The last time he left the Twickenham pitch, Jamie Roberts had just helped the Welsh team to knock England out of their home World Cup. Two months later, and this afternoon he reemerged in unfamiliar colours: the Cambridge University hue of blue and white. Backed with the largest cheer of the day, the aspiring medical student is CURUFC’s newest recruit, and took to the hallowed turf in the 134th instalment of the Varsity Match.
Lined up in the shadow of the tunnel, Roberts dwarfed Cambridge Scrum Half and Captain Don Stevens, who stands at only 5″7. But, more importantly, he also dwarfed opposite number and Oxford Captain Henry Lamont — The 21 year old New College Chemist is 5″8. And this advantage mattered more than anticipated. Barely minutes in, in the first clash of the twelves, Lamont was knocked to the floor, and staggered off visibly concussed to be replaced by St Hilda’s student Ed David. Heartbreaking shots soon followed on the big screens of him being comforted on the bench by teammates — his captaincy ended in a heartbeat.
The rest of the first ten remained fairly even, with both sides trying to assert their dominance, and Oxford regrouping following the loss of their captain. Two Cambridge penalties at the breakdown suggested that the light blues had the early advantage here, but with their famed pack, the dark blues remained dominant in the scrum. A strong period of possession in the Cambridge half led to an Oxford penalty after dangerous play from Cambridge Flanker James Kilroe. Fly Hlaf George Cullen converted, giving Oxford a 3 – 0 lead with twelve minutes played.
Cambridge followed suit with an impressive scrum, which formed a maul and drove deep into the Oxford 22. Multiple Oxford players appealed for the penalty, but the ball was legally cleared by scrum half Don Stevens. The ball was then driven by the forwards, although a sturdy defensive effort continually held the light blues up, before it was sent wide to Fly Half Fraser Gillies. He too was met by a strong Oxford defence, who brought him down and won the scrum. Oxford Number 8 Fraser Heathcote won the ball off the back of the scrum, before a Henry de Berker box kick cleared the lines.
Over the next ten minutes, individuals began to show each Universities assets, with great speed in particular from Oxford 14 Henry Hughes who rocketed down the left wing. Jamie Roberts looked dangerous whenever he got his hands on the ball, with a break and offload in the centre of the pitch sending the ball wide in promising space. This too, however, resulted in an Oxford penalty for holding on. George Cullen, too, make his mark, with a big hit on Cambridge lock Rob Hall twenty one minutes in, and both sides were looking to run the width of the pitch, banishing pre-game fears that Cambridge would not be able to send the ball wide and make use of their international centre.
Cambridge showed some promise when a break from fullback Simon Davies break took them over the Oxford 22, and with cries of Cambridge rattling round the stands, they continued to mount the pressure, gaining a penalty advantage in front of the posts as Fergus Taylor was penalised for being offside. With the mounting wind behind him, Don Stevens sent the ball through the uprights, equalling the scoreline at 3-3 with twenty five minutes played.
A penalty minutes later went the other way, for Cambridge interference at the line out allowing Oxford to rocket the ball downfield into the Cambridge 22, but the ball was soon turned over for Cambridge to clear. The resulting Oxford possession landed in the hands of Matt Janney, whose clever grubber was collected by Cambridge, but sent right back into Matt Geiger’s lap, and a burst of pace from the Oxford full back won the dark blues a penalty. Cullen’s attempt steered just wide of the posts.
Thirty one minutes in, and Cambridge executed a successful lineout steal from hooker Richie Halpin’s throw, but a mishandling soon after gave Oxford the put in at the scrum. This was picked up by scrum half Henry De Berker, who ran the ball deep into the Cambridge 22. Full back Matt Geiger then took the ball painfully close to the line, but lock Andrew Grant was put into touch on the corner flag to end Oxford’s offence and give Cambridge a 10 metre lineout.
Geiger was back in action soon after, when his offload released replacement Ed David down the right wing, but Cambridge were able to regather the ball and run down the clock from their own half. A last minute break from Oxford Fly Half George Cullen saw a wonderfully skilled 1, 2 with winger Tom Stileman, but the attack resulted in a knock on. Cambridge winger Ilia Cherezov was helped off the pitch, clutching his wrist, on the brink of half time, and was replaced by number 23 George Williams. The resulting Cambridge scrum was won, and the ball sent into the stands with the score level at half time.
