Big win for Oxford

In the 137th Varsity Match at Twickenham on 6 December 2018, Oxford beat Cambridge 38-16, five tries to one after Cambridge had led for most of the first half.

The first half was [pretty dull but once Oxford worked out Cambridge's continuous box-kicking, Cambridge were sliding to defeat, still box-kicking away.

In the first half, there was but one try, scored by Dan Barley of Oxford, but even then Oxford had had better chances to score try than Cambridge had.

There was a promising moment early on when Oxford's left wing, Tom Stile man, but the chance petered out.

The first four scores in the match were penalty goals. Two by Mike Phillips gave Cambridge a 6-0 lead before impeccable kicker Tom Humberstone goaled one for a high tackle. 6-3 after 19 minutes.

Cambridge came remarkably close. Chris Bell tapped a penalty and Phillips grubbered as Elliott Baines chased. He grounded the ball as he fell into touch-in-goal. A try was not awarded or even examined though it was desperately close, and play went back for a penalty which Phillips goaled. 9-3 after 34 minutes.

Throughout the match Cambridge had difficulties in winning their own ball from line-outs. They won this won but untidily. Oxford scrounged the ball and they went wide right where fullback Ben Ransom created an overlap for right win Dan Barley who in a flash was over in the corner. Humberstone converted as he did five times, regardless of the difficulty of the kick.

That meant that Oxford went into the break leading 10-9.

In the second half the Oxford backs got into their side, thanks to Bell of Cambridge and their own Ben Ransom. Bell kicked, Ransom caught and Oxford ran.

The first try of the half was not like that. Cambridge were penalised Oxford kicked out and from an attacking line-out drove a powerful maul over the Cambridge line for a try credited to flank Charlie Pozniak. 17-8.

At this stage Nick Koster, Cambridge's heroic captain, was streaming with blood from head wounds. The blood was not really staunched. His changed his jersey but at the final whistle his face was still laced with blood.

Bell kicked, Ransom caught and Oxford went wide right, then wide left, and Stile man beat two defenders to score far out. 24-9, a huge gap for a Varsity Match.

Oxford went through fast phases and spun the ball wide right where Ransom stepped and passed to Barley who again had an overlap. Again he scored. 31-9.

Then while flyhalf Phillips was in the sin bin, Cambridge scored. They kicked a penalty out, mauled and scored a try when Koster grounded the ball in the midst of them. Bell converted. 31-16 with 10 minutes to go.

But back came Oxford with advancing phases. Going tight, Humberstone passed to Stile man who was tackled. Humberstone Picked up dummied and scored despite the attentions of three defenders.

*There was a delightful nigelism in the match. During a break for injury, referee Nigel Owens asked Cambridge centre Jake Hennessy if he would let him (Owens) have a swig from the water bottle he (Hennessy) had. Hennessy said: Yes, sir." Owens said: "Don't call me sir. I'm from West Wales."

Scorers

For Oxford:

Tries: Barley 2, Stile man, Pozniak, Humberstone

Cons: Humberstone 5

Pen: Humberstone

For Cambridge:

Try: Koster

Con: Bell

Pens: Phillips 3

Teams

Oxford: 15 Ben Ransom, 14 Dan Barley, 13 Conor Kearns, 12 Dom Waldouck (captain), 11 Tom Stile man, 10 Tom Humberstone, 9 George Tresidder, 8 Sven Kerneis, 7 Sam Miller, 6 Charlie Pozniak, 5 George Robson, 4 Jasper Dix, 3 Joe Morris, 2 John Aaron Henry, 1 Ben Parker

Replacements: 16 Niel Naudé, 17 Conor Hennessy, 18 Alasdair King, 19 George Warr, 20 Ryan Jones, 21 Dylan McGagh, 22 Louis Jackson, 23 Henry Martin.

Cambridge: 15 Joey Gatus, 14 Elliott Baines, 13 Henry King, 12 Jake Hennessey,11 Joe Story, 10 Mike Phillips, 9 Chris Bell, 8 Nick Koster (captain), 7 Sean McMahon, 6 Stephen Leonard, 5 Andrew Hunter, 4 Jordan Eriksen, 3 William John Dean, 2 Miles Huppatz, 1 Charlie MacCallum

Replacements: 16 Sam Schusman, 17 Henry Somers, 18 Jonathan Dixon, 19 Rowan Beckett, 20 Olly Smart, 21 Charlie Saunders, 22 Oliver Gnodde

Referee: Nigel Owens [Wales]

Assistant referees: Clare Daniels, Gregory Garner

Television match official: Keith Mark Lewis

Timekeeper: John Burtenshaw

Winners Down the Years

1872: Oxford

1873: Cambridge

1873: Draw

1874: Draw

1875: Oxford

1876: Cambridge

1877: Oxford

1879: Draw

1880: Cambridge

1880: Draw

1881: Oxford

1882: Oxford

1883: Oxford

1884: Oxford

1885: Cambridge

1886: Cambridge

1887: Cambridge

1888: Cambridge

1889: Oxford

1890: Draw

1891: Cambridge

1892: Draw

1893: Oxford

1894: Draw

1895: Cambridge

1896: Oxford

1897: Oxford

1898: Cambridge

1899: Cambridge

1900: Oxford

1901: Oxford

1902: Draw

1903: Oxford

1904: Cambridge

1905: Cambridge

1906: Oxford

1907: Oxford

1908: Draw

1909: Oxford

1910: Oxford

1911: Oxford

1912: Cambridge

1913: Cambridge

1914-18: No matches

1919: Cambridge

1920: Oxford

1921: Oxford

1922: Cambridge

1923: Oxford

1924: Oxford

1925: Cambridge

1926: Cambridge

1927: Cambridge

1928: Cambridge

1929: Oxford

1930: Draw

1931: Oxford

1932: Oxford

1933: Oxford

1934: Cambridge

1935: Draw

1936: Cambridge

1937: Oxford

1938: Cambridge

1939-45: No matches

1946: Oxford

1947: Cambridge

1948: Oxford

1949: Oxford

1950: Oxford

1951: Oxford

1952: Cambridge

1953: Draw

1954: Cambridge

1955: Oxford

1956: Cambridge

1957: Oxford

1958: Cambridge

1959: Oxford

1960: Cambridge

1961: Cambridge

1962: Cambridge

1963: Cambridge

1964: Oxford

1965: Draw

1966: Oxford

1967: Cambridge

1968: Cambridge

1969: Oxford

1970: Oxford

1971: Oxford

1972: Cambridge

1973: Cambridge

1974: Cambridge

1975: Cambridge

1976: Cambridge

1977: Oxford

1978: Cambridge

1979: Oxford

1980: Cambridge

1981: Cambridge

1982: Cambridge

1983: Cambridge

1984: Cambridge

1985: Oxford

1986: Oxford

1987: Cambridge

1988: Oxford

1989: Cambridge

1990: Oxford

1991: Cambridge

1992: Cambridge

1993: Oxford

1994: Cambridge

1995: Cambridge

1996: Cambridge

1997: Cambridge

1998: Cambridge

1999: Oxford

2000: Oxford

2001: Oxford

2002: Cambridge

2003: Draw

2004: Oxford

2005: Cambridge

2006: Cambridge

2007: Cambridge

2008: Oxford

2009: Cambridge

2010: Oxford

2011: Oxford

2012: Oxford

2013: Oxford

2014: Oxford

2015: Oxford

2016: Cambridge

2017: Cambridge

2018: Oxford

So far 137 matches have been played

Cambridge has won 63

Oxford has won 60

14 matches have been drawn

Cambridge have scored 1263 points

Oxford have scored 1243 points.