Oxford v Cambridge Men's Match 2016

:00:37. > :00:41.Welcome to Twickenham on what is almost a barmy but dreary December

:00:42. > :00:46.afternoon for the annual Varsity match between Oxford and Cambridge.

:00:47. > :00:52.An anachronism in many ways in the modern world of professional rugby.

:00:53. > :00:58.The fixture dates back to 1872. It will be one of the highlights of the

:00:59. > :01:02.playing careers of the players irrespective of other honours. In

:01:03. > :01:07.recent years it has been a one-way street, with Oxford victorious on

:01:08. > :01:13.the last six occasions, including a 46-3 triumph a couple of years ago.

:01:14. > :01:17.What shade of blue will break through the clouds today? There are

:01:18. > :01:24.some shafts of light blue up there at the moment. That will give

:01:25. > :01:31.encouragement to Damian Hopley and Tyrone man. You spend your life in

:01:32. > :01:35.the higher echelons of the game. Where does this fixture set in the

:01:36. > :01:42.general rugby calendar? Even back in our dear -- day, this was almost a

:01:43. > :01:48.trial for England thing. That is gone now. It holds a unique place in

:01:49. > :01:53.British and world rugby. It is two teams, amateur, going toe to toe. It

:01:54. > :01:59.is a fantastic occasion for everyone involved. You were a British Lion on

:02:00. > :02:03.many occasions. The two locations you played in a Varsity Match, why

:02:04. > :02:09.do they sit for a year? When you say you want to live without regrets, we

:02:10. > :02:15.lost both games. That is a sense of regret. The sense of occasion. The

:02:16. > :02:21.sense of tradition and the sense of history. Lots of players have gone

:02:22. > :02:26.before you. All these strange rituals. You meet interesting

:02:27. > :02:32.people. I still have nightmares about this. I should have chipped

:02:33. > :02:37.it. No. It is an amazing occasion. It is a superb family occasion.

:02:38. > :02:41.Increasingly, these players, who may not go on to play professional

:02:42. > :02:47.rugby, this is the biggest day of their rugby and sporting lives. In

:02:48. > :02:50.that alone it has got huge value. In the context of these guys in the

:02:51. > :02:53.autumn of their academic careers, and what has this been the driving

:02:54. > :02:58.force for the last 12 weeks? It is everything. The whole season and

:02:59. > :03:07.lifetime depends on the next 80 minutes. Regardless of whether

:03:08. > :03:13.Cambridge are coming in on four wins in a row, it doesn't matter. And

:03:14. > :03:20.Oxford monopoly in this fixture for the last six years. Does that have

:03:21. > :03:27.any bearing. --? Certainly does. There is a lot of experience on the

:03:28. > :03:32.pitch. There is so much pressure and nerves in these young men. It is who

:03:33. > :03:36.has the composure and calmness to perform in what is for them a hugely

:03:37. > :03:42.perished -- pressurised environment. That experience will help. Self

:03:43. > :03:47.belief counts for a lot. There is going to be some Cambridge side in

:03:48. > :03:52.the future, today our next year, that will overturn this Oxford

:03:53. > :03:58.record. It is up to these guys to do it. We will let Damian go to be part

:03:59. > :04:02.of our commentary team. You will have missed the women's Varsity

:04:03. > :04:06.Match area. Last year it was a one-sided affair with Cambridge

:04:07. > :04:14.winning by 52-0. This year it was a very different affair.

:04:15. > :04:19.Again, a little bit of a tangle for a Cambridge. Both teams guilty of

:04:20. > :04:24.that. Getting in front of each other. The referee is happy that no

:04:25. > :04:33.obstruction was caused. Play can continue. Hansen wasn't expected to

:04:34. > :04:37.start today. The Swede was meant to start on the bench. But because of

:04:38. > :04:42.the injury and reshuffle she has ended up starting. Catherine

:04:43. > :04:50.Wilcock, the captain, stepping up for this first penalty opportunity.

:04:51. > :05:00.And she has got points on the board for Oxford, who now lead in the

:05:01. > :05:06.Varsity Match. Look at this run. It is Sophie Trott. She needs better

:05:07. > :05:12.support. She has run nearly half the length of the field. They need to

:05:13. > :05:22.back it up. Numbers on the far side. Cambridge need to look up and see

:05:23. > :05:28.them. Unable to connect with the ball. Somehow Cambridge win it back.

:05:29. > :05:34.Brilliant break from Sophie Trott. It is this ball which goes into our

:05:35. > :05:41.hands. So graceful gliding through the gap. She sees she is about to

:05:42. > :05:44.arrive into the space of Alice Middleton and steps inside. A small

:05:45. > :05:53.mistake in the end. Half the length of the pitch.

:05:54. > :06:02.Add to the far side. Here comes Sophie Trott. She is still going.

:06:03. > :06:09.Eventually she is taken down. It is pulled back on full-back. We are

:06:10. > :06:15.enjoying the 15 contest. This tale of two full-backs just continues.

:06:16. > :06:19.Middleton had Sophie Trott lined up. There was nowhere for a Sophie Trott

:06:20. > :06:27.to go. A big smile on her face. She pins her ears back. The angle Alice

:06:28. > :06:32.Middleton has got, there was only one way that was going to finish.

:06:33. > :06:33.See smashes her off the park. A brilliant contest between two very

:06:34. > :06:51.good players. Charlton has stepped one position

:06:52. > :06:55.inside. What a one-handed pass. It was Middleton who gave her the ball.

:06:56. > :07:01.And Sophie Trott is waiting. A big hit. She stops the flow. What a

:07:02. > :07:16.one-handed pass from Middleton to France. -- far rant. They are

:07:17. > :07:22.combining well. She frees the ball up to get the flawed. Pinning her

:07:23. > :07:29.ears back. A tale of two full-backs again.

:07:30. > :07:39.Is this the opportunity? She is still going! She is eventually taken

:07:40. > :07:42.down by Sophie Trott. She couldn't get the step away. They need to move

:07:43. > :07:51.this quickly. They have taken it back inside. Middleton knocks it on.

:07:52. > :07:54.It's not going to come. That was as close as Cambridge were ever going

:07:55. > :08:02.to get in this match. It would be a scrum for Oxford. What a line from

:08:03. > :08:10.Laura Suggett. She steps inside. Seize the defence. -- she sees the

:08:11. > :08:28.defence. Sophie Trott the saviour for Oxford again at the back.

:08:29. > :08:33.Middleton is there. Sophie Trott, take a bow! I think she may have

:08:34. > :08:38.injured herself in the process. What a hit. What a try saving tackle.

:08:39. > :08:51.Another excellent head back from Sophie Trott. -- hit. Let's what it

:08:52. > :09:00.one more time. It is the timing. You are careering across the pitch,

:09:01. > :09:05.sprinting to get there. Tight at the front. Is this going to be the

:09:06. > :09:15.perfect ball? Burn hazard. She getaway. The defence has to hold.

:09:16. > :09:20.The referee says no. She is saying it didn't come incorrectly. And

:09:21. > :09:28.Oxford have done it! They have won back the varsity Trophy in the most

:09:29. > :09:32.incredible of circumstances. It was only a three point ball Gary

:09:33. > :09:37.Streeter looks like he has got tears in his eyes. He can't believe they

:09:38. > :09:44.have done it. The first time they have won it since 2014.

:09:45. > :09:47.It was a truly unbelievable performance by the Oxford defence.

:09:48. > :09:51.The number of tackles that team must have put in hats to number in the

:09:52. > :09:57.hundreds. And Catherine Wilcock, who is reading history, a moment of

:09:58. > :10:04.history for her and the rest of her team. The first woman to captain

:10:05. > :10:10.Oxford to victory at Twickenham. Obviously, desolation Cambridge. The

:10:11. > :10:15.Oxford full-back, Sophie Trott, who was absolutely outstanding, we will

:10:16. > :10:21.hopefully talk to her at half-time. Kick-off gets ever nearer for the

:10:22. > :10:25.men's much. To roll how is here. Last year we spoke about Jamie

:10:26. > :10:34.Roberts, who limped out of the game injured and didn't have much of an

:10:35. > :10:37.impact. Today, Charlie Amesbury is the big name. He has been a

:10:38. > :10:40.Premiership player at Newcastle and now at Bristol. How difficult that

:10:41. > :10:46.full-back will it be for him to impact on the match? That is the big

:10:47. > :10:51.challenge. He is wholly dependent on set piece possession from his pack.

:10:52. > :10:55.And good distribution from the half-backs. One would expect that

:10:56. > :11:03.Oxford will not want to kick too much to him. There is a little bit

:11:04. > :11:08.more space. Defences are more fractured. Huge opportunities for

:11:09. > :11:13.him. The question is, can he get his hands on the ball? This is a match

:11:14. > :11:22.of enormous history. It was first played at Twickenham in 1921. The

:11:23. > :11:29.BBC showed this match in 19 28. And here we are, still going strong.

:11:30. > :11:35.The players gathered for the match between Oxford and Cambridge. After

:11:36. > :11:48.the edible, Oxford had the advantage. What a try!

:11:49. > :11:53.And commentary on the 135th Varsity Match comes from Damian Hopley and

:11:54. > :12:07.Chris Jones. Good afternoon and welcome to

:12:08. > :12:12.Twickenham as the teams come out of the tunnel, past the famous trophy.

:12:13. > :12:17.Oxford led by their skipper, the second row Fergus Taylor, and

:12:18. > :12:24.Cambridge by Daniel Dass, their captain. For many of these players,

:12:25. > :12:30.the biggest game of their lives. For the winners, joy. For the losers,

:12:31. > :12:34.despair. Oxford may have won the last six, but Cambridge have been

:12:35. > :12:38.bullish this week. They feel if they play well they will win. And end

:12:39. > :12:48.this long run of defeat against the Dark Blues. The players lining up.

:12:49. > :12:54.Cambridge in the light blue. Oxford in the dark blue. We will talk

:12:55. > :13:10.through the teams after the national anthem.

:13:11. > :14:09.Oxford have won the last six and they have a large contingent of

:14:10. > :14:15.players who know all about winning at Twickenham. They are without

:14:16. > :14:26.Lewis Anderson, who mixed his last -- maximum six bars last year. --

:14:27. > :14:32.varsity 's. Wilson has moved from seven to eight. There are captained

:14:33. > :14:44.by Fergus Taylor. De Berker is alongside Strang. Cambridge have

:14:45. > :14:47.lost six. Plenty of blue blood along the Light Blues. Last year Jimmy

:14:48. > :14:51.Robertson. This year, Charlie Amesbury of Bristol. Daniel Dass,

:14:52. > :14:57.the skipper, switches to number eight. Fraser Gillies plays his

:14:58. > :15:10.third Varsity Match. Tullie, his fourth.

:15:11. > :15:19.The referee is Tim Wigglesworth, who took charge of this fixture in 2012.

:15:20. > :15:28.A Premiership referee since 2007. Vastly experienced. To start us off

:15:29. > :15:40.will be Fraser Gillies. It is taken in by Will Wilson. The Oxford number

:15:41. > :15:43.eight. Henry de Berker back at scrum-half for the Dark Blues, finds

:15:44. > :15:50.Basil Strang, a science teacher playing in his second Varsity Match.

:15:51. > :15:57.Good afternoon, Damian Hopley. Good afternoon, Chris. What are the first

:15:58. > :16:01.few minutes of this game like? You spend the entire season building up

:16:02. > :16:06.to this. You can understand the huge pressure these players feel under.

:16:07. > :16:10.Oxford has got everything to lose. Six from six. Cambridge want a

:16:11. > :16:18.patient start and to get the set piece working. The Cambridge rolling

:16:19. > :16:30.maul had plenty of success last year. Moving over the 22. Controlled

:16:31. > :16:39.at the back by Andrew Hunter. Now their breakaway. A big carried by

:16:40. > :16:50.Mike Phillips in midfield. Cambridge only ten metres out. Daniel Dass had

:16:51. > :16:57.a big game last year in the number seven shirt, the Ulsterman. Triniman

:16:58. > :17:02.was pulled down. The turnover is good, says the referee. That was Tom

:17:03. > :17:12.Stileman, last year's man of the match. Oxford clear their lines. The

:17:13. > :17:17.first chance to see Amesbury attack. Helped out by Henry King. Cambridge

:17:18. > :17:32.with all the ball in the opening stages.

:17:33. > :17:41.A good start from the Light Blues? Yes, and they need it. They need to

:17:42. > :17:46.settle their nets as soon as they can. Good continuity, making the

:17:47. > :17:52.ball available well. Half chance for a Rory Triniman. Oxford Sharp on the

:17:53. > :17:56.breakdown. Cambridge need to find points in this position. It is

:17:57. > :18:04.important to start well and they are doing so. For top -- A good start so

:18:05. > :18:23.important to their confidence. The Cambridge maul making some

:18:24. > :18:31.ground. Gaining traction. Is it playable for Tullie? Yes. He finds

:18:32. > :18:42.Fraser Gillies. Cambridge continued to press.

