daniel Jose will be looking for a few fresh faces to replace the six moving on and he will have competition for the most talented players.

All the sides will be hoping to unearth freshers with the ability at the trials.

Left-back Lewis Chappell was the club’s star find at last year’s trials and picked up the player of the year award.