2014 Varsity Rugby League
Oxford equalled Cambridge’s record of five successive wins in the annual Varsity clash with a thoroughly convincing 40-0 victory at the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) ground in central London.
The Dark Blues got off to the perfect start, scoring twice in the first 10 minutes to set a platform from which they would go onto dominate.
Cambridge, in contrast, seemed to lack a clinical edge and although they came close on several occasions, couldn’t break through. Even when Ben Claxton did 10 minutes for a shoulder charge they couldn’t make numerical advantage count. Indeed, Oakley Cox made the score 18-0 even though his side were a man down.
Cambridge stepped up their defensive effort in the second half and during the third quarter they more than held their own. However, Oxford hit top gear in the final 20 minutes to put the game out of the Light Blues’ reach.
A second from Cox and a brace from Joe Davies, along with conversions from man of the match Jake Whittaker, rounded off a fine performance.
The teams
Oxford Dark Blues
1 Jack Barber
2 Joe Davies
3 George Sismey-Durrant
4 James Clark
5 Oakley Cox
6 Jack Baker
7 Jake Whittaker
8 Ben Reavley
9 James Smith
10 Luke Jagoe
11 Gareth Davies
12 Marcus-Alexander Neil
13 Ben Claxton
Subs
14 Alex Hamilton
15 Yoni Dennis
16 Leo Bentley
17 Abeku Nelson
Tries: Cox 2, Davies 2, M-A Neil 2, Sismey-Durrant
Goals: Whittaker 6
Cambridge Light Blues
1 James Tennison
2 Sam Roberts
3 Dean Rynhoud
4 David Sparkhall
5 Sam Rylands
6 Alistair White
7 Ed Linford
8 Aidan Devane
9 James Henderson
10 Harry Cozens
11 Tom Hughes
12 Oliver Brewster
13 Matt Commin
Subs
14 Freddie Bromley
15 George Laing
16 Oliver Holmes
17 Craig Winfield
Image gallery (click to launch slideshow)