:18:43. > :18:51.Gillies charged down. Good work by Wilson. The Oxford number eight. And

:18:52. > :18:52.now Oxford have their first decent set of possession. They have the

:18:53. > :19:19.penalty. The first few minutes was all

:19:20. > :19:24.Cambridge, but Oxford show their experience. Oxford do not want to be

:19:25. > :19:31.the size that lose that six match winning record, so I'm sure they

:19:32. > :19:36.take huge confidence, and talking with John Carter the previous

:19:37. > :19:48.captain, Oxford have really built on the culture within the squad.

:19:49. > :19:56.Eckhardt is the Oxford hooker. -- Ed Hart. Daniel Dass, the Cambridge

:19:57. > :20:02.skipper. And that is their first good it of all this afternoon.

:20:03. > :20:33.Andrew Grant back in the second row for his second varsity.

:20:34. > :20:42.De Berker looking to snipe a lot in the opening five minutes. A penalty

:20:43. > :20:48.to Oxford. And a chance for the first points of the afternoon. Good

:20:49. > :20:51.control from de Berker and Strang. Waiting patiently, moving the ball

:20:52. > :20:59.around. The first opportunity for the Dark Blues. A couple of men

:21:00. > :21:05.offside in the Cambridge line. Henry de Berker playing his third Varsity

:21:06. > :21:12.Match. Studying a medicine degree. He has been prominent in the opening

:21:13. > :21:19.stages. Basel Strang, the fly-half, played a couple of years ago. In

:21:20. > :21:34.eligible last year. A science teacher. He has a chance to put

:21:35. > :21:39.Oxford ahead. Pushed to the right. Damian, how much do you want to get

:21:40. > :21:44.your first kick in that situation, especially fairly regulation as that

:21:45. > :21:49.was? Of course I am in parcel. But again, you want to get ahead. So

:21:50. > :22:00.much pressure. A letter offer Cambridge. -- a let off for

:22:01. > :22:06.Cambridge. Henry Hughes, very experienced, in his fifth Varsity

:22:07. > :22:09.Match. Plenty of whooping and hollering from Cambridge. They would

:22:10. > :22:18.need all that intensity if they are to break this long run. No win since

:22:19. > :22:21.2009. There are captained by Dan Vickerman. Cambridge is looking to

:22:22. > :22:39.keep the set piece ticking. A tester for Strang. Hit hard by

:22:40. > :22:41.Amesbury. Cambridge may look to turn this over. Oxford did well to claim

:22:42. > :23:03.possession. Strang missed his first kick at

:23:04. > :23:21.goal. Amesbury opting not to counterattack. Strang with plenty of

:23:22. > :23:25.time. Good kick from Strang. Yes, he can kick the ball a long way. The

:23:26. > :23:30.experience he has, coming back for his second Varsity Match. A

:23:31. > :23:35.wonderful crossfield kick from Fraser Gillies. Both teams happy to

:23:36. > :23:41.let the opposition have the ball. Still a lot of nerves even though we

:23:42. > :23:45.are almost ten minutes in. Charlie taking a secondment from Bristol.

:23:46. > :23:53.Last year it was Jimmy Robertson. How much pressure do these big names

:23:54. > :23:57.feel? The pressure is on them. Jamie Roberts coming off with a dead leg

:23:58. > :24:05.at half-time had an impact. Charlie is loving it at Cambridge and

:24:06. > :24:12.relishing today's game. A tricky kick from Gillies. Basil Strang goes

:24:13. > :24:22.well. He sees plenty of space. Nicely weighted. Cambridge, through

:24:23. > :24:27.Gillies. He has not really got hold of that one. A big territorial gain

:24:28. > :24:32.for Oxford through the boot of Basil Strang. Great vision from Strang.

:24:33. > :24:38.Wide-open spaces. Happy to let Cambridge habit. The unforced error.

:24:39. > :24:45.Poor execution of the kick from Fraser Gillies. The best attacking

:24:46. > :24:52.platform of the opening ten minutes for the Dark Blues. Not played

:24:53. > :24:58.entirely cleanly. Tidied up nicely by Blomfield. The Aussie in the back

:24:59. > :25:08.row. A strong carry around the corner. Oxford moving over the 22.

:25:09. > :25:10.Again de Berker has a sniper. -- sniped. He has done that a few

:25:11. > :25:26.times. First little bit of fisticuffs. Any

:25:27. > :25:35.issues when you played in 92? No, we were incredibly gentlemanly to each

:25:36. > :25:38.other. I get is least involved in physical as possible. It is a good

:25:39. > :25:44.sign. Ollie Phillips, former England sevens player, involved with

:25:45. > :25:49.Cambridge this year. It is great to see that this means so much to these

:25:50. > :26:01.young men. It is a result that will last them a lifetime.

:26:02. > :26:06.The celebration tonight will have a different tone for the winners

:26:07. > :26:14.compared to the losers. First scrum of the game. Oxford have got the

:26:15. > :26:20.penalty. The body language from Oxford shows they are up for this

:26:21. > :26:34.battle in the front row. Kieran Ball and Joe Morris in the front row.

:26:35. > :26:39.Strang missed his first kick. Surely can't miss his second? Jonathan

:26:40. > :26:47.Dixon under pressure from Kieran Ball. Ball has experience as an

:26:48. > :26:57.England under 16 and 18 is player. -- 18s.

:26:58. > :27:10.Here is Strang. This time he makes no mistake. So Oxford, who have

:27:11. > :27:11.dominated this fixture the last six years, again go into the lead after

:27:12. > :27:38.11 minutes. Loose from the kick-off. Strang is

:27:39. > :27:43.full of confidence after his first successful kick at goal. Six foot

:27:44. > :27:52.five, Basil Strang. The knock-on advantage over, says referee Tim

:27:53. > :27:59.Wigglesworth. Oxford look to play at from their own 22. Good carry from

:28:00. > :28:05.Matt Geiger. He had a golden opportunity to score last year.

:28:06. > :28:11.Oxford won that 12-6. Strang under pressure. Oxford still keeping it in

:28:12. > :28:32.the hand. A chance for a Charlie Amesbury to

:28:33. > :28:36.counterattack. A lot of eyes on the Bristol player. He has also played

:28:37. > :28:51.at Harlequins, Newcastle and Sale Sharks. Oxford with the line-out.

:28:52. > :28:56.Oxford have strong defence. They are putting pressure on Cambridge. You

:28:57. > :29:00.hope that Cambridge can actually attack with a bit more vigour when

:29:01. > :29:09.the counterattacking opportunities, Krul. Oxford are looking very

:29:10. > :29:21.comfortable. -- when the counterattacking opportunities come.

:29:22. > :29:29.Oxford again putting some width on the ball. Geiger, the full-back,

:29:30. > :29:35.only five foot eight. A bit of hustle and bustle. Another player

:29:36. > :29:52.who has had representative honours with England. Geiger ran into

:29:53. > :29:57.Tullie. Oxford Drive on. A penalty. Slightly high tackle from Cambridge.

:29:58. > :30:01.After those first few minutes, do you get the sense that Oxford, with

:30:02. > :30:07.all that winning experience behind them, are going into this game? They

:30:08. > :30:11.are. We knew that Cambridge would come out all guns blazing. The

:30:12. > :30:19.defence has been strong on both teams. A high tackle going in there.

:30:20. > :30:22.Strong defence. Managing to -- Oxford managing to contain

:30:23. > :30:27.Cambridge, keep field position and move into their half. Hunter looking

:30:28. > :30:43.not to have seen a yellow card. Amesbury clears downfield. Strang

:30:44. > :30:55.has spent plenty of time in the backfield. He boots it into the

:30:56. > :31:07.greater can skies. Grey Twickenham skies. Good boot on him, Basil

:31:08. > :31:13.Strang. Excellent. He has learned his game at the Warriors. A lot of

:31:14. > :31:17.kicking in the opening quarter of an hour, but Oxford on the whole have

:31:18. > :31:27.been winning. Another pinpoint kick from Strang, said Tullie for

:31:28. > :31:32.Cambridge. Wilson in no hurry, and Oxford line-out on the halfway. They

:31:33. > :31:40.have gone quickly, surely forward from Wilson to Henry Hughes. Oxford

:31:41. > :31:50.play on, got away with that one. The skipper looks deep, there is a bit

:31:51. > :31:54.of space for Stileman now. A good tussle in the opening quarter of

:31:55. > :32:01.this game. Counter ruck from Cambridge is good so is the referee.

:32:02. > :32:08.Tullie sees it, but it pops instead to Brian du Toit.

:32:09. > :32:27.Tullie's kick is fielded by Will Wilson, the history undergrad.

:32:28. > :32:34.Pulled down by opposite number Dass. Strang goes deep. A bit of space now

:32:35. > :32:40.fit David on the far side, and he has gone around Briggs. What a run,

:32:41. > :32:55.but he is upended, huge tackle coming in by Amesbury. After a David

:32:56. > :33:06.cut through the defence. He is still struggling over there. Oxford attack

:33:07. > :33:11.in centre field. He has still got his hands on his knees, did all that

:33:12. > :33:18.good work only to get completely and utterly upended. Henry Hughes has an

:33:19. > :33:24.option outside him but doesn't need it, and he is over the 22. Amesbury

:33:25. > :33:29.again as the last line of defence, but Oxford attacking with real

:33:30. > :33:37.vigour here. Kieran Ball the loosehead, they are in centre field,

:33:38. > :33:47.Oxford. The Berker, deep to Alex Hogg. Back to Henry Hughes. Do

:33:48. > :33:53.Berker looks blind. He is pulled down by the Cambridge skipper. And

:33:54. > :33:57.it will be a line-out to Oxford, but if you just look at them in attack,

:33:58. > :34:02.the dark Blues are making things happen, and this is the break from

:34:03. > :34:08.Ed David, up against Will Briggs. No contest. And here is the tackle that

:34:09. > :34:15.came in by Amesbury, and it is textbook as well. When Hughes came

:34:16. > :34:18.through, Amesbury again was the last line of defence, so the professional

:34:19. > :34:24.has bailed the Light Blues out twice. He has done very well, it

:34:25. > :34:30.must have been Ed David's dream to look up and see a prop on the wing.

:34:31. > :34:36.But he halved him, a nice welcome to the Varsity match. If you remember

:34:37. > :34:39.the game last year, the likes of Hughes and Geiger Stileman, the man

:34:40. > :34:44.of the match, they were dangerous with the ball in hand, it is a game

:34:45. > :34:52.we are seeing, that attacking ability. I do think the broken field

:34:53. > :34:56.situation, you have to favour Oxford more, they look comfortable with the

:34:57. > :35:01.ball in hand. That was fantastic technique, but I do think it will

:35:02. > :35:05.suit Oxford, and they are trying to move Cambridge around to create more

:35:06. > :35:09.for their backs. Wilson takes it, they peel round the corner through

:35:10. > :35:17.Blomfield, and Oxford looking dangerous. They have a 3-0 lead, but

:35:18. > :35:24.they are sniffing the first try in the Varsity game for a couple of

:35:25. > :35:29.years. Kieran Ball, the Lucent. De Berker finds Strang, options short

:35:30. > :35:35.and wide. Stileman sends it out to David, looking for the corner, good

:35:36. > :35:40.tackle by Phillips. Ed David sniffed the corner flag, but really well

:35:41. > :35:49.don't buy Mike Phillips in the Cambridge number 12 jersey as David

:35:50. > :35:55.looked to the corner flag. Good composure again by Oxford, they are

:35:56. > :36:02.moving the ball well. Ed David set loose, but it was a wonderful tackle

:36:03. > :36:13.from Mike Phillips. Pressure on the Cambridge line-out. Look and finds

:36:14. > :36:18.Tim Bond, nicely done, they find the century of touch that gives Oxford

:36:19. > :36:19.line-out over on the far side in between the 22 and the ten metre

:36:20. > :36:29.line. How important is it for Cambridge to

:36:30. > :36:33.score next and not for Oxford to score the try and open up a bit of a

:36:34. > :36:36.lead? You just feel that have Oxford could get more points on the board,

:36:37. > :36:43.it starts to become more of a psychological issue. I know

:36:44. > :36:47.Cambridge have drafted in the England defence coach, hopefully

:36:48. > :36:54.they can keep this up. Strang up against Gillies. Oxford starting to

:36:55. > :37:01.tick here after 20 minutes, the ball slightly slowed up for the Berker. A

:37:02. > :37:06.little knock-on, frustrating for Oxford, but we spoke about Basil

:37:07. > :37:10.Strang and his big vote, he was using all of that 6-foot five French

:37:11. > :37:15.burst through. It is almost like having another back row playing at

:37:16. > :37:18.fly half, obviously making some good yardage, but the knock-on at the

:37:19. > :37:25.base year means Cambridge have the opportunity to clear the line. The

:37:26. > :37:33.first scrum was dominated by Oxford, who won the penalty. Gave Strang a

:37:34. > :37:37.chance to put Oxford into the lead. So, pressure now again on the

:37:38. > :37:43.Cambridge set piece. Will Briggs, the experienced former captain.

