Light Blues hold the line and take the honours

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER

Oxford………………. 5pts

Tries: Wilkinson 27

Cambridge…….. 10pts

Try: Heathfield 23

Conversion: Boothroyd 24

Penalty: Boothroyd 16

THERE has been precious little to separate these two teams all season in their two league games – two points in fact – and that again proved the case come the big one.

Oxford, having absorbed a huge amount of pressure in the second half, had rallied at the death and had made their way to within two yards of the Cambridge line in the final minutes and were expecting a penalty call when the decision went the other way and Cambridge cleared their lines and started celebrating.

It was the Light Blues fifth win in the last seven Varsity matches but will have felt particularly sweet after a 31-12 defeat last year and a draw the season before.

Blustery conditions and a wet ball on the 4g pitch didn’t make life easy in the first half and with the adrenaline pumping there were errors aplenty before both sides settled.

Oxford appeared stronger in the tight but Cambridge more dynamic on the carry with two exceptionally athletic locks in Hetta Friend and Libby Bryant. Friend and Bryant were mainstays all afternoon for Cambridge along with No.8 Emily Bell and Laura Vass at centre.

It was Cambridge who drew first blood with a penalty from centre Izzy Boothroyd, a football blue who unsurprisingly strikes a nice ball. The Light Blues poured on the power in the loose soon after with a series of pick and go’s which eventually saw Ella Heathfield force her way over with Boothroyd adding the conversion.

Oxford needed to score next and did when Alex Wilkinson, their lively scrum-half took a quick tapped penalty and sprinted from close range to leaving the score 10-5 to Cambridge at halftime with all to play for.

Strangely the second period produced no points but much tension with Cambridge generally dominating but being thwarted by heroic Oxford defence. The Light Blue also coughed up two yellow cards for high tackles which didn’t help their cause and left themselves vulnerable to a late Oxford surge. It duly arrived but the Light Blues resisted and made away with the spoils.