Oxford University R.F.C.
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The Oxford University Rugby Football Club (Oxford University RFC or OURFC) is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University R.U.F.C., Cambridge University at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham.


History


Men's team

The University of Oxford RFC was founded in 1869, fifteen months before the creation of the Rugby Football Union. The first Varsity Match was played in February 1872 in Oxford at 'The Parks', the following year the return game was played in Cambridge on Parker's Piece. In 1874 it was decided that the game be played on a neutral ground. Oxford, like rivals Cambridge, have supplied hundreds of players to national teams, and was key in spreading the sport of rugby throughout Britain as past students brought the game back to their home counties. The very first international player to be capped whilst at Oxford was Cecil Boyle, who represented England national rugby union team, England in 1872–73 Home Nations rugby union matches, 1873, one season before Cambridge University. In 1951 OURFC became the first Western rugby team to tour Japan rugby team, Japan after World War II. OURFC currently has 3 Men's teams: 1st XV Blues, 2nd XV Greyhounds and 3rd XV Whippets. All three teams play Varsity matches against their respective Cambridge opponents. Additionally, there is also a Men's U20s squad which contest their own Varsity Match alongside the Women's 2nd XV.


Major Stanley's Match

Source: Major R. V. Stanley was an Oxford local who took a hearty interest in the development of OURFC, becoming its first representative on the RFU Committee 1903–27. The first recorded Stanley's Match took place in 1919, after the 1914 match was cancelled due to the outbreak of World War I. An invitational squad, similar to the Barbarians, the Major Stanley's XV historically drew in big name players such as Tom Voyce (rugby union, born 1897), Thomas Voyce and Wavell Wakefield, 1st Baron Wakefield of Kendal, William Wavell Wakefield. Major Stanley's Match is an annual fixture played in preparation of the Varsity Match and recent Stanley's XVs have included Cardiff RFC. In 2019, the centenary year of the first Major Stanley's fixture, the Women's Blues faced the first ever Major Stanley's Women's XV.


Women's team

Oxford University WRFC was founded in 1988 and has been playing Cambridge University WRUFC annually since. The first women's Varsity was won by Cambridge; Oxford currently have 20 Varsity victories to Cambridge's 13. Notable players include Sue Day (St John's), who has won 59 England caps. As of May 2015, Oxford University RFC and Oxford University WRFC have officially merged into one University RFC. 2015 also marked the first year that the women's Varsity Match was held at Twickenham on the same day as the men's game. OURFC Women's 1st XV compete in BUCS Premiership South.


Honours

* Hawick Sevens ** Champions (1): 1925 Oxford University Greyhounds: *Oxfordshire RFU County Cup winners: 1976 Oxford University Women's Blues: * BUSA Champions 1998/1999 season * BUCS Vase Champions 2017 * BUCS Vase Runners Up 2019


Notable former players

Oxford University RFC has fielded over 300 international rugby players, many of whom were first Capped during their time playing for the club.