:37:44. > :37:49.Andrew Burnett and Jonathan Dixon in the front row with him. Here is

:37:50. > :37:56.Daniel Dass, lively with the ball in hand. He sets up a platform for his

:37:57. > :38:01.scrum-half, Tullie. Gillies under pressure, so only finds Matt Geiger,

:38:02. > :38:06.who looks for the skies, and he has hooked this one up on the full. I

:38:07. > :38:12.wonder if he should have kept that in hand given what Oxford have done

:38:13. > :38:21.so far. Excuse the pun, but last time Geiger was an outstanding

:38:22. > :38:32.counterattack. He is an outstanding broken field runner.

:38:33. > :38:42.This time the Cambridge line-out does malfunction, a bit of a

:38:43. > :38:45.collision in midfield, no harm done and smiles all round, but Cambridge

:38:46. > :38:51.for the first time, there line-out going a bit awry. That was a big

:38:52. > :38:54.collision involving Brian du Toit for Cambridge. But it will be a

:38:55. > :39:18.scrum to Oxford. So, de Berker to feed for Oxford,

:39:19. > :39:25.who after a slow start are making the most of territory and possession

:39:26. > :39:29.in this 135th Varsity match, first played back in 1872, and again the

:39:30. > :39:32.Oxford scrum marches forward. Stileman making grand over the ten

:39:33. > :39:39.metre line, that tax free for Oxford ever dangerous. Nick

:39:40. > :39:53.Roberts-Huntley, the MBA student, qualified Dr. Another experienced

:39:54. > :39:57.operator in Henry Hughes. Finds skipper Taylor, but this time,

:39:58. > :40:03.Cambridge spoil well at the breakdown. Oxford holding on, and

:40:04. > :40:10.moving back into territory. Excellent work from Du Toit.

:40:11. > :40:17.Cambridge have nine new Blues, Oxford have many returning. They

:40:18. > :40:22.don't have the horror story of the last six years to hang over them.

:40:23. > :40:26.Cambridge now into the Oxford half. I spoke to Daniel Dass before the

:40:27. > :40:30.game, and he said it was a new team looking to make their own history,

:40:31. > :40:33.and it almost serves the welter have so many new faces, because we are

:40:34. > :40:40.not scarred by the memories of the last six years. And Dass has led

:40:41. > :40:48.very well in the last 20 minutes, play looking to rewrite history

:40:49. > :40:51.books. 19-year-old Andrew Burnett finds his man, nicely done at the

:40:52. > :40:55.front of the line-out, and now Cambridge, they can get this going,

:40:56. > :40:59.which brought them joy lasted, and so far this game they have managed

:41:00. > :41:04.to really make some ground with their rolling ball. They have

:41:05. > :41:12.already gone ten metres or so up to the 22. Tullie finds the hook of

:41:13. > :41:18.Barnett. Wilson over that ball for Oxford, but it is back on the light

:41:19. > :41:23.side as Blomfield pause forward. That was legal, according to the

:41:24. > :41:30.referee. Dass now in centre field, loose ball. It will be a scrum to

:41:31. > :41:45.Cambridge at least. They are playing the advantage.

:41:46. > :41:51.Advantage over, says the referee. A little space for Phillips, key

:41:52. > :42:12.kicks, a test of the David. Fairly wisely looks to Basil Strang,

:42:13. > :42:17.who makes decent metre ridge up the pitch. As you would expect, trying

:42:18. > :42:20.to get the ball to Strang as often as possible, he has looked

:42:21. > :42:26.controlled throughout this game. He and de Berker have had a strong

:42:27. > :42:29.start for Oxford. Cambridge doing well, they are still very much in

:42:30. > :42:35.this game, only one penalty between the sides. I wonder if the referee,

:42:36. > :42:40.Tim Wigglesworth, will let the game flow a little because there will be

:42:41. > :42:46.nervous. The standard is clearly lower than a Premiership game, there

:42:47. > :42:53.has not been a lot of whistle in this game. Tom Stanley of Cambridge,

:42:54. > :43:00.they are over the gain line. Gives Dass a chance to tear into midfield.

:43:01. > :43:04.Gillies looks for the Cambridge winner, it sets up for Davies, and

:43:05. > :43:09.he is at the try line, was he tackled off the ball by Strang?

:43:10. > :43:14.There is some Boeing from some sections of the Cambridge fans.

:43:15. > :43:20.Lovely kick from Gillies, David onto it. Strang came across to save the

:43:21. > :43:26.day, but I just wonder if he took Davies out without the ball in any

:43:27. > :43:32.shape or form. I think that is probably OK, Davies didn't claim it.

:43:33. > :43:38.It is a tight call, but the referee happy that it was knocked on first.

:43:39. > :43:41.Clever thinking there from Gillies. They don't seem to have the cutting

:43:42. > :43:44.edge that Oxford have in the backline, especially the back three,

:43:45. > :43:49.but using the boot the sensible option. And certainly space in the

:43:50. > :43:55.time this Oxford defence. Good work from Gillies.

:43:56. > :44:03.Five metres from their own line, their scrum so far has had the

:44:04. > :44:06.better of Cambridge. They have the march on again, but referee

:44:07. > :44:13.Wigglesworth said that both front rows popped up simultaneously. If

:44:14. > :44:17.you are Cambridge here, the last thing you want to do is give away

:44:18. > :44:19.the penalty and relieve the pressure that has been built. They really

:44:20. > :44:33.just want another throw to Oxford. So, just the one Basil Strang

:44:34. > :44:39.penalties so far. Last year it was only 12-6 to the dark Blues, so it

:44:40. > :44:46.hasn't been high-scoring for a couple of years. It was a hammering

:44:47. > :44:48.in 2014 when Oxford prevailed 43-6. But they are inevitably quite cagey

:44:49. > :44:56.affairs, the Varsity match. Referee warbles with wanting the

:44:57. > :45:10.front rows to behave. He has been a Premiership referee

:45:11. > :45:13.for almost ten years, so all the tricks of the trade in the front row

:45:14. > :45:18.he will have seen many times, nothing that these students will be

:45:19. > :45:26.able to do, you would imagine, to fool referee Tim Wigglesworth.

:45:27. > :45:34.Free kick to Oxford, that will be a source of annoyance for the

:45:35. > :45:39.Cambridge management, having built oldest territory, to just give it

:45:40. > :45:42.away, and that is strong from Will Wilson, wearing number seven last

:45:43. > :45:48.year, now wearing number eight. He impressed last year. And it is a

:45:49. > :45:51.penalty to Oxford as Cambridge don't release the ball carrier, so one

:45:52. > :45:56.free kick, one penalty and Oxford can move out of their own 22.

:45:57. > :46:01.Disappointing to let the pressure off from Cambridge, particularly

:46:02. > :46:09.when Basil Strang is kicking very, very well today. Last year 12-6,

:46:10. > :46:14.this year 3-0 after half an hour. Why so cagey? Will it always be a

:46:15. > :46:19.tense affair because of the nature of it? Yes, no one wants to make the

:46:20. > :46:22.mistake leads to scores or tried penalties or positions, so everyone

:46:23. > :46:27.is so nervous, certainly second half. There will be strong words

:46:28. > :46:32.from the coaches at the break, which I am sure will calm everyone down.

:46:33. > :46:40.From a light bloopers but give, I am feeling relaxed that they are still

:46:41. > :46:47.very much in this game. -- from a light blue perspective.

:46:48. > :46:50.Basil Strang has a massive boot, and he is Charlie Amesbury have been

:46:51. > :46:56.playing kick tennis for a large part of the opening half an hour, but

:46:57. > :47:01.this time Amesbury does run with it. Has he been held up by Oxford? It

:47:02. > :47:10.looks like he has got it to ground. Looking messy on the far side, but

:47:11. > :47:16.Tullie finds Du Toit. Now Gillies, will he look for the boot? That is

:47:17. > :47:24.good flow to Hunter. Lovely hands from the hooker. Davies is tackled

:47:25. > :47:31.well into touch. Excellent from Henry de Berker. Good hands from the

:47:32. > :47:37.Cambridge forwards. Hunter and Burnett both prominent forward.

:47:38. > :47:42.Henry de Berker, Talisman of the side, it looks like he has picked up

:47:43. > :47:48.an arm injury or a hand injury. He came across to this tackle here,

:47:49. > :47:53.great covering from the nine, but straightaway you saw the plane, left

:47:54. > :47:58.arm, left hand. But he is up and about. A few running repairs for

:47:59. > :48:03.both set of forwards, but it looks like he will be able to continue.

:48:04. > :48:09.Great off-load from Dass, but Cambridge need to get some

:48:10. > :48:14.continuity going, as Oxford have in this half. Dass is such a key man.

:48:15. > :48:22.If he can get those balls out of contact, Cambridge will be in

:48:23. > :48:30.business. Big day out for the crowd here. We had this during the autumn

:48:31. > :48:36.internationals, with the Twickenham crowd with their lights. It is

:48:37. > :48:42.better I suppose later in the evening. Is this a day in the

:48:43. > :48:48.calendar that as a student has either of these universities, you

:48:49. > :48:53.circle it and say, that is our day. I suppose it might be the holidays

:48:54. > :48:57.now. It is a fantastic family occasion, a great occasion for us

:48:58. > :49:00.old likes to get together and talk about the glory years, so most

:49:01. > :49:04.enjoyable all-round. Cambridge have stolen the Oxford line-out, and I

:49:05. > :49:08.don't think Dass was expecting that from scrum-half Tullie, so the

:49:09. > :49:17.skipper Daniel Dass in his third Varsity. Played for Ulster under

:49:18. > :49:22.18th and 19th. He knocked that one on, so Oxford will have the scrum.

:49:23. > :49:25.You feel if Cambridge are not going to break the stranglehold Oxford

:49:26. > :49:30.have on this pitch, they have to take their opportunities when in

:49:31. > :49:34.Oxford territory. That is key to the entire performance of Cambridge,

:49:35. > :49:42.patience has to be critical, and you saw there and unforced error, that

:49:43. > :49:47.lays writing to Oxford's hands. Eight minutes to the break, Oxford

:49:48. > :49:53.leading 3-0. This penalty from their fly half bottles trying. And again,

:49:54. > :50:01.assumption and begins at scrum times, which referee Wigglesworth

:50:02. > :50:06.will be keen to stamp out. We saw Ollie Phillips pitch side before.

:50:07. > :50:13.Their head coaches James Schamus and in his second spell at Cambridge,

:50:14. > :50:16.but the two Varsity games he has presided over both ended up in

:50:17. > :50:21.defeat as opposed to James Wade, who has played five, won five in the

:50:22. > :50:25.Oxford corner. The scrum goes to ground again, it is a penalty to

:50:26. > :50:31.Oxford, they have won a couple at scrum time. The referee seemed to

:50:32. > :50:36.have just sided that Oxford are getting the nudge on on the scrum,

:50:37. > :50:40.and any illegalities were Cambridge lead. That will take play up to and

:50:41. > :50:51.may be passed the halfway line. Is the scrum a problem for

:50:52. > :50:58.Cambridge? I know nothing about scrummaging, and I'm quite proud of

:50:59. > :51:02.that. The first couple of scrums, Cambridge seem to be solid, but

:51:03. > :51:07.there are tactics they are trying to employ, but revelry Wigglesworth is

:51:08. > :51:13.very experienced in the dark arts of the front row, unlike myself. He

:51:14. > :51:16.won't allow any foul play. ? Morrison decided that he went to

:51:17. > :51:23.ground that he was pushed on thereby Cambridge. Cambridge, if it isn't

:51:24. > :51:30.going their way, it is the line-up, and they will look to the space. He

:51:31. > :51:38.has let it go over his head, and it might work out well for Oxford. It

:51:39. > :51:45.will be long enough for a 22. And with six minutes left, who is going

:51:46. > :51:51.to be the happier coaching team as we head to half-time? The line-outs

:51:52. > :51:55.are working very well, it is what they do when they get the ball, that

:51:56. > :52:00.is the key. They kicking has been a little errant in this first half,

:52:01. > :52:04.you feel they are not really challenging, so whether it should be

:52:05. > :52:11.more kick chase and towering balls raining down on Matt Geiger and the

:52:12. > :52:16.back three. Amesbury decided to carry, he could have had a kick

:52:17. > :52:22.there. Du Toit has been promising in the opening 35mm. Baby Cambridge

:52:23. > :52:29.could get some numbers appear, and there is Tom Stanley. Good off-load

:52:30. > :52:33.to Davies. Davies over to Andrew Hunter, bundled into touch by Matt

:52:34. > :52:39.Geiger, Hunter against Geiger, physical mismatch in terms of

:52:40. > :52:46.but the definitive Geiger stood up well to the challenge, and that is

:52:47. > :52:50.good covering by Matt Geiger. Cambridge linking well, the forwards

:52:51. > :52:56.and backs interchanging nicely. But that was a big tackle on the

:52:57. > :53:01.full-back from Hunter, and it will be a scrum to Oxford given the

:53:02. > :53:04.knock-on. Oxford would prefer that, because they are dominating the

:53:05. > :53:07.scrum time, but losing a few on their own ball in the line-out.

