A sensational hat-trick from hooker Will Roddy powered Oxford University to a hard-fought 37-25 victory over Cambridge in a pulsating Men’s Varsity Match. In a game that ebbed and flowed, the Dark Blues’ forward dominance, particularly from rolling mauls, proved the decisive difference in a contest that saw the lead change hands multiple times.
The match started at a ferocious pace, and Oxford thought they had opened their first chance to score within just four minutes. A powerful move saw Wolfe Morn crash over, but the try was swiftly ruled out for a knock-on in the buildup, much to the frustration of the Dark Blues.
They did not have to wait long. From the resulting scrum, Oxford’s pack exerted immediate pressure, and the ball was spun wide for Will Roddy to power over in the corner. Fullback Harry Bridgewater was narrowly short with the tricky conversion attempt, but Oxford had an early 5-0 lead.
The offensive pressure continued from the Dark Blues, but Cambridge weathered the storm and began to work their way into the game. In the 11th minute, they won a penalty against the Oxford scrum. Kicking to the corner, they capitalised on the resulting lineout, with James Rice barging over a minute later. Collins added the conversion to give Cambridge a 7-5 lead.
The back-and-forth continued. Oxford’s pack, driven superbly by Michael Fanke, began to assert control, creating go-forward ball. In the 25th minute, a looping pass from Josh Hallett found Wolfe Morn, who had space to dart over for Oxford’s second try. Bridgewater, however, was adjudged to have taken too long over the conversion, and the kick was disallowed, leaving the score at 10-7 to Oxford.
The first half proved to be an evenly matched contest. Cambridge full-back George Bland levelled the scores with a well-struck penalty in the 32nd minute, making it 10-10. Oxford’s discipline then let them down, with flanker Fergus Dick sent to the sin bin for repeated offsides in the 34th minute. A reshuffle followed shortly after, with Harry Pratt replacing John Belcher-Heath for technical reasons.
Despite being a man down, Oxford showed tremendous character to retake the lead just before the interval. Another powerful driving maul rumbled towards the Cambridge line, and it was Roddy once again who emerged with the ball. Bridgewater’s conversion drifted wide, but Oxford went into the break with a slender 15-10 advantage.
Half-Time: Oxford University 15 – 10 Cambridge University
Any thoughts of Cambridge mounting a comeback were swiftly silenced by Roddy. Just five minutes into the second half, the Oxford maul was once again unstoppable. The pack rumbled forward with brutal efficiency, allowing their hooker to peel off and claim his third try and complete a magnificent hat-trick. Bridgewater was unable to add the extras, but the lead was now 20-10.
Cambridge, to their credit, refused to buckle. In the 52nd minute, after a period of resilient Oxford defence that held firm under sustained pressure, Patrick Shrimpton managed to bundle the ball over the line for the Light Blues. Bland’s conversion attempt missed, keeping the gap at five points (20-15).
The game needed a moment of quality, and it arrived in the 55th minute from fly-half Hallett. Despite being rushed by terrific Cambridge line speed, he produced a moment of individual brilliance to slice through and re-establish a ten-point cushion. This time, Bridgewater was on target with the conversion, making it 27-15 and giving Oxford breathing room for the first time.
The joy was tempered in the 59th minute when Hallett was forced from the field with an injury, replaced by Dexter Lynch. Cambridge sensed an opportunity and began to pile on the pressure. A high tackle from Harry Pratt gifted Cambridge a penalty, which George Bland duly slotted to reduce the deficit to 27-18.
The game entered a tense phase, but Oxford found another gear. Powerful carrying from Jonty Scott-Brown, who was being manhandled in the tackle, resulted in a penalty which was calmly buried by Bridgewater from a short distance, pushing the lead out to 30-18.
Oxford’s numerical advantage was wiped out in the 69th minute when Wolfe Morn was shown a yellow card for a high tackle. Yet, the Dark Blues showed their resilience while down to 14. In the 71st minute, they turned to their ultimate weapon once more. The forwards pack rumbled another maul towards the line, and there was Will Roddy to claim his fourth try of the afternoon, capping a historic individual performance. Bridgewater converted superbly to make it 37-18.
Cambridge exploited the space left by the sin bin in the 74th minute, with Lewis Cooper darting over for a try, which George Bland expertly converted from out wide to make the score 37-25, setting up a grandstand finish. With the clock in the red, Cambridge launched one final, desperate surge in search of the two scores they needed. But the Oxford defence, battered and bruised, held firm, forcing an error to spark wild celebrations.
Final Score: Oxford University Men 37 – 25 Cambridge University Men
Scoring Sequence (Oxford unless stated):
5min: W. Roddy try (5-0)
12min: J. Rice try (CURUFC), D. Collins con (5-7)
25min: W. Morn try, con disallowed (10-7)
32min: G. Bland pen (CURUFC) (10-10)
40min: W. Roddy try (15-10)
HT: 15-10
45min: W. Roddy try (20-10)
52min: P. Shrimpton try (CURUFC) (20-15)
55min: Hallett try, H. Bridgewater con (27-15)
62min: G. Bland pen (CURUFC) (27-18)
65min: H. Bridgewater pen (30-18)
71min: W. Roddy try, H. Bridgewater con (37-18)
74min: L. Cooper try (CURUFC), G. Bland con (37-25)
Player of the Match: Will Roddy