History
The Varsity Matches are the historic annual rugby clash between Oxford University Rugby Football Club (OURFC) and Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club (CURUFC). The first men’s match was played in 1872 and the first women’s match was played in 1988, making Varsity one of the world’s longest running sporting fixtures.
Representing Cambridge or Oxford in a Varsity match earns players a ‘Blue’, the highest sporting achievement within the Universities. Each year, over 300 players of all genders compete for the right to play in a rugby Varsity match in hopes of taking home victory for their side.
Since 2024 the Varsity Matches have been played at StoneX Stadium in North London, home of Saracens Rugby Club, one of the top performing clubs in English rugby in both their men’s and women’s teams. The Varsity Matches partners closely with Saracens on all aspects of the event.
Through the stadium event, digital media, and livestreaming to over 50,000 viewers, the Varsity Matches attract a global audience of Cambridge and Oxford University students, alumni and partners, as well as rugby enthusiasts.
The Women's Varsity Matches
The Women’s Varsity Match between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge was first played on 10th March 1988 at Iffley Road, Oxford.
​
The captains that day, Heather Lawrence (nee Bunting) and Sophia Mirchandani (nee Pegers), were keen rugby fans and were responsible for setting up a women’s team to compete against ‘the Other Place’ as at the time, there was no women’s rugby at either university.
​
They set out to find like-minded, adventurous types who would be interested in trying something different and ran fundraising events to raise the profile of the teams. It was a last-gasp try from Sophia Pegers, the Cambridge captain that won the day, 8-6, for the Light Blues in front of a crowd of a few hundred supporters.
​
These days the women’s clubs at Oxford and Cambridge are both fully integrated into the men’s organisations, sharing facilities and gaining access to first-class coaching. 2015 was a breakthrough year, with the women’s Varsity Match being held at Twickenham, the biggest rugby stage in the world, for the very first time.
​
The ‘Player of the Match’ now receives the Bunting-Pegers trophy, named in honour of the pioneering captains from 1988.
​
There have been 31 matches played, with Oxford leading Cambridge 19 – 14. The match is one of the biggest amateur women’s rugby matches in the world.
History
1872
1877-1886
1887-1914
1919-1920
1921-2019
2015
2021
2022-2023
2024-
The first Varsity Match, played at University Parks in Oxford.
The Varsity Matches were played at a variety of neutral grounds in London.
The Matches were moved to the Queen's Club in Fulham until the outbreak of the First World War.
Post-war matches continued to be played at the Queen's Club, until the matches outgrew her capacity.
With the exception of the Second World War, the Matches were played at Twickenham for almost a hundred years.
The Women's Varsity Match was moved to Twickenham, marking a major step forward in gender equity in rugby and precipitating a boost in the women's game across the country.
Post-Pandemic, the Matches moved to July in 2021, and were played at the home of Premiership side Leicester Tigers.
The Matches returned to Twickenham, and it was decided that all future matches would be played in March.
The Matches are now played at StoneX Stadium, the home of Premiership side Saracens.