Coreen Grant scores dramatic late try to give Cambridge University victory over Oxford in the 33rd Women's Varsity Match

Coreen Grant's individual brilliance helped earn Cambridge University a third successive win at Twickenham as they defeated Oxford 8-5 in the 33rd Women's Varsity Match.

Time seemed to be slipping away from Cambridge, but with two minutes remaining, the Scottish centre pounced for the Light Blues in a game in which Oxford had defended like trojans.

Having had the larger share of possession for the opening period, Cambridge found themselves conceding the first points of the game.

After a 5m scrum, Oxford went through four phases to inch left for tight-head prop Jessi Abele to touch down.

It was a bit of an eye opener for Cambridge, but they responded in style by going straight down the other end to earn a penalty which Hannah Vandersluis converted to make it 5-3.

It became a stoic battle between the two 22s for the remainder of the half, with line-breaks at a premium for either side.

Phoebe Haste was sin-binned for Oxford for not rolling away after 35 minutes, but despite the numerical advantage, Cambridge were just unable to find a way through.

The Light Blues sprung into life at the start of the second half, with scrum-half Kate Marks scampering clear from halfway only to be halted just shy of the line.

They were unable to build on that momentum though, as the match reverted to being a tussle around halfway.

Oxford were stringing the better phases of play together, but their final execution was just lacking in being able to break into the danger zone.

Having weathered an Oxford encampment for 10 minutes, there was some relief from Cambridge brought about by a great break by Vandersluis but having done the hard work, the Light Blues indiscipline cost them to give the Dark Blues the chance to kick for territory.

There were just two minutes officially left on the clock when Grant made the decisive breakthrough.

A scrum was won just outside the 22 and Marks got the pass away to Elisha Clark, whose pop pass found the inside centre running a great line to scythe through the Oxford defence.

Grant than went round the outside of the winger and carried on running under the posts to touch down.

The final whistle was soon to follow after the restart, sparking joyous Cambridge celebrations

Oxford: Connie Hurton (Pembroke); Clodagh Holmes (University), Abby D’Cruz (Keble), Nina Jenkins (Keble), Helen Potts (New); Pat Metcalfe-Jones (Christ Church), Sile Johnson (St Hugh’s); Hazel Ellender (St Cross), Anna Bidgood (University), Jessica Abele (Exeter), Katie Collis (Lincoln), Carla Schmidt (Magdalen), Ailsa Clark (Worcester), Phoebe Haste (Trinity), Hannah Cooper (Lincoln).

Replacements: Cohen (Haste, 40), Nunn (Holmes, 46), Arik (Schmidt, 52), Haywood (Ellender, 55), Opara (Abele, 67), Carter (Potts, 80+4), Hindson (D'Cruz, 80+4).

Cambridge: Hannah Vandersluis (Peterhouse); Hannah Samuel (Girton), Coreen Grant (Corpus Christi), Bluebell Nicholls (King’s), Ella Halcrow (Murray Edwards); Elisha Clark (St John’s), Kate Marks (Newnham); Laura Bleehen (Girton), Emma Pierce (St Catharine's), Laura Nunez-Mulder (Emmanuel), Hilde Schneeman (Darwin), Lauren Gregory (Corpus Christi), Jenni Shuttleworth (Churchill), Fiona Shuttleworth ( Pembroke), Rose Scowen (Magdelene).

Replacements: Elgar (Gregory, 40), Prowling (Scowen, 74), Hicks (Nunez-Mulder, 79), Atherton (Nicholls, 79).

Referee: Laura Pettingale.

Scorers: 20min Abele try (0-5), 23 Vandersluis pen (3-5), 80+3 Grant try (8-5).