:53:08. > :53:11.Encouraging signs from Cambridge on the counterattack, keeping the ball

:53:12. > :53:15.in hand, said they definitely have it in them, it is just that final

:53:16. > :53:18.pass that is being forced, perhaps field has issued trying to get the

:53:19. > :53:26.ball back in field rather than add to touchline. Every scrum so far has

:53:27. > :53:49.needed a reset. This one is no different.

:53:50. > :53:56.This one splinters to the ground, and Oxford told to use it. Strang

:53:57. > :54:00.again, didn't quite get all of this one as he tried to clear his lines,

:54:01. > :54:06.and it sets up for Amesbury. Will he counterattack? He off-load instead.

:54:07. > :54:11.Cambridge have really grown back into this half after Oxford

:54:12. > :54:14.dominated the middle part of it. And they would love some points before

:54:15. > :54:20.the break to chauffeur their territory over the past ten minutes

:54:21. > :54:23.or so. Really ships it on, but loose, so barely has to tidy up the

:54:24. > :54:32.hooker, but he docked on in the process. And you heard somebody from

:54:33. > :54:35.the Oxford camp saying, guys, get up in their faces. Maybe Oxford feel

:54:36. > :54:40.they are letting Cambridge, them too much of the last part of this first

:54:41. > :54:49.half. They are, the last passes going astray, and it has impacted

:54:50. > :54:54.differently. You feel that Cambridge are growing into this game, becoming

:54:55. > :55:00.a bit more assured, but it is really just that final execution which is

:55:01. > :55:04.letting them down. Trying to see who is being treated, it is Kieran Ball,

:55:05. > :55:08.the loosehead prop who has had the better of his opposite number,

:55:09. > :55:15.Jonathan Dixon. That is Ollie Phillips, former England sevens

:55:16. > :55:20.captain. Now at Cambridge. I also play 15 aside for the like of Stadt

:55:21. > :55:26.Francais, so a good man to have in the Cambridge corner. Then we were

:55:27. > :55:30.working with James Shanahan, the Head Coach, to get the right

:55:31. > :55:37.messages across. Three minutes left to the break, Kieran Ball back on

:55:38. > :55:52.his feet and erasure lock horns again with the Cambridge front row.

:55:53. > :56:02.Strang loops around with de Berker, interception by Mike Phillips! And

:56:03. > :56:05.Cambridge go under the posts. The first try in the Varsity match for a

:56:06. > :56:12.couple of years, and it has gone to the light loose and Mike Phillips.

:56:13. > :56:16.Fantastic stuff from Mike Phillips. But really was telegraphed in terms

:56:17. > :56:21.of the past. Cambridge, as I said previously, getting a bit more

:56:22. > :56:23.assured, and that will be a huge boost was before half-time. Mike

:56:24. > :56:28.Phillips played it well, foot race to the line and he crossed it

:56:29. > :56:31.without a hand on him. Look at the Cambridge support in the crowd, they

:56:32. > :56:37.no have significant that is as de Berker looks wide. Phillips

:56:38. > :56:41.committed, and no one was going to catch Mike Phillips. Under the

:56:42. > :56:47.sticks, what a moment, scoring at Twickenham. The 20-year-old in his

:56:48. > :56:51.second varsity, came off the bench last you, but this time he started,

:56:52. > :57:00.and he has scored, as Gillies tags on the two, and Cambridge rewarded

:57:01. > :57:04.for their pressure. Oxford 3-7 Cambridge, 90 seconds left of the

:57:05. > :57:08.half. I think Mike Phillips couldn't believe his luck there, the smile on

:57:09. > :57:11.his face tells a story, and Cambridge will be absolutely

:57:12. > :57:21.thrilled to be going into half-time with the lead. Coach James Wade may

:57:22. > :57:26.be wanting a word with Strang and de Berker to not be running such an

:57:27. > :57:33.intricate move in their own half. But I suppose you could criticise

:57:34. > :57:36.the innovation, just the execution as Gillies clears to touch, and

:57:37. > :57:43.Oxford will have field position now to try to reply to that Phillips

:57:44. > :57:46.score. As we see the try again, de Berker and Strang, who have combined

:57:47. > :57:51.well in this half, but the wide ball couldn't find Stileman, Phillips

:57:52. > :57:56.took the gamble, and how he was rewarded. What a moment for

:57:57. > :58:00.Phillips, and what a moment in the context of this varsity game, 60

:58:01. > :58:04.feet in a Rover Cambridge, but they have scored the first try and score

:58:05. > :58:12.the line-out yet again, and this will probably be half-time if

:58:13. > :58:18.Cambridge can show their composure. Tullie is under pressure, he manages

:58:19. > :58:21.to show good strength as we ticked towards half-time. Here is the

:58:22. > :58:29.experienced veteran of varsity rugby, will breaks. And time is up

:58:30. > :58:35.in three, two, one. Baby Cambridge will want to keep playing, inspired

:58:36. > :58:39.by that Phillips try. Back to Gillies, and he will look for

:58:40. > :58:45.half-time, Fraser Gillies. He chips it out on the full, but it matters

:58:46. > :58:49.not, half-time. Cambridge started well, Oxford came back strongly, the

:58:50. > :58:54.penalty from Basil Strang, but a key moment of this first half came with

:58:55. > :58:56.just a couple of minutes left of the first period, Oxford attacking from

:58:57. > :59:01.inside their own territory, Mike Phillips intercepting and scooting

:59:02. > :59:07.under the posts for the try, converted by Fraser Gillies, so at

:59:08. > :59:11.half-time it is the Light Blues who have lost the last six, but they

:59:12. > :59:18.lead at the break. Oxford 3-7 Cambridge.

:59:19. > :59:21.JOHN INVERDALE: A match that proves you don't need tries to provide an

:59:22. > :59:27.interesting spectacle. This is an interesting game. That will do

:59:28. > :59:31.wonders for Cambridge's confidence. They try to put pressure on Oxford,

:59:32. > :59:35.but those passes just not coming up, and it must be hugely frustrating to

:59:36. > :59:39.budge in all that effort and not come away with something. That

:59:40. > :59:43.intercept changes the complexion of the game, and now Oxford have to

:59:44. > :59:48.come out and chase that. When you look at that dry, it is so easy to

:59:49. > :59:52.apportion blame, but there is also opportunism by the medical student,

:59:53. > :59:56.just what the doctor ordered! I think what is very good is that the

:59:57. > :00:01.defensive line has kept pressing, it would be very easy to read it going

:00:02. > :00:03.and hang back to back to try to wait for it, instead the pressure keeps

:00:04. > :00:05.coming up, and Mike Phillips is actually earned that try by keeping

:00:06. > :00:18.on pressing in defence. Ollie Phillips has joined us. You

:00:19. > :00:22.must have enjoyed this? Yes, it is fantastic. We have tried to put

:00:23. > :00:30.pressure on the Oxford attack. Mike Phillips getting the reward. Nice to

:00:31. > :00:34.be in the lead at half-time. To row was saying how frustrated you must

:00:35. > :00:37.have been. You had a lot of ball but the opportunities were not been

:00:38. > :00:43.converted. Why was that and what will you do the second half? We have

:00:44. > :00:49.not been patient enough. We need to keep hold of the ball a little bit

:00:50. > :00:53.longer. A little bit too anxious at the start. We have an interesting

:00:54. > :00:57.incident with Simon Davies almost scoring. I'm sure you probably

:00:58. > :01:01.watched this and thought he was tackled without the ball. Definitely

:01:02. > :01:07.a yellow card. Do you think it was just one of these things? We were

:01:08. > :01:12.all screaming yellow card. I think he just knocks it on before he is

:01:13. > :01:16.tackled. We will give that one to the Dark Blues. I don't think there

:01:17. > :01:20.was anything terribly emphatic one where of the other. Too big a

:01:21. > :01:26.decision for the referee. We talked about the influence that a player

:01:27. > :01:29.with experience can have. Charlie Amesbury playing at full-back, a

:01:30. > :01:36.professional player for a dozen years. What does he give in terms of

:01:37. > :01:40.experience around the pitch? With his background playing professional

:01:41. > :01:45.rugby, it helps enormously. Especially when you come to this

:01:46. > :01:50.sort of stage, playing at Twickenham in front of 20,000 people. You need

:01:51. > :01:54.to keep a level head. His workrate in attack and defence has been

:01:55. > :02:02.outstanding. Some of the hits have been try savers. We felt that one!

:02:03. > :02:05.The whole crowd felt that. That is what he is therefore. To make

:02:06. > :02:11.crucial decisions at the right time. He saved us. Basil Strang has been a

:02:12. > :02:17.key influence. Six foot five at outside-half. He has a massive boot

:02:18. > :02:25.on him. Could he be a key player? Absolutely. We have to see more

:02:26. > :02:29.adventure. The tendency is to overplayed. You are gaining 50 yards

:02:30. > :02:35.with one play rather than maybe going through the phases. Oxford

:02:36. > :02:41.have some joy putting the past behind, opening the wide channels. A

:02:42. > :02:45.few times we have seen mismatches. They have to come up with something

:02:46. > :02:51.more. They are backing their physicality. I think we need to see

:02:52. > :02:57.a little bit of ambition. It is the nerves. It just plays into your

:02:58. > :03:04.hands. How much was made about the recent record before the game? A

:03:05. > :03:08.lot. It gets spoken about. We want to end that run. I would love the

:03:09. > :03:13.game to be over now. The rivalry is furious. It is a fabulous bit of

:03:14. > :03:21.amateur rugby history, the fact it has been 135 years. An amazing

:03:22. > :03:23.landmark in the rugby calendar. It's brilliant to see Oxford and

:03:24. > :03:27.Cambridge universities going head-to-head. We need to right that

:03:28. > :03:36.wrong today. We will let you offer some words of wisdom. Thank you very

:03:37. > :03:40.much. Until that try was scored before the end of the half, we were

:03:41. > :03:46.debating what the odds were on this match finishing 3-0 just like the

:03:47. > :03:53.woman's match. It was anything but dull. A single penalty by Catherine

:03:54. > :03:57.Wilcock after just 13 minutes decided the game. And thereafter it

:03:58. > :04:05.was an extraordinary display primarily by the Oxford defence.

:04:06. > :04:10.This player in particular, Sophie Trott, who in attack had very quick

:04:11. > :04:12.feet and created opportunities. But fundamentally it was an

:04:13. > :04:18.extraordinary performance that she put in tackling. There she is being

:04:19. > :04:24.tackled by her opposite number. Look at these hits. And a try saving

:04:25. > :04:32.score here that probably decide of the match. Bang! And so Katherine

:04:33. > :04:38.and Sophie are here. Both beaming. I am going to come to you first. When

:04:39. > :04:41.you get a penalty 13 minutes into the match, you don't imagine for a

:04:42. > :04:45.moment it will decide the game? Not at all. You want to get the points

:04:46. > :04:51.on the board. That is all you are thinking about. I can't believe I

:04:52. > :04:55.scored, to be honest. I will come to the star of the show in a moment. In

:04:56. > :05:00.terms of the defensive effort your team put in, you must have putting

:05:01. > :05:08.collectively literally hundreds of tackles? I believe it was around

:05:09. > :05:12.230. A lot of tackles. In the last ten minutes were you thinking,

:05:13. > :05:16.somehow or other, you have to find the energy to keep going?

:05:17. > :05:21.Absolutely. Dig deeper. We had to push ourselves. The girls did that.

:05:22. > :05:25.I couldn't be prouder. We just showed some of your tackles,

:05:26. > :05:29.especially the tackle on the line against a player bigger venue. That

:05:30. > :05:36.takes a lot of God 's? I just knew I had to do it. The whole team was

:05:37. > :05:45.behind me. I just knew I had to make that. And I did. Is it right that

:05:46. > :05:52.you only began playing the game about four or five weeks before last

:05:53. > :05:58.year's match? Yes. Inexperienced. Definitely better this year. You are

:05:59. > :06:03.obviously a hell of an athlete. What sports did you play before rugby?