Internationals

The following former Oxford University players have been capped at full international level. Blues are listed in brackets: British & Irish Lions * – John Brett (rugby union), John Brett * – Walter Carey (1894, 95, 96, 97) * – Percy Robert Diggle, Percy Diggle (1908, 09) * – Thomas Gubb (1926, 27, 28, 29) * – Gerald Kyrke (1902, 03) * – Cuth Mullins (1894) * – Donald Troup (1928) Australia * – Thomas Baxter (rugby union), Thomas Baxter (1958, 59) * – Bill Calcraft (1986, 87) * – William Campbell (rugby union), Bill Campbell (1987) * – Troy Coker (1988, 89) * – Philip Crowe (rugby union), Philip Crowe (1981, 82, 83) * – Roger Davis (rugby union), Roger Davis (1974,75) * – Bob Egerton (1987, 88) * – Tom Lawton Snr, Tom Lawton (1921, 22, 23) * – Brendan Nasser (1992) * – Roland Raymond (1924) * – Brett Robinson (rugby union), Brett Robinson (2000, 01) * – Joe Roff (2006, 07) * – Bill Ross (rugby union), Bill Ross (1980) * – Ainslie Sheil (1958) * – Ian Williams (rugby union), Ian Williams (1988) Canada * – Andrew Bibby (rugby union), Andrew Bibby (1980, 81) * – Rob Brewer (1965) * – Alan Douglas (rugby union), Alan Douglas (1970, 71) * – Sean Fauth (2005) * – Dan Moor (2017) * – Stan McKeen (2008, 09, 10) * – David Penney (rugby union), David Penney (1995, 96) * – Gareth Rees (rugby union), Gareth Rees (1993, 94) * – Karl Svoboda (1995) * – Kevin Tkachuk (2001, 02, 03) England * – Harry Alexander (rugby union), Harry Alexander (1897, 98) * – Edward Baker (rugby union), Edward Baker (1893, 94, 95) * – Doug Baker (rugby union), Doug Baker (1952) * – Stuart Barnes (1981, 82, 83) * – Lancelot Barrington-Ward * – Tremlett Batchelor (1906) * – Harold Dingwall Bateson, Harold Bateson (1874, 75, 77) * – Thomas Batson * – Brian Black (sportsman), Brian Black (1929) * – Charles Bolton (rugby union), Charles Bolton * – Edgar Bonham-Carter (1890, 91) * – Brian Boobbyer (1949, 50, 51) * – Ian Botting (1949, 50) * – Cecil Boyle * – William Bromet (1889) * – Marshall Brooks (1873) * – Henry Brougham (sportsman), Henry Brougham * – Bruno Brown (1910, 11, 12) * – Tony Bucknall (1965, 66) * – Richard Budworth (1887, 88, 89) * – Lewis Cannell (1948, 49, 50) * – Godfrey Carey (1891, 92, 93, 94) * – Vincent Cartwright (1901, 02, 03, 04) * – Richard Cattell (rugby union), Richard Cattell (1893) * – William Cheesman (1910, 11) * – Ernest Cheston * – Percy Christopherson (1886, 87, 88) * – Charles Cleveland (rugby union), Charles Cleveland (1885, 86) * – William Collins (New Zealand surgeon), William Collins * – Paul Cooke (rugby union, born 1916), Paul Cooke (1936, 37) * – Edward Court (1882, 83) * – Peter Cranmer (1933, 34) * – Gordon Cridlan (1928, 29, 30) * – Charles Crosse (1874) * – John Currie (sportsman), John Currie (1954, 55, 56, 57) * – Alfred Davenport * – Phil de Glanville (1990) * – Robert de Winton (1888, 89, 90) * – Ted Dillon * – Arthur James Dingle, Arthur Dingle (1911) * – Peter Dixon (1967, 68, 69, 70) * – Denys Dobson (1899, 1900, 01) * – Martin Donnelly (sportsman), Martin Donnelly (1946) * – Aubrey Dowson (1896) * – John Marshall Dugdale, John Dugdale * – Arthur Evanson (1880, 81) * – Frank Evershed * – William Fletcher (rugby union), William Fletcher (1972, 73, 74) * – Howard Fowler (1877, 78) * – Edward Fraser (rugby union), Edward Fraser (1873, 74, 75) * – Hubert Freakes (1936, 37, 38) * – Harold Freeman * – Nigel Gibbs (rugby union), Nigel Gibbs * – Charles Gibson (rugby union), Charles Gibson * – Arthur Gibson (rugby), Arthur Gibson * – Simon Halliday (1979, 80, 81) * – Curly Hammond (1899, 1900) * – Reginald Hands (1908, 09) * – Charles Harper (colonial