Oxford 21 - 10 Cambridge: Oxford gain sweet revenge in Varsity Match

Oxford won the Nomura Varsity Match after Cambridge failed to recover from conceding two first-half tries at Twickenham.

Dark Blues backs Alex Cheesman and James Crozier struck for scores that helped Oxford build an imposing 15-3 interval lead.

Although Cambridge gained a penalty try on the back of a dominant scrum, which skipper Jimmy Richards converted following his earlier penalty, Oxford comfortably did enough for victory.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fly-half Charlie Marr chipped in with three penalties and a conversion - he missed just once from five shots at goal - as Oxford avenged last season's 31-27 defeat.

Cambridge boasted three Scots in their starting XV - hooker Jamie Gilbert, former Fettes captain Sam Hunt at scrum-half and former Edinburgh Academical and Scotland Sevens cap Paul Loudon, who started in the light blue 13 shirt.

It was Oxford, however, who established early territorial supremacy, although both sides were guilty of technical indiscipline that referee Andrew Small punished.

Mistakes abounded during a scoreless opening quarter, but Oxford then went ahead through an opening Marr penalty after Cambridge flanker Jason Kururangi infringed.

And Marr's strike launched a points blitz as the Dark Blues posted two well-worked tries in four minutes.

Cheesman scored the first following quality approach work by his fellow centre Sean Morris, before Cheesman turned provider by sparking some slick threequarter work that resulted in Crozier crossing unopposed.

Marr converted Cheesman's touchdown, leaving Cambridge 15-0 behind and their coaching consultant - Wasps and Wales defence specialist Shaun Edwards - with plenty to ponder.

Richards kicked a penalty on the stroke of half-time following a botched earlier attempt, but Oxford were good value for a 12-point interval lead despite Cambridge showing glimpses of set-piece authority.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cambridge had a try disallowed in the 54th minute following a forward pass - wing Robert Stevens saw his effort erased - but escalating scrummaging control meant the Light Blues remained in contention. And a penalty try arrived just three minutes later when Small's patience ran out with the Oxford pack, and Richards' conversion set up an intriguing finale.

But a second Marr penalty eased Oxford nerves, before he completed his penalty hat-trick in the final minute after Cambridge's Scottish hooker Gilbert had been carried off injured.

.