:06:04. > :06:14.Mainly netball, hockey, volleyball. Everything. A PE teacher at school

:06:15. > :06:18.mention that might be good at rugby. I found out she was a fly-half for

:06:19. > :06:25.the Blues. I e-mailed her. I haven't looked back since. Talk about the

:06:26. > :06:28.influence of your coach? He is amazing. We couldn't do it without

:06:29. > :06:34.him. He has turned us around from last year. He has faith in every

:06:35. > :06:37.single player. He develops individuals one-on-one. Just been

:06:38. > :06:43.talking to Ollie Phillips about the fact Cambridge have lost six in a

:06:44. > :06:47.row. Having lost 52-0 last year, was that almost a subject nobody dared

:06:48. > :07:01.mention? I think it was a major spur. We know we have built our team

:07:02. > :07:05.now. We focused on the match. We got through in the end. You were so

:07:06. > :07:09.happy in the end. We can see the smile on your face radiating around

:07:10. > :07:13.Twickenham. Did you expect to win today I was at a victory against the

:07:14. > :07:17.odds? I didn't think it was against the odds. We knew we could beat

:07:18. > :07:24.them. We had to put it on the table and perform and we did. And how much

:07:25. > :07:27.of your influence do you think your boys need now? This game is poised

:07:28. > :07:32.on a knife edge macro will stop it is. It is very tense. I have every

:07:33. > :07:43.faith in them. How much does the fun have tonight depend on this game? A

:07:44. > :07:47.double dark blue victory would be incredible and it will definitely

:07:48. > :07:56.impact our might add. Many congratulations. You are a history

:07:57. > :08:02.student and you made history today. You will never forget that. Well

:08:03. > :08:07.done. The next rugby we have for you on BBC television, we have to get

:08:08. > :08:11.Christmas out of the way first and then the New Year, and before you

:08:12. > :08:25.know it of rugby nations macro. Scotland play Ireland on the 4th of

:08:26. > :08:26.February. -- Six Nations. Mention of Christmas brings us to an indelible

:08:27. > :08:59.part of the Christmas calendar. BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

:09:00. > :09:01.There is also a programme on BBC Radio five Live that evening which

:09:02. > :09:07.runs after the television programme, which all the guests -- were all the

:09:08. > :09:13.guests popping for a chat. We are going to Sara Orchard. No, we are

:09:14. > :09:19.not. I will keep talking to Tyrone. In terms of a match as tight as

:09:20. > :09:24.this, nobody wants to be the person who makes the mistake that decides

:09:25. > :09:28.the game as may have already happened. How do you weigh the

:09:29. > :09:33.balance between being adventurous and seizing the moment and playing

:09:34. > :09:36.conservatively? I think inevitably when you start this game, unless

:09:37. > :09:42.something catastrophic happens in the early quarter, you sort of easy

:09:43. > :09:46.way into it. Everybody is too nervous to do something. Sometimes

:09:47. > :09:52.it takes a score to force a team to react. It is now down to Oxford to

:09:53. > :09:59.produce something. That is why the Cambridge try is so important. It

:10:00. > :10:02.will boost their confidence. I think we are saying, OK Oxford, we have

:10:03. > :10:06.scored more points than we have in the last couple of years. Cambridge

:10:07. > :10:15.have only scored six points in the last two games. If Cambridge can

:10:16. > :10:19.score again, there is a gap and Oxford have to come up with

:10:20. > :10:27.something. We normally talk about potential game breakers. We have not

:10:28. > :10:32.seen anybody who could change it. Somebody will make a headline.

:10:33. > :10:38.Sara Orchard is down in the tunnel. We have with us former England fly

:10:39. > :10:46.half, Rob Andrew. How did you feel when Mike Phillips run-in that try?

:10:47. > :10:51.It was great. We were outplayed for most of the first hour. Hopefully we

:10:52. > :10:57.can win the main match. How impressed I you with that boot from

:10:58. > :11:04.the Oxford fly-half, Basil Strang? He is a big lad for a ten. They are

:11:05. > :11:08.getting bigger. He is a good player. Oxford do look probably the most

:11:09. > :11:18.dangerous. We have two hang on in there. Thank you for your time. Back

:11:19. > :11:22.to the commentary team. The 135th Varsity Match is in the

:11:23. > :11:29.balance. Cambridge have not won this historic Victor since 2009. --

:11:30. > :11:36.fixture. They have scored their first try in the Varsity since 2013.

:11:37. > :11:39.The Light Blues lead by 7-3. Andrew Hunter takes in the restart from

:11:40. > :12:03.Basil Strang. His big right boot. A line-out to the Dark Blues. Let's

:12:04. > :12:09.CF there have been any changes. There has been a change. Andrew

:12:10. > :12:13.Burnett is on for a Cambridge. -- is off. Simon Hugkulstone is on in his

:12:14. > :12:35.place. Oxford have a penalty as Cambridge

:12:36. > :12:40.failed to use their arms in the tackle. And Strang will no doubt

:12:41. > :12:47.look to get this as close to the Cambridge line as possible. Or Mikey

:12:48. > :12:52.may be going for goal. He is. Not surprising. He has got one from two.

:12:53. > :12:57.He has certainly got the capacity and length. Oxford will be desperate

:12:58. > :13:05.to be the first team on the scoreboard. They gifted Cambridge

:13:06. > :13:10.seven points. Strang missed his first shot at goal. A regulation

:13:11. > :13:21.one. He nailed his second. This one is at least 40 metres. It is to the

:13:22. > :13:27.right. This would be some kick. The direction is good. The direction and

:13:28. > :13:37.the distance spot on. That is a magnificent kick. That was wide out,

:13:38. > :13:40.far out and he has split the post. That was an outstanding kick. What a

:13:41. > :13:47.way for Oxford to start the second half. Just what Oxford needed after

:13:48. > :13:53.that late try in the first half from Cambridge. Strang's second penalty.

:13:54. > :14:03.That was a kick to grace Twickenham on a Six Nations day. De Berker will

:14:04. > :14:08.look for the forwards to set up a platform. Hull Kingston is on

:14:09. > :14:23.perhaps earlier than he would have anticipated. -- Simon Hugkulstone.

:14:24. > :14:35.Oxford claim it through Tom Stileman. A chance for Oxford.

:14:36. > :14:45.Numbers to the right. Good ball for de Berker. Huge kick from Strang.

:14:46. > :14:49.Gillies doesn't have the same distance on his line kicking but he

:14:50. > :14:55.does look for touch and he finds a solid one. Oxford line-out. Good

:14:56. > :15:00.work from Gillies. Well read. He obviously realised that Strang will

:15:01. > :15:07.be trying to pin them back. Some strong defence from Hunter in the

:15:08. > :15:13.previous play. The game is really finely balanced. That is James Wade

:15:14. > :15:19.and the Oxford coaching team. Wade has been in charge since 2011.

:15:20. > :15:26.Played five, won five in the Varsity. Previously high performance

:15:27. > :15:33.manager at Wasps and the academy manager at Sale Sharks. Cambridge

:15:34. > :15:37.have spoiled the line-out. That is three or four they have managed to

:15:38. > :15:47.turn over. Now they said it up through their ever involved skipper,

:15:48. > :15:51.Daniel Dass. That has worked out well for a Cambridge. -- for

:15:52. > :16:19.Cambridge. Oxford working the short side.

:16:20. > :16:28.Another change for Oxford. Tom Kershaw is on for de Berker, who

:16:29. > :16:34.took a few knocks in the first-half. Both sides making changes. Penalty

:16:35. > :16:42.to Cambridge. Oxford holding on. And look at the body language from the

:16:43. > :16:45.Light Blues. They know they are in with a chance of ending that long

:16:46. > :16:51.and miserable run in the Varsity Match. It is definitely a feature of

:16:52. > :16:57.the modern game that players, from all angles and whoop and holler. It

:16:58. > :17:01.is great see. Collective ambition on both sides. Cambridge have a crucial

:17:02. > :17:06.turnover. They are in a good attacking frame at the moment. As

:17:07. > :17:12.Ollie Phillips was saying, if they can keep that last pass and not try

:17:13. > :17:17.to force it, they are well placed. Kershaw on for de Berker is an

:17:18. > :17:21.injury replacement, given de Berker's leadership role in this

:17:22. > :17:25.team. His third Varsity game. Cambridge claimed the line-out. They

:17:26. > :17:30.have got the penalty advantage as well. This is where they have been

:17:31. > :17:37.dominant a couple of years in a row. There is the penalty. A shrill blast

:17:38. > :17:41.by the referee. Oxford broke their bind to come through the middle of

:17:42. > :17:49.the wall. This is surely a chance for Fraser Gillies to edge Cambridge

:17:50. > :17:58.back into a four point lead? Just what Cambridge needed, Damian, after

:17:59. > :18:03.that outstanding Strang kick. Yeah, again, good continuity, good patient

:18:04. > :18:10.build-up. A great opportunity now for Fraser Gillies. He and Charlie

:18:11. > :18:15.Amesbury combining well in the crossfield kicks. I'm sure we will

:18:16. > :18:19.see that more from Cambridge. The news from the touchline is that

:18:20. > :18:28.Kershaw for de Berker is tactical. A surprising move. That is nicely

:18:29. > :18:33.struck. Drills it through. Fraser Gillies on the money. Ollie Phillips

:18:34. > :18:41.rouses the troops as Cambridge move into a four point lead. 10-6. Plenty

:18:42. > :18:45.of twists and turns to come. Great to have the likes of Ollie Phillips

:18:46. > :18:50.involved. He brings that experience. A hugely positive individual. I am

:18:51. > :19:12.sure he will be encouraging the boys throughout.

:19:13. > :19:18.The set piece battle has been interesting. Oxford have dominated

:19:19. > :19:23.the scrum, Cambridge have dominated the line-out and the rolling mauls.

:19:24. > :19:27.Both sides will look to remedy what has gone wrong. The Cambridge back

:19:28. > :19:32.row has done incredibly well about the line-out. Oxford giving away

:19:33. > :19:56.some height in the line-out. Oxford make some yardage. But

:19:57. > :20:02.Cambridge have stripped it. They have turned the ball over. Will they

:20:03. > :20:11.look to move this? Amesbury was wrapped up but high. Maybe there

:20:12. > :20:18.were so desperate to shut Amesbury down because they know the threat he

:20:19. > :20:25.provides. Strangle his technique wrong. Excellent work again from Tom

:20:26. > :20:29.Stanley. He has had Super Rugby experience with the Hurricanes in

:20:30. > :20:38.New Zealand. He has impressed me. He has grafted hard. This is where that

:20:39. > :20:49.Cambridge maul will look to wear into life. And grind through the

:20:50. > :20:55.gears. The replacement hooker finds his man. I'm sure they will maul,

:20:56. > :21:00.Cambridge. They have a good foundation. Jonny Dixon was in the

:21:01. > :21:05.middle of that one. He is, is the cry from the Cambridge supporters.

:21:06. > :21:12.They are running a bit out of room. Dicing with the touchline. Tullie

:21:13. > :21:19.comes away. He is just about wrapped up by Roberts-Huntley. A potential

:21:20. > :21:26.is -- try saving tackle. Half an hour remaining. They are ten minutes

:21:27. > :21:33.out. Looking for their second score. Amesbury with space. A big shut --

:21:34. > :21:49.shot. Numbers to the left for Cambridge. They go left. Confidence

:21:50. > :21:56.coursing through the Cambridge side. The flowing locks of the Northern

:21:57. > :22:05.Irishman. Oxford have to stay firm. Another Cambridge try could be

:22:06. > :22:13.decisive in this Varsity. Gillies wrapped up 12 metres from the line.

:22:14. > :22:21.Joe Morris went down. Good tidying up work from the Oxford tight head

:22:22. > :22:26.prop. The hefty boot of Basil Strang's takes play outside the 22.

:22:27. > :22:31.Cambridge looking dangerous. They are. It may be a question of just

:22:32. > :22:37.keeping the ball in hand. Cambridge looked very comfortable on the ball.

:22:38. > :22:42.They should keep hammering away at Oxford, keep building the pressure

:22:43. > :22:46.and hope the gaps appear. Now we will see whether those six defeats

:22:47. > :22:53.in succession have a mental impact on Cambridge. They have the lead,

:22:54. > :22:59.they have the ascendancy. They can't claim that on # At the line-out.

:23:00. > :23:08.But they have an advantage. It is a penalty. Taken out indy air, the

:23:09. > :23:21.Cambridge jumper. Will Wilson the guilty party. Surely Fraser Gillies

:23:22. > :23:29.will look for the three points? He has got to go for goal. Absolutely.

:23:30. > :23:33.Every point is so important particularly when this hoodoo of a

:23:34. > :23:38.six-year losing streak is hanging over you like a guillotine. It is

:23:39. > :23:44.important Cambridge come away from the Oxford have with points. A great

:23:45. > :23:50.opportunity for Fraser Gillies to do that. Daniel Dass, the Oxford

:23:51. > :23:53.captain, in conversation with the referee. Bass will have to use all

:23:54. > :24:03.of his leadership abilities to steer Cambridge home. -- Dass. Fraser

:24:04. > :24:10.Gillies has kicked it. A fine kick under pressure from Fraser Gillies.

:24:11. > :24:16.And Cambridge have their healthiest lead of this 135th Varsity Match.

