Women*s Blues v Cambridge Blues Final score 22-0
SHOEEEEE!!! In a monumental first match between the Dark Blues and the Light Blues it’s safe to say that C*mbridge did not get a look in.
The first half started off strong and stayed strong throughout, with the Oxford Women*s Blues dominating the attack, trapping C*mbridge in their half of the pitch for the majority of the game. It was virtually impossible for C*mbridge to break the Dark Blues defensive line for the little time they had the ball and we got some fantastic tackles in, spanning from the front row to the wing- nobody was safe. It wasn’t very long before our Captain, Alex Wilkinson (Wilko) made a scramble to the try line, making an incredible stretch which scored us our first try of the game- the pressure was on.
Despite the noise from the C*mbridge crowd, the Blues were not disheartened, a kicking match between the team’s 22’s ensued but not once did the dark Blues give C*mbridge a chance to score. It was only a few minutes until our very own Sophie Shams scored us the second try of the game with an incredible race to the try line while the light blues struggled to chase her down, with a score of 10-0 the Women*s Blues maintained their energy, pushing hard up the pitch, closing in on the light blues. Just before the whistle was blown for half-time, Kat Vincent, number 14, did an incredible sprint to score, flying by C*ambridge and giving them no chance to retaliate. The first half commenced with a strong score of 15-0 that showed the light blues that we were not here to mess around.
Where C*mbridge had dominated the scrums in the first half, the second half proved a second wind of energy from the dark blues with C*mbridge once again struggling to combat the advancing attack. The light blues held their own until the final minutes, when pack-leader, Tolu Duckworth, broke C*mbridge’s line of defence and made a spectacular run from the 22-meter line to the cusp of the try line. On the verge of another try in the final two minutes, a triumphant try is scored from one of our new recruit’s- Jess Chiriboga. This debut try was then converted by number 6, Melissa Morley, who set the score at 22-0 to the dark Blues. It is at this point the whistle is blown, the game is over, and Oxford takes home the trophy for the first of three games against C*ambridge this year.
A win that was well-played and well-earned, the Oxford Women*s Blues remain three-times undefeated in this season so far…
Women*s Panthers v Cambridge 30th October 2024
Wednesday saw Panthers face ‘the other place’ in a double header with the Blues. Heading into our first match with tons of new players onboard we were looking forward to a double shoeing. Despite facing an experienced C*mbridge team, we managed to hold our own in the beginning of the match. With a great defensive line we put pressure on C*mbridge and managed to secure a turnover. We slowly and steadily gained ground, with everyone putting in a massive shift to try and get to the score line. Unfortunately, C*mbridge managed to get the ball back, and some great line breaks secured them their first try. Getting some points on the board spurred the tabs on and the rest of the match proved tough for Panthers who did their best to prevent further tries. Despite excellent jackaling, which lead to several turnovers, and a good effort in both attack and defence, C*mbridge managed to score another two tries putting us behind 15-0 at half time.
The second half was an uphill battle to prevent us from conceding any more tries. It was a tough battle, with an unfortunate combination of a speedy C*mbridge squad and losing the rub of the green. Ultimately, the match ended 61-0, but with a brand new Panthers team showing lots of potential, the future looks bright. We are sure to get better and better throughout the season and excited to see where the future takes us!
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