In a repeat of last year’s finals matchup, the London Warriors and the Manchester Titans will face off in Butts Park Arena, Coventry as they battle it out for the Britbowl National Championship.
Last season’s championship game resulted in a massive upset, as the Titans dominated the six-time champions by a score 37-7.
After another undefeated season, the reigning champions will be looking to defend their title against the Warriors. Their semifinal fixture earlier this month saw them overcome the Bristol Aztecs 38-19 for a spot in the final.
Manchester’s roster is loaded top-to-bottom with talent, from defensive back Sam Fossey (GreatBritain Team Captain) to GB offensive lineman Tyler Harvey Fallows (TroyUniversity, NCAA DI). Altogether, the reigning champions feature 13 players and two coaches who were a part of the national squad who beat France earlier this summer, along with four players in the 75-man squad who will battle for a spot against Denmark in October.
Great Britain captain and quarterback Sam Bloomfield has led the second most efficient offense in the league averaging just shy of 48 points per regular season game played, but their defense is where the Titans transcend the rest of their division; Manchester have conceded just 5.5 points per game. The Titans have allowed just six offensive touchdowns all year and have even scored six defensive touchdowns of their own, putting them at a net zero touchdowns conceded. They went until their final game against the Tamworth Phoenix before even conceding a touchdown in the first quarter
The Warriors are coming off a dominant 49-10 semifinals win over the Edinburgh Wolves as the Wolves played their first playoff game ever.
London have yet again been a powerhouse, charging through almost every team in their division without any difficulty. Led by Dee Williams, the Warriors boast the highest scoring offense in the league, averaging a whopping 50.1 points-per-game in the regular season. Former Leipzig Kings back Ray Sobowale has been key to their performance, with his aggressive running style making him a constant problem for opposing defenses.
Their season does have an asterisk beside it, however, as week eleven saw the London side take their first regular season loss since 2017 when the Bristol Aztecs defeated them 38-14. Although they recovered from the defeat, handing the Aztecs a loss of their own, this is the first time in recent years we have seen a threat posed to the Warriors in the South by a team not called the London Blitz.
The Warriors will look to correct last year’s Britbowl loss as they aim to dethrone the Titans, who will be looking to become back-to-back British champions.
The game will headline in a Britbowl double-header after the Division 1 Final between the Northumberland Vikings and Hertfordshire Cheetahs.
London Warriors vs Manchester Titans, Sept. 17, 18:00 CET (6 pm, 12 noon EDT)
