Varsity Match 2019: Captain Stephen Leonard aiming for fast start from Cambridge University against Oxford University at Twickenham
Stephen Leonard is calling for Cambridge University to come out firing on all cylinders against Oxford in the 138th Varsity Match.
The 23-year-old captain has strength in depth in the Light Blues ranks this year, and wants them to impose themselves on the match early on in order to set the game up for their ‘finishers’.
Controlling those initial emotions will be the key factor, as Leonard explained: “It’s the same as every year as in Varsity Matches the first 10 to 15 minutes are frantic and if we can settle and get into the game early, then hopefully we can get a good foothold quicker than them.
“Then we would end up in a decent position come 50 to 60 minutes and then we have a solid bench that can hopefully come on and finish the job.
“Starting well is always very important and if you chat to any of the old boys going back decades they will all say the same thing.”
Cambridge have six victories from their 10 games this Michaelmas Term, with the fixtures providing a wide range of challenges to test their systems and structures.
They have won their last four, including a different proposition against the Steele-Bodger XV.
“Coming into the Steele-Bodger game, rather than having the usual free-flowing Barbarians-style game of rugby, it was actually very nice to have this attritional, pretty high emotion game that’s a nice build-up to the Varsity Match,” said Leonard.
“In terms of fixtures, our preparation has been pretty good.”
The Light Blues have the experience of former internationals James Horwill and Flip van der Merwe, but the Dark Blues have pedigree of going the Varsity Match distance.
“We’ve had a look at their side and I think they have 14 returning Blues so obviously within that camp they’ve got a bunch of guys that have won Varsity Matches,” said Leonard.
“We only have four of us that have won a Varsity Match in the entire squad, which is quite a big factor when it comes down to it.
“We have experience in other ways, but in terms of winning Varsity Matches, they have the massive upper hand.”
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Varsity Match 2019: Emma Pierce keeps a rich sporting heritage running at Cambridge University RUFC
