Varsity Match 2025: Cambridge University RUFC Men’s team battle back to win 35-28 late on against Oxford University at the StoneX Stadium

A late comeback sealed a third straight Varsity Match victory for Cambridge University RUFC Men’s team over their great rivals from Oxford this afternoon.

At one point James Shanahan’s side found themselves 15 points behind their opponents at the StoneX Stadium, but they showed great character to triumph 35-28 and make it a trio of wins in the fixture for the first time since 2007.

Oxford were dominant for much of the first half, yet a spirited fightback from Cambridge meant that there was just three points between the sides heading into the break.

A penalty from Cambridge’s George Bland broke the deadlock after just six minutes, yet within 120 seconds Oxford had scored the game’s opening try. It started with a line-out deep in Cambridge territory and with an effective driving maul it was Michael Fankah that eventually forced the ball over the line.

Henry Bridgewater added the extras, while at the other end a second Bland penalty in the 17th minute got Cambridge back to within a point at 7-6.

But after that Oxford opened up some daylight on the scoreboard thanks to a pair of tries – scored by William Roddy and Fankah – with Bridgewater doing the honours off the tee on both occasions to give his side a 15-point advantage.

However, some ill discipline late in the half proved costly for Oxford. Both Jack Sander and Jack Hamilton were yellow carded in quick succession and Cambridge made their numerical advantage count with two tries. In the 38th minute their forwards went to work to eventually shift the ball out wide to the left for Matt Riddington to dot down, while Alex Christey powered over after the siren had gone following a good interception from Bland, who nailed one of the two conversions.

With Oxford having to start the second half with 13 players, Cambridge will have headed back out on to the pitch sensing a real opportunity to get a firm grip on proceedings.

And yet a combination of some poor handling and resolute work from Oxford meant that the Dark Blues got back up to a full complement of players with no change to the scoreline.

Now with their XV back on the pitch, Oxford opened up a 10-point lead with their fourth try in the 55th minute. Like his team-mate Fankah, it was Roddy that took his personal try account for the afternoon to two when he came from the back of a breakdown and showed good speed and power to get over the line, with Bridgewater again making no mistake with the conversion.

It looked for a period that it would be the game’s defining moment until the 67th minute when Cambridge cut the deficit again via Ryan Santos, who was provided with the easiest of tries from Daniel Hide’s high pass that took out two Oxford players.

And then with just four minutes remaining came the winning moment courtesy of Luke John’s try and another conversion from Bland, who finished the encounter with a penalty.