With the Oxford team going into the break on the back of a strong period of possession, they launched straight out of the blocks with Matt Janney dancing through the centre of the pitch. With Jamie Roberts a surprise half time substitution, Cambridge were driven back into their 22, but won a defensive scrum from a Janney knock on. Mike Phillips — the Emmanuel student and not Roberts’ Welsh teammate — took to the field in replacement, as shots of the international’s heavily strapped thigh filled the screens.
Six minutes into the second half, and Janney once again broke through the centre, sending the ball to the right wing, and Oxford. A number of phases built until Fergus Taylor spilled the ball from an offload, and halted Oxford’s charge.
Oxford continued to build the pressure throughout, with a wonderful sidestep from young flanker Will Wilson putting Cambridge prop Dave Spelman on his back, but neither side looked particularly threatening or in danger of scoring. Oxford subbed lock Andrew Grant with fifty one minutes played, to be replaced by Will Thomas, but he couldn’t prevent giving away a penalty at the scrum.
Cambridge followed with their own period of attacking play, with a number of good breaks from promising individuals, but the Oxford defence remained tight and prevented them from entering dangerous territory. Full back Simon Davies launched into the Oxford 22 down the right wing with fifty five minutes gone, but the defence held fast and he was sent into touch. From the resulting line out, the ball was spread wide, and George Williams too broke for the line, but failed to see the numbers outside him and was taken to the ground and turned over by the Oxford defence. Although Matt Geiger cleared, Cambridge were awarded a penalty, and captain Don Stevens sent the ball through the posts to edge his team out in front with fifty eight minutes played.
He was, however, soon substituted, to be replaced by number 21 Seb Tullie, and Oxford had their own shot at the Cambridge try line. Fergus Taylor drove within centimetres, before the ball was sent wide to Oxford’s plentiful numbers. Heartbreakingly for Oxford’s young full back, who had a clear run in to the line, Janney’s offload to Matt Geiger was spilt forwards, and Oxford had to settle for going back for the penalty, which George Cullen sent into touch. Although they gathered their own lineout, Cambridge turned them at the breakdown and were awarded the put in at the scrum. Fifteen minutes to play, and the real threat seemingly averted, although an Oxford penalty from the following play on the Cambridge 22 was easily sent through the posts by George Cullen. All level with thirteen to play.
Five time Blue Lewis Andersen was replaced by Kieran Ball with ten minutes to play, whilst Cambridge too continued to empty their bench, subbing Rob Hall for number 18 Lola Erogbogbo. Reinvigorated, a Henry Hughes break followed by a great hands in the midfield sent Oxford deep into the Cambridge 22, where they won a penalty at the breakdown. As the stadium fell silent, Cullen’s kick slipped through the posts to give Oxford the lead. 9 – 3, with seven minutes remaining.
The Cambridge kick off sent the ball back into the Oxford half, and they had their own go at attacking to the delight of the Cambridge heavy South Stand, before the Oxford defence turned the ball over. A break from their own line saw the ball land in Tom Sileman’s lap, who offloaded to Matt Janney to break the Cambridge 22 in a move that spanned one end of the pitch to another. With no support, however, Cambridge, too, managed to clear their lines. Tensions were evidently rising, however, and Cambridge full back Simon Davies caught the ankle of an Oxford jumper collecting the kick, which led to an instant sin bin, and a heated exchange between both teams.
Gathering the following line out, Oxford pushed forwards, and were awarded yet another penalty for offside at the breakdown. A slightly more challenging kick this time, but Cullen elegantly slotted the points. Breathing space, with a minute left on the clock.
As 25,013 fans held their breaths, the final minute on the clock counted down, and Oxford winger Tom Stileman was announced Man of the Match. Cambridge gathered possession from the scrum, and made a final break towards the line. They entered the 22 via flanker James Kilroe, but with the Oxford defence rushing back to cover, the victors once again turned the ball over and sent it into touch with a roar.
Six years. Six wins. A record breaking sixth blue for Lewis Anderson, and a victorious captaincy from the sideline for Henry Lamont. Tom Stileman should be very proud of his wonderful Man of the Match performance, and he looked deadly throughout with the ball in hand. Cambridge gave it their all, and this match was by no way one sided, but, at the end of the day, OURFC can return to Iffley with the trophy once again. Oxford’s winning run continues.
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