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Catherine Wilcock’s Oxford University side threw down the gauntlet to arch-rivals Cambridge with a stunning victory in the opening round of the BUCS Premier League South.

Their 15-12 win over the University of Gloucestershire, the 2015 BUCS champions, was the perfect start to a season that sees them determined to make up for last year’s 52-0 hammering by the Light Blues in the first Women’s Varsity Match played at Twickenham Stadium.

Having won the corresponding fixture 7-5 on home soil last season, the Dark Blues then found themselves on the end of a 99-3 defeat in the return match at the same Prince of Wales Stadium in February. What a difference between then and now!

Gloucestershire took the lead with a blindside try midway through the first half, but that well worked try merely had the effect of galvanising the Oxford effort. The visitors’ conjured up the perfect response with a double act from two of their Front Row Union – Jenny Smith made the break and fellow prop Cecilia Peker stole the glory with a drive for the line that saw her take a player with her.

Wilcock’s wide angled conversion made it 7-7 at the break and the skipper grabbed the lead with a penalty soon after the re-start. Things then got even better for the Dark Blues when Sophie Trott made the running before sending Apphia Bunting in for a second try with a delicious offload.

Gloucestershire hit back with a well worked try at the posts which cut the gap to three points, but the Oxford pack, in which Elmarie Van Heerden was outstanding, kept the game under control in the tense, closing minutes to provide the perfect start to the season.

Oxford will travel down the M4 once again next Wednesday when they tackle the newly promoted University of Bristol side that beat Alice Middleton’s Cambridge side 45-7 in their opening game. Bristol, making their debut in the Premiership, were 24-0 ahead at the break and built on that healthy lead to race 45 points clear.

There was a try at the death for Cambridge, who will now have to prepare for a trip to Cardiff to face the reigning champions, Cardiff Met, next Wednesday.

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