UCT flavour in 128th Varsity clash
Former UCT star James Richards has been named at fullback for Cambridge ahead of the 128th Varsity match against Oxford this Thursday.
Both 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, UCT’s local Varsity Cup rivals, have also produced their fair share of Oxbridge players over the years, with Anton van Zyl (Oxford) and Rudolf Bosch (Cambridge) two of their recent representatives.
Lock Dan Vickerman – who will captain Cambridge – has the experience of 55 caps with Australia to call on as well as a talented team that includes American scrumhalf Doug Rowe, Ross Broadfoot, formerly of Leicester Tigers and London Irish, and ex-Ulster prop Niall Conlon.
“It’s been a good, new season for us,” said Vickerman, himself a former UCT student.
“We’ve embarked on a journey and we’ve had some good games in preparation. All in all we’ve come together well. We’re enjoying it and we’re moving in the right direction.”
Oxford will be led by three-times Blue and former Barbarian Dan Rosen who is in his eighth year at Oxford and is the first former undergraduate to captain Oxford since Rupert Vessey in 1988.
The team that will represent the ‘Dark Blues’ includes last year’s hat-trick hero Tim Catling, John Carter – a former Premiership winner with Sale Sharks, Canadian international Stan McKeen and former Amateur Springbok captain Nicholas van Zyl.
“To be captain of Oxford is an amazing feeling,” said Rosen.
“It is the pinnacle of my rugby career and I’m really excited and a little nervous. The rivalry between Cambridge and us is pretty big. The Varsity match itself is a great match and a big occasion.”
Thursday’s match – which will take place at Twickenham, the home of English rugby – kicks-off at 2pm (4pm SA time).
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.
