Lara Gibson names experienced Cambridge University squad for 31st Women's Varsity Match
Eleven returning Blues selected to take on Oxford
Lara Gibson has named 11 Blues in her Cambridge University team to take on Oxford in the 31st Women’s Varsity Match at Twickenham on Thursday, December 7 (kick off 11.30am).
The Lucy Cavendish College student is accompanied by fellow returnees Alice Middleton, Sophie Farrant, Mary Coleman and Kate Marks in the backs.
And in the forwards, Jess Gurney, Alice Elgar, Laura Nunez-Mulder and Chloe Withers will all win another Blue, with the contingent of Blues completed by Emma Pierce and Jacqueline Bramley among the replacements.
The Light Blues head to Twickenham eager to make up for last year, when they lost 3-0 to Oxford, and their form this season in the British Universities & Colleges Sport, Midlands 1A division would suggest preparations have been going to plan.
They are top of the table with five wins out of five, having scored 362 points and only conceded seven. Their wins have included a 114-0 success over Bournemouth University, a 102 win over Nottingham Trent University and a 97-0 victory over the University of Leicester.
Meanwhile, Oxford are second in Premier South having won four and lost two of their six games.
The 31st Women’s Varsity Match and 136th Men’s Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge Universities returns to Twickenham Stadium on Thursday, December 7, with tickets on sale now from £25 adults and £15 students at www.thevarsitymatch.com.
Cambridge University Women’s team: Alice Middleton (Lucy Cavendish)*; Sophie Farrant (Emmanuel)*, Lara Gibson (Lucy Cavendish)*, Mary Coleman (King’s)*, Bluebell Nicholls (King’s); Clare Donaldson (Clare), Kate Marks (Murray Edwards)*; Jenny Orriss (St Catharine’s), Jess Gurney (Newnham)*, Tamsin Banner (Girton), Alice Elgar (Girton)*, Laura Nunez-Mulder (Emmanuel)*, Fiona Shuttleworth (Pembroke), Chloe Withers (Fitzwilliam)*, Emily Pratt (Emmanuel).
Replacements: Emma Pierce (St Catherine’s)*, Sam Chan (Churchill), Georgina McCoig (Downing), Jacqueline Bramley (Girton)*, Charlotte Spruzen (Queens), Jenni Shuttleworth (Churchill), Rebecca Graves (Girton), Lucy Gimson (St Catherine’s).
* denotes Blue
