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.