administrator), Charles Harper (1897, 98) * – Danny Hearn (1964) * – Arthur Heath (1875, 77, 78, 79) * – Anthony Henniker-Gotley (1909) * – Ronald Hillard (1923, 24) * – Bob Hiller (1965) * – Harold Hodges (1905, 06, 07, 08) * – Murray Hofmeyr (1948, 49, 50) * – Peter Hordern (rugby union), Peter Hordern (1928) * – Peter Howard (journalist), Peter Howard (1929, 30) * – Rupert Inglis (1883, 84) * – Francis Isherwood (1872) * – Jake Jacob (1923, 24, 25) * – John Kendall-Carpenter (1948, 49) * – Charles Kent (rugby union), Charles Kent (1972, 73, 74, 75) * – Richard Kindersley (rugby union), Richard Kindersley (1882, 83) * – Harold Kittermaster (1922, 24) * – Ronald Lagden (1909, 10, 11) * – Archibald Fitzgerald Law, Archibald Law (1875) * – Frederic Lee (rugby union), Frederic Lee (1874, 75, 76, 77) * – Frederick Leslie-Jones (1894, 95, 96) * – Mike Marshall (rugby union), Mike Marshall (1936, 37, 38) * – John Maxwell-Hyslop (1920, 21, 22) * – Laurence Merriam (1913) * – Arthur Michell (1872, 73, 74) * – William Moberly (1872, 73) * – Edward Moore (rugby union), Edward Moore (1882, 83) * – Philip Moore, Baron Moore of Wolvercote, Philip Moore (1945, 46) * – Maurice McCanlis (1926, 27) * – Edward Nash (rugby union), Edward Nash (1874, 75) * – Syd Newman (1946, 47) * – Philip Newton (rugby union), Philip Newton (1879, 80) * – Ossie Newton-Thompson (1945, 46) * – Philip Nicholas (1897, 98, 99) * – Ernie Nicholson (1931, 32, 33, 34) * – Eustace North (1888, 89, 90) * – Tony Novis (1927) * – Alexander Obolensky (1935, 37) * – Sidney Osborne (1900, 01, 02) * – Tuppy Owen-Smith (1932, 33) * – Colin Payne (rugby union), Colin Payne (1960) * – Launcelot Percival (1889, 91) * – Malcolm Phillips (1956, 57, 58, 59) * – Charles Phillips (rugby union), Charles Phillips (1876, 77, 78, 79) * – James Pitman (1921) * – Francis Poole (1891, 92, 93, 94) * – G. V. Portus, Garnet Portus * – Ronald Poulton (1909, 10, 11) * – Robin Prescott (1932) * – Leo Price (1920, 21) * – John Raphael (sportsman), John Raphael (1901, 02, 03, 04) * – John Ravenscroft (rugby union), John Ravenscroft (1877, 78) * – Bill Redwood * – Steve Richards (rugby union), Steve Richards (1962) * – James Richardson (sportsman), James Richardson (1925) * – Ryder Richardson (1881) * – Laurie Rimmer (1958) * – Chris Rittson-Thomas (1949, 50) * – Peter Robbins (rugby union), Peter Robbins (1954, 55, 56, 57) * – Khaki Roberts, Geoffrey Roberts (1908, 09) * – Matthew Robson (rugby union), Matthew Robson (1929) * – Walter Rogers (rugby union), Walter Rogers (1898, 1900) * – Alan Rotherham (1882, 83, 84) * – Ted Rudd (rugby union), Ted Rudd (1963, 64) * – Joseph Sandford (1902, 03)) * – John Scott (rugby union, born 1935), John Scott (1957, 58) * – Edward Scott (sportsman), Edward Scott * – Richard Sharp (rugby union), Richard Sharp (1959, 60, 61) * – Nick Silk (1961, 62, 63) * – Harry Small (1949, 50) * – M. J. K. Smith, Mike Smith (1954, 55) * – Nigel Starmer-Smith (1965, 66) * – Eric Steinthal (1906) * – Ernest Still (1872, 73) * – Adrian Stoop (1902, 03, 04) * – Edmund Strong (1881, 83) * – David Swarbrick (1946, 47, 48) * – Deneys Swayne (1930, 31) * – Frank Tarr (1907, 08, 09) * – William Tatham (1881, 82, 83) * – Basil Travers (1946, 47) * – Henry Tristram (1882, 83, 84) * – Victor Ubogu (1987) * – Clive van Ryneveld (1947, 48, 49) * – Harry Vassall (1879, 80, 81, 82) * – Henry Vassall (1906, 07, 08) * – Charles Wade (1882, 83, 84) * – John Walton (rugby union), John Walton (1900, 01) * – Antony Warr (1933, 34) * – John Willcox (1959, 60, 61, 62) * – Rupert Williamson (rugby union), Rupert Williamson (1906, 07, 08) * – Chris