Richards try sees Cambridge home
UCT old boy James Richards scored a crucial try to help Cambridge record a hard-fought 31-27 victory over Oxford in the 128th Varsity match at Twickenham on Thursday.
Richards, a lively fullback - last seen in UCT colours against Saracens in August, scored in the 66th minute ("from a perfect line of running", according to the BBC Sport match report) and his try put Cambridge ahead at a crucial moment.
Replacement scrumhalf Jamie Hood grabbed a late try to keep his team ahead, but Richards's try was seemingly the major difference in the final analysis.
Cambridge were captained by Wallaby veteran Dan Vickerman, a former UCT student, but both Varsity teams have a long association with the two Western Cape-based Varsity Cup teams - the Ikey Tigers and the Maties.
Of course, Cambridge and Oxford have been the rugby home of various UCT rugby folks over the years; among them UCTRFC President Dougald MacDonald, ex-Springbok coach Nick Mallett, former first team coach Barry O'Mahony and, more recently, Danny Palm and Anthony Knox.
Maties have also produced their fair share of Oxbridge players over the years, with Anton van Zyl (Oxford) and Rudolf Bosch (Cambridge) two of their more recent representatives.
The scorers:
For Oxford:
Tries: Davies, Haydon, Cheesman
Cons: Swanson 3
Pens: Swanson 2
For Cambridge:
Tries: Greenwood, Jones, Broadfoot, Richards, Hood
Cons: Broadfoot 3
The teams:
Oxford University: 15 Christopher Mahony, 14 William Browne, 13 Alex Cheesman, 12 Julian Allfrey, 11 Timothy Catling, 10 Ross Swanson, 9 Nick Haydon, 8 Christopher Davies, 7 Stanley McKeen, 6 John Carter, 5 Nik Van Zyl, 4 Ian Kench, 3 Oliver Tomaszczyk, 2 Daniel Rosen (captain), 1 Richard Lutton.
Replacements: 16 David Rogers, 17 William Johnson, 18 Karl Outen, 19 Makoto Tosa, 20 Willem Klopper, 21 Rhodri James, 22 Sean Morris, 23 Govind Oliver.
Cambridge University: 15 James Richards, 14 James Greenwood, 13 Frederick John Alexander Shepherd, 12 Fred Burdon, 11 David Riley, 10 Ross Broadfoot, 9 Doug Rowe, 8 Ben Maidment, 7 Joe Wheeler, 6 Ed White, 5 Daniel Vickerman (captain), 4 William Jones, 3 Tom Harris, 2 Patrick Barry Joseph Crossley, 1 Niall Conlon.
Replacements: 16 Jamie Stuart Davidson Gilbert, 17 Andrew Daniel, 18 Predee Anuvatnujotikul, 19 Haden Henderson, 20 Jamie Hood, 21 Sandy Reid, 22 William Balfour, 23 Alexander Cheetham.