:24:17. > :24:22.13-6. A change in the Oxford front row. Ed Hart coming off. Will

:24:23. > :24:28.Thornton is on. Changes being made by both coaches. The use of the

:24:29. > :24:37.squad and the strength in depth is so important. Cambridge with a

:24:38. > :24:41.converted try separating the teams. They have to keep their confidence

:24:42. > :24:53.and keep playing. And they are playing. Hogg took Amesbury to the

:24:54. > :24:58.ground. You can see Cambridge visibly growing in confidence. They

:24:59. > :25:05.lead at Twickenham. Gillies has looked very composed will stop his

:25:06. > :25:12.kick finds Matt Geiger. He sees a little bit of space. Nicely

:25:13. > :25:25.weighted. Cleverly done by Henry King to Gillies.

:25:26. > :25:35.Strang caught Amesbury. It is breaking up a little bit at

:25:36. > :25:39.Twickenham in the Varsity. Tom Kershaw steps inside from the

:25:40. > :25:49.touchline. He finds last year's man of the match, Tom Stileman.

:25:50. > :26:00.Cambridge implored to leave the ball alone by the referee. They obliged.

:26:01. > :26:07.Strang looking to get involved. Phillips was almost on to it again.

:26:08. > :26:17.Shades of the first half when his interception led to a try. Hughes

:26:18. > :26:21.finds a gap. Geiger for the corner. Great defence coming across by a

:26:22. > :26:32.combination of Gillies and Amesbury. Henry Hughes had so much Twickenham

:26:33. > :26:38.turf to gallop into. It couldn't quite commit Gillies entirely. Great

:26:39. > :26:42.covering by Gillies and Amesbury. Clever work from Henry Hughes down

:26:43. > :26:53.the short side. That covering work from Amesbury and Gillies,

:26:54. > :26:56.outstanding. Outstanding. At the other and it looked like Mike

:26:57. > :27:01.Phillips might be going for a second interception. This game is opening

:27:02. > :27:07.up. A fantastic spectacle. What could Oxford have done differently

:27:08. > :27:12.there? Hughes could possibly have gone himself and trying to -- try to

:27:13. > :27:16.off-load out of the tackle. The touchline was the ultimate defender.

:27:17. > :27:24.It was easy for Amesbury and Gillies to track across. And put Matt Geiger

:27:25. > :27:27.into touch. It really has opened up in this second half. We have seen

:27:28. > :27:35.line breaks and the ball being thrown around that little bit more.

:27:36. > :27:42.Cambridge will tighten and tense up. 25 minutes left. They have the lead.

:27:43. > :27:49.Nicely done by Tim Bond in the Cambridge second row. Six foot

:27:50. > :27:56.seven. He used every centimetre to win the ball. Very solid kick from

:27:57. > :28:01.Cambridge and their scrum-half. Outstanding. He was only a few

:28:02. > :28:07.metres from his online. Excellent drill. Tim Bond has been towering in

:28:08. > :28:13.the second row. Such a small space to work on. But Tullie putting

:28:14. > :28:23.Cambridge to the ten yard line. A welcome relief for his forwards. A

:28:24. > :28:28.bit of pressure on Will Thornton. He was an unused substitute last year.

:28:29. > :28:35.Oxford just about claim the line-out. Strang may look to take on

:28:36. > :28:44.more responsibility as this game enters its crucial phase. A big hit.

:28:45. > :29:03.Daniel Dass on his counterpart. George Blomfield, MBA student. Alex

:29:04. > :29:16.Hogg has had the ball more in the second half.

:29:17. > :29:26.Oxford go through the phases. Geiger came in from full-back. Massive hit

:29:27. > :29:30.by Brian Du Toit. Look how quickly Daniel Dass is off the line. The

:29:31. > :29:37.referee happy years on-site. Perfectly done by the Cambridge

:29:38. > :29:41.captain. Strang forced to kick. Amesbury was extremely well

:29:42. > :29:45.positioned. He belted down the field. Tired bodies out there. We

:29:46. > :30:00.move towards the final 12 minutes of the Varsity. Wilson, the Oxford

:30:01. > :30:06.number eight. Good hands by the captain, Fergus Taylor. Geiger had a

:30:07. > :30:13.try scoring opportunity for the second year running but wasn't able

:30:14. > :30:17.to take it. Good play from the openside by Blomfield. Good quick

:30:18. > :30:27.ball as well. Wilson with a wide ball. The Chancellor David to

:30:28. > :30:33.stretch his legs. -- a chance for David. Cambridge were off their

:30:34. > :30:42.feet. They didn't leave the ball alone. A penalty to Oxford. Strang

:30:43. > :30:49.can't kick this one, can he?! Surely this is too far out, even for him.

:30:50. > :30:53.It has been a very, very entertaining second half. Both sides

:30:54. > :30:55.absolutely exhausted. It has been end to end. Great to watch for this

:30:56. > :31:09.game and for the crowd. As a former light blue, how much

:31:10. > :31:17.anticipation do feel with 20 minutes left, that the Light Blues can

:31:18. > :31:20.finally beat Oxford? As we have seen throughout the recent Autumn

:31:21. > :31:25.International series, 20 minutes is a long time in rugby, so it is about

:31:26. > :31:31.keeping their composure and trying to interrupt set pieces. Oxford set

:31:32. > :31:40.up a platform through Hughes in centre field for shop flat ball from

:31:41. > :31:46.Strang over to Geiger. They may have spoiled that one, they slowed it up,

:31:47. > :31:57.they turned it over, but illegally so. Cambridge playing it on the

:31:58. > :32:03.floor, and if Strang doesn't take this on on the angle, he will nudge

:32:04. > :32:12.it into the corner and give Oxford a fantastic platform to eat into this

:32:13. > :32:17.lead. Du Toit and gas have been exceptional this year, but it is a

:32:18. > :32:22.situation where it would be the right thing to do. Cambridge have

:32:23. > :32:25.conceded nine penalties now, and that tally will only go up as the

:32:26. > :32:44.game gets towards its final penalties. Another change for

:32:45. > :32:50.Cambridge. Lola Riera Bob Bryan -- Erogbogbo is coming on. The

:32:51. > :32:58.advantage is still with Oxford. Gillies came through with a try

:32:59. > :33:02.saving tackle. Oxford round the corner with Thornton, advantage

:33:03. > :33:08.still being played by the referee, they just need to show their

:33:09. > :33:15.composure. They can walk this in, yes they will. And Oxford score, and

:33:16. > :33:28.with the conversion to come, Oxford may be able to level up this varsity

:33:29. > :33:36.match. It is Henry Hughes' fifth varsity, and that was really nicely

:33:37. > :33:40.done by Oxford. Their forwards made the initial dents, and then they

:33:41. > :33:47.just use their hands, and after that they used quick hands down the short

:33:48. > :33:50.side. Great build-up from Oxford, great communication to talk his pack

:33:51. > :33:57.around him, and then some very slick hands here just take and give, rugby

:33:58. > :34:06.at its simple best, and Henry Hughes, a well-deserved score, and

:34:07. > :34:10.this game right back in the balance. Henry Hughes fifth varsity fish use,

:34:11. > :34:19.he played on the wing last year, but in an outside place this year. All I

:34:20. > :34:31.is an Basil Strang, this to level up at 13 all. He makes no mistake and

:34:32. > :34:39.it is all Square, Oxford 13, Cambridge 13, and how decisive could

:34:40. > :34:42.that try be in the final reckoning. Will Cambridge try to tighten things

:34:43. > :34:45.up, will they continue playing as they have done, it is those

:34:46. > :34:51.penalties and field was issuance that are allowing the light lose

:34:52. > :35:03.right back into this game, and they are taking their opportunities

:35:04. > :35:08.extremely well. Daniel Dass, the Cambridge skipper,

:35:09. > :35:21.has gone off. He is replaced by the experienced Athol you. 13-13, into

:35:22. > :35:26.the final quarter. -- Richard Bartholomew. He really is having an

:35:27. > :35:32.outstanding game, and for any forwards to look up and see them

:35:33. > :35:48.advancing to the halfway line, it is a wonderful uplift. We mentioned la

:35:49. > :35:49.Ray Lare Erogbogbo, and he comes out as well to join his brother.

:35:50. > :36:15.Cambridge again comes out. Basil Strang has been at the heart

:36:16. > :36:20.of everything Oxford have done. And it is a penalty, Gillies has a

:36:21. > :36:23.chance to put Cambridge back ahead. It is the opportunity to clear your

:36:24. > :36:28.lines and move the ball out of your own half, because there is such

:36:29. > :36:38.pressure now on these sides, they kick chase incredibly well, getting

:36:39. > :36:45.the turnover for the Light Blues. Richard Bartholomew as well as to

:36:46. > :36:50.tour it in there, all over Basil Strang, and here is Strang's

:36:51. > :37:00.opposite man, it is Gillies who has been the model of efficiency from

:37:01. > :37:06.the tee. Fraser Gillies, his third varsity, had a season at racing 92

:37:07. > :37:12.as a youngster. And up he steps, and he has missed it. He has pulled it

:37:13. > :37:24.to the left, snatched at it a little bit, and he knows what a chance has

:37:25. > :37:31.been passed up. And we stay level. Just a snatch at that ball as it

:37:32. > :37:36.goes across the face of the posts. Classic commentators curse, just

:37:37. > :37:44.talking about how well Gillies has kicked so far today, but that for

:37:45. > :37:50.those superb opportunity. Lare Erogbogbo upended by some big hits

:37:51. > :37:56.from Oxford. Will Cambridge look to disrupt it? Gillies will surely look

:37:57. > :38:05.to clear his lines, and he does just that, finds opposite number Strang.

:38:06. > :38:12.13 points all. Geiger sees a bit of space, straight down the throat

:38:13. > :38:20.against brick, what can he do? -- of Amesbury. Tullie attempted to kick,

:38:21. > :38:28.but doesn't. There are few options for Cambridge. Wide to Stanley, but

:38:29. > :38:43.his past doesn't find Simon Davies, who came infield. Cambridge have an

:38:44. > :38:52.advantage. Gillies finds Lola Erogbogbo. Space down the Oxford

:38:53. > :38:55.left-wing, which Tullie sees, but Strang, as he has been all day,

:38:56. > :39:03.well-positioned, this time he calls the mark. It seems he is struggling

:39:04. > :39:05.a little with his calf muscle at the moment, Strang, but he has been so

:39:06. > :39:16.important to Oxford throughout this game.

:39:17. > :39:25.A big kick from Strang, and it will be a line-out Cambridge, so it was

:39:26. > :39:27.only a free kick. Line-out to Cambridge on their own ten metre

:39:28. > :39:48.line. Gillies with the boot again, looking

:39:49. > :40:01.for territory. Strang under pressure from Lare Erogbogbo, shows his

:40:02. > :40:07.strength. Kershaw, and now here is Kiernan is of the Oxford bench. 13

:40:08. > :40:16.all in the varsity, the next score could be crucial as Oxford attack on

:40:17. > :40:23.the fringes through Bromfield. Kershaw looks to the short side,

:40:24. > :40:31.where he finds the ever industrious Fergus Taylor, the Oxford captain.

:40:32. > :40:39.Thornton, the hooker, sets it up. It looks like Strang has maybe moved

:40:40. > :40:43.into the Id field. He is isolated again, and for the second time,

:40:44. > :40:49.Basil Strang guilty of holding on, and here is struggling with a little

:40:50. > :40:54.bit of an injury, perhaps, Strang, who limps back towards his own 22,

:40:55. > :40:59.and after missing a few moments ago, Gillies has another chance. Tom

:41:00. > :41:05.Stanley was all over that ball, and they just couldn't shift Tom

:41:06. > :41:08.Stanley, Oxford, and he has won the penalty, and Gillies can put

:41:09. > :41:35.Cambridge back ahead. Makes no mistake this time, Fraser

:41:36. > :41:40.Gillies. That is good mental strength from the Cambridge ten, and

:41:41. > :41:48.as we near the final ten minutes at Twickenham, Oxford 13, Cambridge 16

:41:49. > :41:53.again, it was the back row of Cambridge setting that up, excellent

:41:54. > :41:57.defence, and then du Toit causing the turnover, getting the penalty,

:41:58. > :42:04.and Fraser Gillies making no mistake.

:42:05. > :42:10.Basil Strang was the man caught in possession. He is still not looking

:42:11. > :42:17.like he is moving totally freely. Perhaps his experience, his big

:42:18. > :42:23.white boot will be valuable even if he has not quite been 100%, he has

:42:24. > :42:32.been so influential today. And now Oxford need a response.

:42:33. > :42:44.They will to secure their line-out ball as Thornton prepares to throw.

:42:45. > :42:53.His replacement, Conor Kearns, caught in possession. Kershaw to the

:42:54. > :43:01.left. He finds Taylor, the captain. Cambridge quick off the line, Will

:43:02. > :43:03.Wilson pumps those legs, but again, Cambridge are working hard on the

:43:04. > :43:09.floor to slow the ball down. WHISTLE

:43:10. > :43:13.It is a penalty, and they go quickly, Stileman goes quickly off

:43:14. > :43:17.his wing, Oxford putting a little bit of pace on the ball through Tom

:43:18. > :43:24.Stileman, can they get quick ball? Advantage... It is a penalty.

