The Oxford men’s Blues wrote their own piece of history at Twickenham on Thursday afternoon when they won the 134th Varsity Match by 12 points to 6 and extended their winning streak to six and close the overall gap to just two behind Cambridge. After last year’s record margin of victory with a vintage display of attacking rugby, this year’s win was based on a true team ethic and a defence that would just not be breached – the second year running Cambridge have failed to cross Oxford’s line. The leadership qualities of George Messum, were reflected in the performance of the team on the field while he was unfortunately on the sidelines and then even more so when stand-in Captain was forced from the filed after just 45 second with a head injury, Matt Janney stepping into the leadership role with aplomb. Whilst this was a scoreless encounter it did not lack excitement as both teams threw absolutely everything at each other, but it was Oxford who managed to stay calm under intense pressure to find aw in despite not preforming at their best. Freshman wing Tom Stileman was a deserved winner of the Alistair Hignell Medal as Man of the Match.

Team Lewis Anderson, Richard Halpin, Ian Williams, Andrew Grant, Fergus Taylor, Nicholas Roberts-Huntley, William Wilson, Fraser Heathcote, Henry de Berker, George Cullen, Tom Stileman, Henry Lamont, Matt Janney, Henry Hughes, Matt Geiger

Subs Will Thomas (on for Andrew Grant), Ed David (on for Henry Lamont), Kieran Ball (on for Lewis Anderson), William Thornton, Hugo Lu, Graeme MacGilchrist, James Faktor, Andrew Abraham

ScoresP: George Cullen (4)

On a historic day for women’s sport, with the Women’s Varsity Match taking place on the morning at Twickenham for the very first time, unfortunately Oxford cam up against an excellent Cambridge team who ran out deserved winners by 52 points to nil.