The 30th Women’s rugby Varsity Match at Twickenham today promises to be more competitive than the two games played in 2015, which both saw Cambridge run riot (kick-off 11.30am).
In fact, the Light Blues scored 99 points without reply as they won the 2014/15 clash 47-0 at Grange Road before notching a record 52-0 scoreline, complete with hat-tricks from Alice Middleton and Anna Wilson amid an eight try onslaught, on the history first game at Twickenham nine months later.
But all the signs are that 2016 will be different. Catherine Wilcock’s Dark Blues side have matured and developed, they’ve won three matches in the BUCS Premier South and need only to beat Cambridge this week to more or less condemn them to relegation from the division.
While that will provide added motivation, especially after a 22-0 defeat at Cambridge last month, the big prize is taking the title and erasing the horrific memories of freezing on the big stage 12 months ago.
“All the pressure is on Cambridge after their two big wins over us last year and we are in a much better place this year than we were last. We have an experienced side and we won’t get caught out by the enormity of the occasion this year,” said Wilcock.
Cambridge, led by last season’s star performer, full back Middleton who ended with 27 points, were forced into a late change last night when scrum half Lydia Thorn pulled out with injury. A reshuffling of the side will see Molly Byrne revert back to her old position having originally been selected for her fourth Varsity Match in the back row.
Oxford University: Sophie Trott * (Wadham); Affia Bunting (New College), Princess Ashilokun * (Magdalen), Heli Copley * (Keble), Millie Rose (St Anne’s); Catherine Wilcock * (Wadham, Captain), Carly Bliss * (St Edmund Hall); Jenny Smith (St John’s), Pat Metcalfe-Jones (Christ Church), Cecilia Peker * (St John’s), Leanne Robinson * (Keble), Elmarie van Heerden * (Lady Margaret Hall), Hester Odgers (Lady Margaret Hall), Caitlin McArdle * (Green Templeton), Sophie Behan * (St Edmund Hall)
Replacements: Gwen Cartwright (New College), Carolina Matté-Gregory (Mansfield), Harriet McCay (New College), Sophie Taylor (St Hilda’s), Mollie MacGinty (St Hilda’s), Imogen Duffy * (Oriel), Gemma Robson (St Benet’s Hall), Katarina Martinovic (St Catherine’s)
Cambridge Univesity: Alice Middleton * (Lucy Cavendish, Captain); Laura Suggitt * (St Edmund’s), Mary Coleman (Kings), Jessica Charlton * (Newnham), Lara Gibson * (Lucy Cavendish); Kate Marks (Murray Edwards), Molly Byrne * (Jesus); Alice Elgar * (Girton), Emma Pierce (St Catherine’s), Laura Nunez-Mulder * (Emmanuel), Gabriella Johansson (Churchill), Olivia Probert (Downing), Nikki Weckman * (Trinity), Chloe Withers * (Fitzwilliam), Emily Pratt (Emmanuel)
Replacements: Katerina Sanchez-Schilling (St Edmund’s), Catriona Brickel (St Catharine’s), Jacqueline Bramley (Girton), Tabitha Burgess (Fitzwilliam), Sophie Farrant * (Emmanuel), Sophie Evans (Gonville & Caius), Katherine Monks (Homerton)
* Denotes Blue
Referee: Claire Hodnett (RFU)