:43:25. > :43:28.Cambridge not rolling away, and what an intervention from Tom Stileman,

:43:29. > :43:33.the Oxford wing. Last year's man of the match injecting pace and energy

:43:34. > :43:37.into the game, excellent work from the Oxford number 11, seizing

:43:38. > :43:41.advantage, putting Cambridge back. It is quick thinking like that going

:43:42. > :43:44.into this final ten minutes that will have a huge difference in terms

:43:45. > :43:51.of the game, the experience he has in terms of playing previous varsity

:43:52. > :43:59.matches. It ensures Oxford now have a great opportunity to tie the

:44:00. > :44:07.scores. 20,000 here at Twickenham fixated on Basil Strang, the Oxford

:44:08. > :44:15.fly half. This is to level up the varsity at 16-16. Up he steps, he

:44:16. > :44:19.has pushed it to the right. And perhaps the nerves of the occasion

:44:20. > :44:29.getting to both kickers, we saw Gillies miss one a few moments ago.

:44:30. > :44:29.This time Strang. And Cambridge's narrow 3-point advantage remains

:44:30. > :44:49.intact. David and the restart, well shackled

:44:50. > :44:55.by Lola Erogbogbo. Kershaw, Taylor again carrying a lot of ball

:44:56. > :45:04.recently, Fergus Taylor. Conor Kearns wide. Not quite now or never

:45:05. > :45:14.for Oxford, but only eight minutes to go. Have Cambridge held that up?

:45:15. > :45:17.Yes, says the referee. This will be a Cambridge putting, and there we

:45:18. > :45:25.are, good defence from the Light Blues and they have the putting.

:45:26. > :45:26.Excellent work from Will Thornton. His team-mates know how important

:45:27. > :45:36.that was. Will Wilson, who has had a very

:45:37. > :45:40.strong game again for Oxford, Thornton got himself into a very

:45:41. > :45:55.strong position. Cambridge have the putting. Now the change, James Blake

:45:56. > :46:17.-- James Brophy Bartholomew away, good hands on the

:46:18. > :46:26.short side, and a chance for Simon Davies took gallop into space, and

:46:27. > :46:35.he is always up to the 22. Stanley almost up to the 22, the Kiwi.

:46:36. > :46:40.Gillies looks across field, what a ball! Infield to Triniman,

:46:41. > :46:48.outstanding tackle, but I think he has got there, and Rory Triniman may

:46:49. > :46:52.have scored the try to steal the varsity for the Light Blues, we will

:46:53. > :46:57.check with the television match official, but the ball inside found

:46:58. > :47:06.Triniman, he may well have got there. A nervous wait for the Light

:47:07. > :47:14.Blues, but great vision from Fraser Gillies. Here he is, Rory Triniman,

:47:15. > :47:18.I wonder whether he could have got the ball away, but we will see

:47:19. > :47:22.whether he managed to get down for a try. It was Strang who came across,

:47:23. > :47:41.it is all on this. It looks good. Looks great. So

:47:42. > :47:55.speaks the former Cambridge University student. It looks like he

:47:56. > :48:03.has got the requisite pressure. REFEREE: It is the grounding I am

:48:04. > :48:06.bothered about. The referee says it is all momentum,

:48:07. > :48:20.sliding on the greasy turf. REFEREE: It is probably the one from

:48:21. > :48:22.the far corner. Tim Audel is what wants another look

:48:23. > :48:34.at it. WHISTLE

:48:35. > :48:39.Try given! Rory Triniman with arguably the biggest moment of his

:48:40. > :48:43.rugby career. It needed to be checked by the television match

:48:44. > :48:49.official, but the pressure was there from Triniman, and Cambridge, surely

:48:50. > :49:02.now they cannot be caught. Oxford will have to score twice in the

:49:03. > :49:12.final six minutes. It was great build-up, follow Amesbury, Davies.

:49:13. > :49:23.This was a beautifully weighted kick from Gillies, Erogbogbo back inside,

:49:24. > :49:28.and Rory Triniman, twist and site. It is a classy try, a lot of

:49:29. > :49:32.components had to come together. And has Gillies nailed it from the

:49:33. > :49:38.touchline? Watto second-half Fraser Gillies has had for Cambridge! He

:49:39. > :49:43.has kicked his goals, set up a try, and Cambridge have a ten point lead,

:49:44. > :49:54.and those years of herds dating back to 2009, are they about to be over?

:49:55. > :49:58.Oxford 13-23 Cambridge. And Damian, can you see Oxford scoring twice in

:49:59. > :50:02.these final for five minutes? We have seen some cracking matches with

:50:03. > :50:06.late flurries over the last few years, so I am not counting any

:50:07. > :50:15.chickens at the moment. It has to happen now for Oxford. Cambridge

:50:16. > :50:23.23-13 up, and good value for it. They have been clinical and composed

:50:24. > :50:29.as Oxford attack to the right. But look at the pace off the line from

:50:30. > :50:35.Bartholomew. Cambridge will know they are on the brink here.

:50:36. > :50:45.George Blomfield, who has tried his best in the second half, so, too,

:50:46. > :50:52.has captain Taylor, he has carried plenty of ball, the Oxford skipper,

:50:53. > :50:58.but it probably will be a losing cause unless they can strike

:50:59. > :51:04.straightaway. And David scores! And Oxford are back in it. What a game

:51:05. > :51:09.of rugby, great composure from Oxford keeping the ball alive. Ed

:51:10. > :51:17.David, who has worked very hard all day, excellent hands. And a great

:51:18. > :51:25.one-two with Roberts-Huntley, who has impressed today. David with

:51:26. > :51:30.another five points for Oxford. Sometimes the quality of the varsity

:51:31. > :51:36.leaves a bit to be desired, but these are high-class tries to be

:51:37. > :51:46.scored. Beautiful finish from the winner. And can Strang add the

:51:47. > :51:49.extras from the left that? Up steps Basil Strang, sends it towards the

:51:50. > :51:55.post, all eyes on the flags, but they stay down. So Oxford will have

:51:56. > :52:07.to score another try with just under three minutes left. How I nerves,

:52:08. > :52:13.Damian? I could do with a drink and a lie down! Richard Bartholomew has

:52:14. > :52:19.come on to replace Daniel Dass, and he has is one of the only players

:52:20. > :52:28.who has won a varsity match previously. They will have to keep

:52:29. > :52:34.composure now. Try scorer David runs it out of defence as Marsden comes

:52:35. > :52:40.on the Henry Hughes. So all of the replacements used by Oxford. Two

:52:41. > :52:48.minutes left at Twickenham, five point minute, and Oxford will have

:52:49. > :52:51.to go from deep. Strang, wide now to full-back Geiger. The referee was

:52:52. > :53:08.happy with that. Strang again. Oxford keeping it in the hand, they

:53:09. > :53:15.are not risking kicking the ball away. It looks like they will have

:53:16. > :53:22.to come from 80 or 90 metres. Strang to captain Taylor, over the 22, but

:53:23. > :53:24.the wrong 22, for The Dark Blues. Strang again, Blomfield very

:53:25. > :53:31.involved in the second half, the Australian. And it looks like

:53:32. > :53:36.Cambridge may have been able to turn this ball over! They have! It is

:53:37. > :53:47.back on the Cambridge side, and that could be that. Brian du Toit has

:53:48. > :53:58.been named man of the match. Penalty to Oxford, though. As Cambridge were

:53:59. > :54:01.holding on. And there is still life left in the varsity, and Brian du

:54:02. > :54:08.Toit is getting to his feet. He has been named the man of the match.

:54:09. > :54:12.Will it be in a winning cause at the moment? It looks like it will be

:54:13. > :54:20.unless Oxford can with the last play of this varsity score a try to level

:54:21. > :54:25.the cause. Cambridge have to be composed and tight in defence.

:54:26. > :54:29.Oxford have to come up with something with 20 seconds left of

:54:30. > :54:32.normal time. Cambridge have been working extremely well in the

:54:33. > :54:38.line-out throughout the game, and they will be looking to seal this

:54:39. > :54:47.one in what will be a famous day for the University. Thornton then to

:54:48. > :54:53.throw. The clock is almost dead. Can he find his man? He can. Oxford's

:54:54. > :54:57.last throw of the dice in the varsity, what a tackle that was, it

:54:58. > :55:01.looked like Phillips, and it was, the first try scorer. Mike Phillips

:55:02. > :55:07.starting and finishing the game well. Oxford again over the halfway

:55:08. > :55:13.line, but they are out of time. They have got to score off this play,

:55:14. > :55:19.wide ball. Was the referee happy with that pass? He was. Thornton,

:55:20. > :55:27.but the next time the ball goes dead, Cambridge will win unless

:55:28. > :55:33.Oxford can score. The tackle coming in by Hugkulstone, he has made an

:55:34. > :55:37.impression of the bench, the Cambridge Raqqa. Wide ball from

:55:38. > :55:44.Conor Kearns, Wilson over the halfway line. He is on the floor,

:55:45. > :55:53.surely. The first offence was a knock-on by Oxford, and that is it!

:55:54. > :56:01.And for the first time since 2009, Cambridge have won the varsity

:56:02. > :56:05.match. Years of hurt, six straight defeats, and look what it means to

:56:06. > :56:10.the Light Blues. They have come to Twickenham, and against the odds,

:56:11. > :56:17.they have beaten Oxford by 23 points to 18. And the celebrations for

:56:18. > :56:24.Cambridge will go long, long into the evening. Oxford, desolation.

:56:25. > :56:32.Cambridge, sheer joy. That is the nature of the varsity match. And

:56:33. > :56:33.Oxford were a link which their grip on the varsity match crown to

:56:34. > :56:47.Cambridge. Oxford 18-23 Cambridge. JOHN INVERDALE: Tremendous scenes as

:56:48. > :56:53.you would expect at the end of the match. 135 occasions, this match has

:56:54. > :56:56.been played, that was a long run of defeats Cambridge, but it has come

:56:57. > :57:00.to an end today in hugely entertaining second-half. The

:57:01. > :57:15.quality of the game, there was some good tries Gord. It was drama with a

:57:16. > :57:16.D, and quality with a Q. A terrific second-half performance from

:57:17. > :57:23.Cambridge, they absolutely deserved the win. Was their confidence good

:57:24. > :57:27.enough and robust enough to season through? They did benefit from

:57:28. > :57:31.having not that many returning Blues, there were not that many

:57:32. > :57:34.players who went through the previous experiences of former

:57:35. > :57:38.years, and they saw them across the line with a quality try. We do talk

:57:39. > :57:42.about this every year, but you can see from the reactions on the final

:57:43. > :57:45.whistle in terms of elation and despair how much this match means to

:57:46. > :57:50.all of the players involved on both sides. It is the unique quality of

:57:51. > :57:57.the varsity match, the only barometer of your season is this

:57:58. > :58:00.result. It is absolutely victory or desolation, and unfortunately for

:58:01. > :58:06.Oxford, this is the team that has lost that run of the Cambridge. We

:58:07. > :58:11.said, will it happen this year, next you, but this is the team that

:58:12. > :58:14.stopped it. The presentations will take a moment or so, and hopefully

:58:15. > :58:19.we will talk to the man of the match. Without accentuated the

:58:20. > :58:21.negative, Basil Strang, so influential, was clearly carrying an

:58:22. > :58:26.injury in the second half, he missed a very straightforward kick, and we

:58:27. > :58:32.will talk about Strang in just a moment so, but we do have the man of

:58:33. > :58:36.the match now. I am joined by Brian du Toit, man of

:58:37. > :58:41.the match, but most importantly, Cambridge, you have ended a loss of

:58:42. > :58:48.six from six. What does it mean for you? It is huge. We put such

:58:49. > :58:52.emphasis on not worrying about the previous six games, we knew we had a

:58:53. > :58:54.tight-knit group of boys, we wanted to do it for each other and the

:58:55. > :58:59.people who have worn the Jersey previously. Such big history, such

:59:00. > :59:04.an incredible institution, we all want to do it for them and our fans,

:59:05. > :59:07.it is amazing. How nerve wracking were those last few moments when

:59:08. > :59:13.Oxford went over for that try? To be honest, I think we probably

:59:14. > :59:17.shouldn't have let that off, it was a soft try. I think mentally we

:59:18. > :59:22.probably switched off a second, and the fact that they scored helped us

:59:23. > :59:26.get back into gear, and those last three minutes, I didn't even think

:59:27. > :59:29.it was nervous, I just thought everyone wanted it so bad that we

:59:30. > :59:33.were all willing to get up off the ground when we had nothing left in

:59:34. > :59:37.the tank. You wanted to do it for your brothers, your team-mates, your

:59:38. > :59:41.family. One of your brothers out there is Will Grigg is who has been

:59:42. > :59:46.on the end of a few losses in his time, he has finally got a win on

:59:47. > :59:49.the fifth time of asking. What does it mean when he could turn out

:59:50. > :59:54.someone like him and finally him victory? He has been like a father

:59:55. > :59:58.figure to myself and a few of the other boys in the team. He has

:59:59. > :00:03.really helped bring everyone in and if there is anyone who epitomises

:00:04. > :00:11.Cambridge rugby, it is Batman, and I'm glad we could go out and do it

:00:12. > :00:13.for him and all other boys. . You have been awarded the medal for the

:00:14. > :00:21.man of the match in the varsity. Thank you very much.