Winn (1950) * – Alf Wood (rugby), Alan Wood (1904) * – Charles Wooldridge (1882) * – Derek Wyatt (1981) * – John Young (rugby union), John Young (1957, 58) Ireland * – Rowland Byers (1926) * – William John Cullen, William Cullen * – Arthur Curtis (rugby union), Arthur Curtis (1949) * – David Curtis (rugby union), David Curtis (1989) * – Niall Hogan (1996, 97) * – Tyrone Howe (1994, 95) * – David Humphreys (rugby union), David Humphreys (1995) * – Hugo MacNeill (rugby union), Hugo MacNeill (1982, 83, 84) * – Niall Malone (1992) * – Brendan Mullin (1986, 87) * – Noel McGrath (rugby union), Noel McGrath (1934, 35, 36) * – John Reid (rugby union), John Reid * – Brian Smith (rugby, born 1966), Brian Smith (1988, 89) * – Shaun Waide (1932) * – Ollie Waldron (1965, 67) Japan * – Toshiyuki Hayashi (1990) * – Takuro Miuchi (1998) New Zealand * – George Aitken (rugby union), George Aitken (1921, 22) * – David Kirk (1987, 88) * – Chris Laidlaw (1968, 69) * – Anton Oliver (2008) Scotland * – David McLaren Bain, David Bain (1910, 11, 12, 13) * – John Bannerman, Baron Bannerman of Kildonan, John Bannerman (1928) * – David Bell (sportsman), David Bell (1970) * – William Berkley (rugby union), William Berkley (1924, 25, 26) * – Charles Berry (rugby union), Charles Berry (1883, 84) * – William Bolton (rugby union), William Bolton (1873, 74, 75) * – John Boswell (rugby union), John Boswell (1885, 86, 87) * – Fletcher Buchanan (1909, 10) * – Pat Burnet (1960) * – Alexander Cairns (rugby union), Alexander Cairns (1899, 1900, 01) * – George Cawkwell (1946, 47) * – Paul Clauss (1889, 90, 91) * – Mac Cooper (1935, 36, 37) * – Ian Coutts (sportsman), Ian Coutts (1951) * – John Crabbie (1898, 99, 1900, 01) * – Gerard Crole (1913, 19) * – George Cunningham (civil servant), George Cunningham (1907, 08, 09) * – Simon Danielli (1999, 2000) * – Hamish Dawson * – Maurice Dickson (1903) * – Grahame Donald (1911, 12, 13) * – Bill Donaldson (rugby union), Bill Donaldson (1892, 93, 94) * – Harvey Druitt (1929, 30, 31) * – Dan Drysdale (1925) * – Denoon Duncan (1919, 20) * – Ewen Fergusson (1952, 53) * – Charles Fleming (rugby union), Charles Fleming (1887, 88, 89, 90) * – Hector Forsayth (1920, 21) * – Henry Gedge (1893) * – Colin Gilray (1908, 09) * – A. G. G. Asher, Augustus Grant-Asher (1881, 82, 83) * – Charles Grieve (1934, 35, 36) * – Thomas Hart (civil servant), Thomas Hart * – Nelson Henderson (1886) * – Chick Henderson (rugby union), John Henderson (1952) * – Gurth Hoyer-Millar (1952) * – Jo Hume (1927, 28) * – Kenneth Jackson (sportsman), Ken Jackson (1932, 33) * – Norman Kennedy (rugby union), Norman Kennedy (1901) * – Peter Kininmonth (1947, 48) * – George Campbell Lindsay, George Lindsay (1882, 83, 84) * – Bertie Lorraine (1932, 33, 34) * – Eric Loudoun-Shand (1913, 19) * – Donald MacDonald (rugby union), Donald MacDonald (1974, 75, 76) * – Chris Mackintosh (1925) * – Pat MacLachlan (1953) * – Phil Macpherson (1922, 23, 24) * – John Marshall (rugby union), John Marshall * – Hugh Martin (rugby union), Hugh Martin (1907, 08, 09) * – Patrick Munro (1903, 04, 05) * – Joe McPartlin (1960, 61, 62) * - Alec Elliot Murray (1944) * – Thomas Arthur Nelson, Tommy Nelson (1897, 98) * – William Renwick (rugby union), William Renwick (1936, 37) * – William Roughead (rugby union), William Roughead (1924, 25, 26) * – Douglas Schulze * – Tennant Sloan (1908) * – Allan Smith (rugby union), Allan Smith (1894, 95, 96, 97) * – Ian Smith (rugby union, born 1903), Ian Smith (1926) * – Ken Spence (1951, 52) * – Peter Stagg (1961, 62) * – Stephen Steyn (1911, 12) * – Malcolm Swan (1957) * – Edward Taylor (rugby union), Edward