Varsity Match 2025: Cambridge University RUFC Women’s team beaten 27-7 by Oxford University at StoneX Stadium

There was no back-to-back Varsity Match success for Cambridge University RUFC Women’s team as they fell to a 27-7 defeat at the hands of old rivals Oxford University this afternoon.

Following their battling 10-5 triumph 12 months ago, Cambridge headed to the StoneX Stadium in north London aiming for what would have been their sixth victory in the last eight Varsity meetings between the sides.

But Will Cotterill’s new-look squad were on the back foot from the first whistle and while they threatened to launch a comeback early in the second half, ultimately it was a deserved victory for the Dark Blues of Oxford.

With the wind at Oxford’s back and the sun in the eyes of the Cambridge players, almost all of the opening 40 minutes of the contest was played in the latter’s half.

To Cambridge’s credit they weathered plenty of early pressure but their resistance was eventually broken in the 20th minute when Sophie Shams’ pass out to the left was collected by Katie Hains, who did not have to break stride on her way to going over in the corner.

And it was Hains that took Oxford into double digits seven minutes later with a second try. It came about after some good patience from the Oxford forwards eventually saw the ball worked out to the left wing from Michele Szegda’s pass.

Oxford’s third try – scored in the 33rd minute – came from the opposite flank. Cambridge-raised Lilla Berry, who attended Hills Road Sixth Form College, intercepted Morgan Warner’s pass and then sped away to dot down in the far corner.

Presented with difficult opportunities out wide, Chloe-Marie Hawley was unable to convert any of the three first-half tries, meaning Oxford headed into the break with a 15-0 advantage.

Faced with that deficit, Cambridge then also had to contend with losing their captain Bethan Jones inside the opening 60 seconds of the restart. The skipper was visibly in a lot of pain as she was helped off the field of play with what appeared to be a knee injury.

Nevertheless, the Light Blues rallied and after Oxford’s Sophie Shams had been yellow carded, Cambridge made their numerical advantage count in the 42nd minute. Phoebe Jackson and Ali-Mae Brown were the architects with a combination of quick thinking and accurate passing to free Zoe Wright, who powered her way over to put Cambridge’s first points on the board.

Jackson made no mistake with the subsequent conversion, but the momentum was halted in the 50th minute by Oxford’s fourth try of the afternoon. Captain Alex Wilkinson timed her pass to Lucy Hamer to perfection and Oxford’s number 15 got the better of her opposite number Bryher Smith to ease over the line. Once again the extras went begging but it was a moment that seemed to knock the stuffing out Cambridge’s hopes of a fightback.

Oxford went on to score a fifth try with 64 minutes on the clock when Hawley capitalised on some hesitancy within the Cambridge ranks and she rode a couple of challenges to crash over. And Oxford’s fly-half followed it up with her first successful conversion of the encounter from a central position.

That proved to be the end of the scoring as Cambridge stood firm for the remainder of the match to prevent a dominant Oxford outfit from adding to their tally.