:00:22. > :00:29.Alastair signal a former BBC correspondent of hours. Brian Du

:00:30. > :00:36.Toit is studying technology policy at Cambridge University. I am none

:00:37. > :00:40.the wiser. Damian Hockney has joined me. I'm sure you will say it is good

:00:41. > :00:44.for the game because an endless run of one side winning it is not good

:00:45. > :00:51.in terms of promoting the game as a spectacle. Definitely. Thrilled from

:00:52. > :00:55.Cambridge. It was a fantastic game of rugby. The second half really

:00:56. > :01:02.opened up. There were some good skills. The Cambridge players made

:01:03. > :01:10.up. I think we can hear from Will Grigg is. We will hear from him in a

:01:11. > :01:13.moment. He will be the happiest man. Having lost five in a row. That

:01:14. > :01:23.would have been a place in the history books you suspect nobody

:01:24. > :01:29.would ever have eclipsed. If I can see coming true front row forward

:01:30. > :01:34.style, he is walking in a purposeful but not very quick speed towards us.

:01:35. > :01:40.I can see his grain from 50 yards away. In terms of Cambridge,

:01:41. > :01:46.deserved victors in the end? Two outstanding tries. Especially the

:01:47. > :01:51.decisive try, which was fantastic. They took their tries well. There

:01:52. > :01:56.were very composed and very impressive. Here is the man who was

:01:57. > :02:01.eyeing a place in the history books he didn't want. And now you have

:02:02. > :02:08.finally won. Thank you very much. The boys have been brilliant. I am

:02:09. > :02:11.sure people were ribbing you a bit in advance saying, if you lose today

:02:12. > :02:16.you will be in the record books for evermore. The team played so well.

:02:17. > :02:20.You are in control in the last 20 minutes? We felt in control. Oxford

:02:21. > :02:25.are a great side and they made us work hard. We were well prepared.

:02:26. > :02:31.The boys stuck together. It is fantastic to win. As someone who has

:02:32. > :02:36.played in this match so often, what does it mean in the context of your

:02:37. > :02:39.life at Cambridge? I would be lying if I said I didn't hang around

:02:40. > :02:45.Cambridge a little longer to play a few more games in the Varsity Match

:02:46. > :02:50.and to get a win. It is a big chunk of my life. The boys know what it

:02:51. > :02:54.means. It is probably hard for the viewers to understand. It is massive

:02:55. > :03:00.for May. What will you do with yourself in the future? That is a

:03:01. > :03:04.good question. I don't know! Watching and supporting. The boys

:03:05. > :03:10.will have few beers tonight and celebrate. Many congratulations. I'm

:03:11. > :03:14.sure there have been occasions when you have laid awake at night

:03:15. > :03:19.thinking, I have got to win it. Now you finally have. Well done. Thank

:03:20. > :03:29.you very much. For every winner, a loser. Sara Orchard has the Oxford

:03:30. > :03:36.captain. No, she doesn't. Will, many congratulations. In terms of the

:03:37. > :03:42.action that we have just seen. I mentioned that decisive score. We

:03:43. > :03:47.have to get the TMO inaction. In terms of the quality of finish, as a

:03:48. > :03:51.wing and three quarters yourself, this was a great way to get the ball

:03:52. > :03:56.on the line? Yeah, he did really well. The crossfield kick was

:03:57. > :04:03.outstanding. The kicking was good for Cambridge all day. The spin and

:04:04. > :04:09.to have the awareness of where the line was. I was trying not to jump

:04:10. > :04:13.out of macro of my seat. There was a huge amount of seed -- skill

:04:14. > :04:21.involved. It was the best passage of play Cambridge had. They got across

:04:22. > :04:25.the gain line, recycled, pinpoint accuracy with the kick. You could

:04:26. > :04:31.see what was going on with his -- in his head. He thought he was so close

:04:32. > :04:37.he would twist around. Great skill and composure. Cambridge played with

:04:38. > :04:40.conviction in that second half. You could see the desperation. They

:04:41. > :04:46.wanted to get a victory. It was a terrific score and a terrific

:04:47. > :04:51.finish. Maybe it was apt that that got them across the finishing line.

:04:52. > :04:56.We can hear from the Oxford captain. Fergus Taylor, commiserations. It

:04:57. > :05:00.could not go on forever? I guess it couldn't. I know it is a cliche but

:05:01. > :05:05.we really did give everything. We prepared really well. We were tight

:05:06. > :05:09.as a squad. We had the opportunities to win and we didn't take them in

:05:10. > :05:12.the first-half. What was the difference between yourselves and

:05:13. > :05:17.Cambridge today? You were still in it until the final whistle. We came

:05:18. > :05:21.out firing in the first 20 minutes. We should have scored a couple of

:05:22. > :05:25.tries. Didn't take the opportunities. Tauqir our foot off

:05:26. > :05:31.the pedal. We didn't turn it on until the last 20 minutes, to lead.

:05:32. > :05:37.How will you take this forward into the next Varsity. --? There have

:05:38. > :05:40.been so many positives from this season. Even though we didn't get a

:05:41. > :05:48.result, we have happy memories. Thank you. Ms orations. Well done

:05:49. > :06:01.free reference. Thank you. The Oxford players applauding. It is a

:06:02. > :06:07.good point that Damien made. In terms of the quality of the match. A

:06:08. > :06:13.lot of interesting games have been played on this bitch in the last

:06:14. > :06:18.month. There were odd moments between two top sides that would not

:06:19. > :06:23.have disgraced the internationals we saw the last month? You so quick

:06:24. > :06:29.cans for the Oxford try, accuracy for the Cambridge tries, you saw

:06:30. > :06:33.ambition and a lot of perspiration. What is very heartening for this

:06:34. > :06:36.fixture is that it was talent and skill that actually made the

:06:37. > :06:43.difference rather than simply the perspiration. Cambridge had nine new

:06:44. > :06:47.Blues this year. I am sure that helped enormously. The way they grew

:06:48. > :06:51.into the game, certainly in the second half, keeping the ball alive,

:06:52. > :06:57.made a huge difference. This is a wonderful moment. That is the moment

:06:58. > :07:03.of triumph for the Light Blues over the Dark Blues. And somebody in

:07:04. > :07:07.their, this is a moment he will never forget, is Charlie Amesbury,

:07:08. > :07:12.who has played professional rugby for 12 years, Harlequins, Newcastle

:07:13. > :07:20.am currently at Bristol. And for all the Whee Kim, week out grind of

:07:21. > :07:25.being a rugby player, this will be different but utterly memorable? He

:07:26. > :07:38.has loved every minute of being involved. To have this post-World

:07:39. > :07:41.Cup last year was tremendous frame. The players Association is about

:07:42. > :07:45.trying to encourage players to have different interests. To see Charlie

:07:46. > :07:50.do this is a fantastic example of moving into a different rugby

:07:51. > :07:54.environment and benefiting. Third member of the family to play in the

:07:55. > :07:59.Varsity Match. A great day for their family. This is his contribution to

:08:00. > :08:03.the game. It was not about big tackles only, it was about how he

:08:04. > :08:08.marshalled the back three and how the back division played. When you

:08:09. > :08:14.come in with a reputation and everybody expects so much, he did

:08:15. > :08:18.have a big impact on the game. The experience he showed at the back. He

:08:19. > :08:22.got Cambridge on the front foot through his kicking game. He

:08:23. > :08:27.followed up very well. He made big important tackles. It was that

:08:28. > :08:34.solidity at the back that give them a good solid foundation.

:08:35. > :08:40.And here he is. You are on a two month sabbatical from Bristol. It is

:08:41. > :08:43.going well, isn't it? It has had a sweet ending. Oxford put up a hell

:08:44. > :08:50.of a challenge. It was down to the wire. Luckily we came away with a

:08:51. > :08:54.win. Happy days. How hard is it for you to come into a squad almost

:08:55. > :08:58.halfway through the season? It has been easy. They are a great bunch of

:08:59. > :09:02.guys. The tightness at Cambridge, they have helped me come in and make

:09:03. > :09:08.me feel one of their own. It has been easy. Jamie Roberts couldn't

:09:09. > :09:13.get Cambridge over the line last season. Do you feel you have done

:09:14. > :09:18.something for the professionals? I am an amateur player at the moment.

:09:19. > :09:24.I was at the back defending. The guys ahead of me scored the tries. I

:09:25. > :09:28.just did my bit at the back. You are being incredibly modest. You made

:09:29. > :09:33.some incredible meters and incredible tackles. Are you sharing

:09:34. > :09:37.everything you have learned? Yes. Sorry, I'm going to have to get

:09:38. > :09:42.involved, is that OK? Go and join them.

:09:43. > :09:48.That is a moment he doesn't want to miss in his illustrious rugby

:09:49. > :09:52.career. Damien, good to have you here today. You mentioned in your

:09:53. > :09:59.capacity with the players union. You must have had a pretty busy week. We

:10:00. > :10:05.didn't see any injuries this week but the George North injury

:10:06. > :10:09.situation, I am sure people watching, huge controversy and

:10:10. > :10:14.debate of what happened to him last weekend with the head injury and the

:10:15. > :10:19.medical protocol that goes with it. From the union pilot -- union pots

:10:20. > :10:24.perspective, what needs to be learned? The first thing that George

:10:25. > :10:29.is OK. His health and welfare is the most important thing. You find

:10:30. > :10:34.yourself caught back in the middle of this storm. They are all sorts of

:10:35. > :10:39.comments coming from viewers. Everybody is a qualified doctor.

:10:40. > :10:45.George is OK. He is not showing any symptoms. From our point of view as

:10:46. > :10:50.a game we have invested a lot of time into awareness education. All

:10:51. > :10:54.of the players have mandate E! Online concussion training. The

:10:55. > :11:02.question is around process. We have two trust that process. We have to

:11:03. > :11:06.see what comes from that. If there is a flaw in the process that needs

:11:07. > :11:16.to be looked at and addressed immediately. Tyrone, in your

:11:17. > :11:21.capacity as a schoolteacher, what impact does the whole debate about

:11:22. > :11:25.concussion and head injuries have a schoolboy level in terms of

:11:26. > :11:32.involvement, in terms of parents actually watching things like this?

:11:33. > :11:37.I'm very happy to say that protocols are very strictly adhered to. If

:11:38. > :11:45.there is any suggestion whatsoever of a head injury, the person leaves

:11:46. > :11:49.the pitch. They will be accompanied to the stand. There will be

:11:50. > :11:56.accompanied to medical care, whether by teacher or parents. They will

:11:57. > :12:01.have a gradual return to rugby. There will only take part in running

:12:02. > :12:06.until they are assigned off by the medics. The process is clear, the

:12:07. > :12:10.protocols are clear and we have to go through very established routines

:12:11. > :12:14.at the start of the season to make sure that we are aware of what is

:12:15. > :12:18.expected of us in terms of responsible adults. But it is scary

:12:19. > :12:25.from a parents' point of view. I always think it is worth watching.

:12:26. > :12:29.-- worse. The boys are getting bigger, they are doing more in

:12:30. > :12:33.strength and conditioning. The impacts are increasing. There is an

:12:34. > :12:40.inherent risk. Certainly schools are being responsible. They are taking

:12:41. > :12:46.the best care they can. The Varsity Match alive and kicking? A fantastic

:12:47. > :12:53.day for rugby. Both teams went at each other brilliantly. For me, this

:12:54. > :12:59.is a unique day in the year. Long may it continue. If you ask these

:13:00. > :13:03.guys when they return in 20, 30 years, they will say this was the

:13:04. > :13:07.highlight of their sporting careers. It will be interesting asking

:13:08. > :13:12.Charlie Amesbury the same question. This will stand out for him as a

:13:13. > :13:17.true highlight. Great to see you both. We will be with you for more

:13:18. > :13:20.live rugby at Murrayfield on February the 4th for Scotland

:13:21. > :13:25.against Ireland. And given the events in recent weeks, the Six

:13:26. > :13:34.Nations promises to be a fantastic event. France must beat the All

:13:35. > :13:38.Blacks. As Twilight descends on Twickenham this evening, it actually

:13:39. > :13:39.has, for the first time in seven years, a light blue tinge.

:13:40. > :14:07.Goodbye. I went on television in

:14:08. > :14:09.the January of 1975. Welcome to Comic Relief!

:14:10. > :14:16.CHEERING