Taylor (1926, 27, 28) * – Frans ten Bos (1958, 59, 60) * – William Thomson (rugby union, born 1876), William Thomson (1895, 96) * – Bruce Thomson (rugby union), Bruce Thomson (1951, 52) * – Frederick Harding Turner, Frederick Turner (1908, 09, 10) * – James Walker (sportsman), James Walker (1879, 80, 81) * – Mike Walker (rugby union), Mike Walker (1950, 51) * – Archibald Walker (1880) * – Johnnie Wallace (1922, 23, 24, 25) * – Donald White (rugby union), Donald White * – David Whyte (rugby union), David Whyte (1963) * – Stewart Wilson (1963, 64) * – Gully Wilson (1946, 48) * – Eric Templeton Young, Eric Young South Africa * – Andrew Aitken (rugby union), Andrew Aitken (1993) * – Tommy Bedford (1965, 66, 67) * – Herbert Hayton Castens, Herbert Castens (1886, 87) * – Noel Howe-Browne (1905, 06) * – Paul Johnstone (1952, 53, 54) * – Dugald MacDonald (1974, 75) * – Nick Mallett (1979) * – Stanley Osler (1931) * – Willie Rousseau (1929) United States * – Derek Asbun (2011) * – Nick Civetta (2022) * – Andrew Durutalo (2021) * – Eric Fry (2022) * – Gary Hein (1989, 90) * – Don James (rugby union), Don James (1989) * – Will Johnson (rugby union, born 1984), Will Johnson (2009) * – Ray Lehner (1997, 99, 2000, 01) * – Adam H. Russell, Adam Russell (1999, 2000, 02) * – Kurt Shuman (1998, 99) * – Alan Valentine (1923, 24, 25) Wales * – Charles Allen (Stroud MP), Charles Allen (1881, 82, 83) * – Onllwyn Brace (1955, 56) * – Trevor Brewer (1951) * – Ian Buckett (1992) * – Mickey Davies * – Gareth Davies (rugby union, born 1955), Gareth Davies (1977) * – Robin Davies (rugby union), Robin Davies (1955, 56, 57) * – Jenkin Alban Davies, Alban Davies * – Bailey Davies (1905, 06, 07) * – Bill Evans (rugby union), Bill Evans * – Denis Evans (rugby union), Denis Evans (1959) * – David William Evans, David Evans (1887, 88) * – Gwyn Francis (1919) * – Richard Garnons Williams * – Billy Geen (1910, 11, 12) * – William Havard (1919) * – Hugh Ingledew * – Vivian Jenkins (1930, 31, 32) * – Ken Jones (rugby union, born 1941), Ken Jones (1963) * – Ian Jones (rugby union, born 1940), Ian Jones (1963, 64) * – Kenyon Jones (1931, 32) * – Charles Lewis (rugby union), Charles Lewis * – Andy Moore (rugby union, born 1968), Andrew Moore (1990) * – Tony O'Connor (rugby union), Tony O'Connor (1958) * – Edward Peake * – Aneurin Rees * – Conway Rees (1891, 92, 93) * – Geoffrey Rees-Jones (1933, 34, 35) * – Walter Rice Evans (1890) * – Bill Roberts (rugby union), Bill Roberts (1928, 29, 30, 31) * – Mike Roberts (rugby union, born 1946), Mike Roberts (1968) * – David Roberts (rugby union), David Roberts * – John Strand-Jones (1899, 1900, 01) * – William Llewellyn Thomas, William Thomas (1893, 94) * – Leonard Watkins (1879) * – David Wyn Evans (1988) * – Derek Williams (sportsman), Derek Williams (1945) * – Richard Wintle (1993)


SRU presidents

Former Oxford University players have been President of the SRU: * 1898–99 John Boswell (rugby union), John Boswell * 1909-10 Alexander Blair (rugby union), Alexander Blair * 1910-11 Charles Fleming (rugby union), Charles Fleming * 1929-30 A. G. G. Asher, Augustus Grant-Asher * 1936-38 Alfred Lawrie * 1939-42 Patrick Munro * 1951-52 Dan Drysdale * 1954-55 John Bannerman, Baron Bannerman of Kildonan, John Bannerman


References


External links

*
The Varsity Match
{{University of Oxford, state=collapsed Oxford University RFC, Rugby union teams in England Oxford student sports clubs, Rugby 1869 establishments in England Rugby clubs established in 1869 University and college rugby union clubs in England Sport at the University of Oxford Rugby union clubs in Oxfordshire