A team tournament following the Eurobowl rules where pride and bragging rights are on the line!
The recent Team England Captain elections where KFoged (Kare) was elected as the new England captain (congrats!) sparked a kernel of an idea for a new team-tournament where pride and bragging rights were the only incentive needed to take part - The Home Nations!
The Home Nations is set to become an annual event with rotating host that will use the up-to-date Eurobowl Rules, which for 2024 have been set by the Greek Tournament Organisers when 500-600 coaches are expected to decamp to Athens in September to battle it out for the prestigious titles of the Eurobowl and sister tournament Europen.
The Home Nations has been NAF approved by Stimme, NAF Tournament Director, and will have two team tournaments side-by-side over a five round Swiss, within a Swiss format.
There will be the Home Nations Bowl comprising six teams of eight coaches; Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland and the Barbarians! The respective Captains of each of the Home Nations, including our very own Purdindas, have confirmed their support for the event and will be fielding competitive teams to fight it out for bragging rights whilst testing races, rosters and coaches on the Road to Athens.
The Barbarians, in the vein of the rugby team of the same name, have been invited to join the Home Nations to make up the sixth team and they’re going to be captained in the first year by renowned coach, Purplechest! He’s promised to select a set of eight coaches who will come from far and wide, including outside of the UK and he’s setting out to disrupt the tournament with a quick raid to secure the inaugural win.
Alongside the Bowl will be the Home Nations Open, a team tournament for four-coach teams, which will be open to any Bloodbowl coach to enter, regardless of nationality - again exactly like Europen.
In the first year there will be scope for 20 teams to enter the Open giving us a total of 26 teams and the opportunity for 128 coaches to take part in the inaugural Home Nations!
The plan is for the tournament to rotate between the nations from year-to-year and England have the honour of playing host for the first year.
When Jock Wright, Home Nations Tournament Organiser, was asked what he hoped for the tournament he said,
"The Home Nations was inspired by more than a 100 years of tradition of the Home Nations Rugby and I hope that the tournament grows into a firm favourite in the UK and Ireland Bloodbowl calendar where the best want to test themselves, have a great time and build on our shared culture and love of the game... oh and a few beers!"
The tournament will take place on 29-30 June at Loughborough Students’ Union, Loughborough in the East Midlands
Tournament logistics are being finalised and information on ticket price and ticket release is due imminently! Keep an eye out for your chance to take part in this unique and limited event.
So are you ready to pull on the Scotland Jersey to represent at the first Home Nations? There is pride on the line!
Key Information:
Five round team tournament following a Swiss format
The Home Nations Bowl (invitational); six teams of eight coaches
The Home Nations Open; up to twenty teams of four coaches
Held at Loughborough Students’ Union in the East Midlands
Event will take place on Saturday 29 - Sunday 30 June
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