Women's Varsity Match

On Thursday, 6 December 2018, Oxford play Cambridge in a women's Varsity match for the 32nd time.

The match mirrors the rise of women's rugby in England. The Men's first Varsity match was played in 1872, the Women's in 1988.

That first match was played at Iffley Road, Oxford's ground, Cambridge winning 8-6, after which Oxford took over, winning 13 in a row. Before the match, there were no women rugby players at the two universities. Times have changed.

The match has been played at Twickenham on the same day as the men's match since 2015 when Cambridge recorded its biggest victory - 52-0. In 2016 Oxford won 3-0 and in 2017 it was again Cambridge who own, this time 20-10. Oxford's biggest win was 62-0 in 2000.

Of the 31 matches played, Oxford have won 19, Cambridge 12.

Fittingly for the occasion, the referee is one of England's best, Nikki O'Donnell, a member of the London Society of Referees and a lieutenant in the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army nursing corps.

Teams

Oxford Women: 15 Connie Hurton, 14 Harriet Wigginton, 13 Sophie Trott, 12 Abby D'Cruz (captain), 11 Helen Potts, 10 Fiona Kennedy, 9 Georgia Ling, 8 Hannah Cooper, 7 Honor Murison, 6 Maria Bernier, 5 Katie Collis, 4 Shekinah Opara, 3 Sydney Sopher, 2 Anna Bidgood, v

1 Hazel Ellender.

Replacements: 16 Gwen Cartwright, 17 Susannah Rees, 18 Zoe Durbin, 19 Desiree Vodounon, 20 Joanna Male, 21 Megan Wellens, 22 Megan Carter, 23 Laura Simpson.

Cambridge Women: 15 Lara Gibson, 14 Sophie Farrant, 13 Bluebell Nicholls, 12 Mary Coleman, 11 Amelia Miller, 10 Lucy Gimson, 9 Kate Marks (captain), 8 Emily Pratt, 7 Jenni Shuttleworth, 6 Fiona Shuttleworth, 5 Jacqueline Bramley, 4 Alice Elgar, 3 Emma Pierce, 2 ,Samantha Chan 1 Jenny Orriss

Replacements: 16 Jessica Abele, 17 Sophie Taylor, 18 Charlotte Spruzen, 19 Joa Hoshizaki, 20 Elisha Clark, 21 Sydney Bradshaw, 22 Maxine Meju, 23 Tabbie brought.

Referee: Nikki O'Donnell

Assistant referees: Nia Parsonage, Niamh Hennessy

Television match official: Keith Mark Lewis

Timekeeper: John Burtenshaw

Winners Down the Years

1988: Cambridge

1989: Oxford

1990: Oxford

1991: Oxford

1992: Oxford

1993: Oxford

1994: Oxford

1995: Oxford

1996: Oxford

1997: Oxford

1998: Oxford

1999: Oxford

2000: Oxford

2001: Oxford

2002: Cambridge

2003: Cambridge

2004: Oxford

2005: Cambridge

2006: Oxford

2007: Oxford

2008: Cambridge

2009: Cambridge

2010: Cambridge

2011: Cambridge

2012: Oxford

2013: Oxford

2014: Oxford

2015: Cambridge

2016: Oxford

2017: Cambridge