Charlie Amesbury will hope to do what fellow pro Jamie Roberts couldn’t do last year and inspire Cambridge University to a much needed Varsity Match win at Twickenham (Thursday, 8 December kick-off 2.30pm).
Wales and British & Irish Lions centre Roberts only lasted 40 minutes of his Varsity Match debut before limping out with a thigh injury. Oxford went on to win 12-6 and create a record of six successive wins in a fixture that has been played since 1872.
The 135th ‘Battle of the Blues’ will give the 30-year-old Amesbury his opportunity to lead a Light Blue fightback and ensure that Cambridge loose head prop Will Briggs doesn’t end up as a record breaking loser in six successive games.
“This is one of the best amateur traditions left in rugby, it’s one of the reasons I left Premiership rugby, to come and experience what this game’s all about,” said Amesbury, who will return to play for Premiership side Bristol next week.
“The Varsity Match has been played on the same pitch between the same two teams for however many years, so I do feel like I’m playing in something that could be a part of history. You only get that in professional rugby if you get to the final of the Premiership or in Europe.
“Oxford have just got the mental edge after six years, although it can’t be that they’ve had six years’ worth of better players. Maybe there’s something in being able to relax on the big occasion, and that’s something I’d like to be able to bring.
“I’ve had a career of more than 10 years in rugby, I’ve played at Twickenham before and I’ve played in front of a big crowd before. Hopefully, I’ll be able to bring a settling edge to the team and if I put in a quiet game and the boys bring home the win then that’s perfect.”
Amesbury has certainly had an impact on the back play at Cambridge this term. Daniel Dass’s side go into their big game of the season having won their last four games and scored eight tries in their final fixture against a powerful Steele-Bodger’s XV.
Fergus Taylor’s Oxford team, on the other hand, have taken a different route to Twickenham by packing their fixture list with four games against Premiership clubs. That has tested and battle-hardened their defence, but brought them only four wins in 12 games.
“We have won six Varsity Matches in a row because we have a template that is successful, but it is about recognising that every year is new. The main priority for us over the past 12 weeks has been coming together as a squad,” said Taylor.
“We have to keep building from a fresh start and the only pressure on us is not to take anything for granted, not to be complacent.”
OXFORD UNIVERSITY
M Geiger * (Manchester Grammar School & St Catherine’s); E David * (Harrow School & St Hilda’s), H Hughes * (Peter Symond’s College & Magdalen), A Hogg (Whitgift School & Keble), T Stileman * (Cranleigh School & St Peter’s); B Strang * (RGS Newcastle & St Stephen’s House), H de Berker * (Cotham Comprehensive School & Green Templeton); K Ball * (Wellington College & Trinity), E Hart (Berkhamsted School & St Edmund Hall), J Morris (King Edward VI School, Aston & St Edmund Hall), F Taylor * (Sherborne School & St Catherine’s), A Grant * (The Oratory School & Kellogg), N Roberts-Huntley * (Blundell’s School & Green Templeton), G Blomfield (Brisbane Grammar School & Kellogg), W Wilson * (Wellington College & Keble)
Replacements: W Thornton (Sedbergh School & Lady Margaret Hall), J Scaife * (Altrincham Grammar School & Linacre), H Lu (Reading School & University), J Marsden (The King’s School, Macclesfield & Christ Church), G MacGilchrist * (George Watson’s College & University), J Beaufils (St John Bosco College, Engadine & Jesus), T Kershaw (Portsmouth Grammar School & Worcester), C Kearns (Glenstal Abbey School & Somerville
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY
C Amesbury (Lord Wandsworth College & Queens’); S Davies * (Latymer Upper School & Jesus); R Triniman (Canford School & Hughes Hall); M Phillips * (Bedford Modern School & Emmanuel), H King (Chipping Campden School & St Catharine’s); F Gillies * (Edinburgh Academy & Hughes Hall), S Tullie * (Bradford Grammar School & Emmanuel); W Briggs * (Bedford School & Magdalene), A Burnett (RGS High Wycombe & Jesus); J Dixon (Royal School, Armagh & Downing), A Hunter (Cranbrook School & St Edmund’s), T Bond (Watford Grammar School & Pembroke), T Stanley (St Andrew’s College, Christchurch & Magdalene), B Du Toit (The King’s Hospital, Dublin & St Edmund’s), D Dass * (Belfast Royal Academy & St Catharine’s, captain)
Replacements: S Hugkulstone (Whitgift School & Wolfson), H Somers (Silverdale School & Hughes Hall), D Moros (Hampton School & St John’s), Lola Erogbogbo * (Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School & Clare), R Bartholomew * (Berkhamsted School & Jesus), C Bell (St Paul’s School & Girton), Lare Erogbogbo (Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School & Jesus), G Griffiths (Adams’ Grammar School & St John’s)
* Denotes Blue
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth (RFU)
