Official Page of Oxford University Rugby - The OURFC Blues
Keep up to date with all things Dark Blue
OURFC AND THE VARSITY MATCH
With the first Varsity Match being played in 1872, it is one of the world's longest running sporting fixtures. It represents the pinnacle of amateur and student rugby where two of the most prestigious universities in the world compete for the the title of Varsity holders. The relative length of a Varsity campaign compared to a conventional season is very short, culmina
ting in the ultimate finale, the big day at Twickenham. The journey to Twickenham is a unique experience, endowing every player, coach and supporter with many precious memories and a spectacle steeped in tradition, pride and a culture of excellence. Despite the sometimes inclement conditions, the Varsity match was traditionally played at 2.00pm on the second Tuesday in December. However since 2007 it was played on a Thursday, continuing to attract large crowds. The histories of both the Varsity Match and of rugby union are intertwined. Oxbridge rugby has been historically, and remains, at the forefront of the development and refinement of the game. Whilst Oxford and Cambridge are not professional teams, they remain a benchmark for the game through their promotion of the rugby's traditional values and ideals. As the pinnacle of amateur sport, the Varsity Match is a unique and unmissable sporting event. The Varsity campaign starts in September of each year, before the start of Michaelmas Term, with pre-season training and an overseas tour; an opportunity for the squad to get into winning ways and experience the hospitality of a foreign country. On their return the Blues will go head to head against a number of Premiership Clubs, some of the top rugby Universities in the country and in mid-November, the Major Stanley's XV. Traditionally the highlight of the Varsity build-up, the match against the Major Stanley's team sees the Blues come up against an invitational side for an evening of festival rugby. All the games and preparations build up to what is the defining moment, and highlight, of the season – the Varsity Match. The match epitomises the age-old rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge Universities and at the same time illustrates the continuing vitality and spirit of amateur rugby. The importance of the contest is highlighted by the enormous contribution Oxbridge rugby and the Varsity Match have made to the development and refinement of the game of rugby over the last 135 years. Up until 1875 the Universities fielded 20 players a-side, as was the norm for Rugby football in those early years. In that year, the Universities and their respective Blues took the initiative and changed to 15 a-side. This caught on quickly and was adopted as the international standard in 1877. Only a few short months after the first international rugby match, between England and Wales was played, the first ever Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge made its debut in February 1872 in Oxford's 'University Parks'. In that first match Oxford wore dark blue jerseys (the same as today, though at some stages they have worn white), and Cambridge played in pink, changing to their light blue and white in 1876 – and so the Dark and Light Blues were born. Ever since 1872, the Varsity has been played annually and is renowned as one of the most pulsating fixtures on the rugby calendar. The following year (February 1873) the return match was played in Cambridge on 'Parkers Piece'. In 1877 it was decided to move the match to a neutral ground and the Kennington Oval - scene of England's first home international fixture the previous year - was chosen. During the 1880s the Varsity Match was played at a variety of venues including the Rectory Field, the home of Blackheath F.C. In December 1887, the match was moved to Queen's Club in Fulham. The venue had only just opened and was considered to be the best sporting club in Europe. Queen's Club continued to be the venue until the outbreak of the First World War, when all rugby matches, including Varsity, were suspended. The Decembers of 1919 and 1920 again saw the Varsity Matches played at Queen's Club. However, by this time, it was becoming too small to accommodate the growing crowds, so, consequently, in December 1921, the Varsity Match was moved to the Rugby Football Union's ground at Twickenham where, except for the war years (when the match was played twice each year at Oxford and Cambridge respectively) it has been played ever since. There was a time when the hallowed Varsity fixture served as an unofficial trial, where selectors from the home nations eager to see how a talented youngster performed on the bigger stage, or whether a more established figure was in form at the Varsity. Over the years, more than 600 players from either Oxford or Cambridge have gained representative international honours. OURFC has provided a breeding ground for a number of international players, during its existence, and this can be seen from the recent 2003 Rugby World Cup, where five players who once donned the Dark Blue shirt represented their home nations: Simon Danielli (Scotland, Blue 2000, 2001), Kevin Tkachuk (Canada, Blue 2001, 2002, 2003), David Humphreys (Ireland, Blue 1995), Joe Roff (Australia, Blue 2006, 2007) and Anton Oliver (New Zealand, Blue 2008). The sole focus of each University, irrespective of the matches leading up to that moment when they stand side by side in the tunnel for the first time, is to win The Varsity Match. Oxford won the first Varsity Rugby match, and of the 129 matches played, Oxford have won 54, Cambridge 61, and 14 matches have been drawn, most recently in 2003. Today the match is watched by more than 30,000 spectators and over a million television viewers. Join us this year for the 130th Varsity Match, as we write another page to its proud history.
13/07/2026
The worst thing about a University Rugby team is that every year you say goodbye to roughly a third of your members. The best thing is that our players are driven, hard working, resilient, bright, talented (the acclamation goes on).
History tells us that our alumni go on to achieve incredible things in their professional careers post OURFC. To see the latest crop of OURFC leavers from both sections see below:
Feel free to share with your networks as these individuals would add a huge amount to any organisation or individual.
OURFC 2026 Leavers
Every year we say goodbye to some fantastic OURFC stalwarts, who have given a tremendous amount to the club. These are ambitious, driven, articulate and high achieving individuals who we want to share publically with the OURFC community. The idea is to help them in their transition away from Oxford....
30/06/2026
Undergraduate applicants for 2026 or 2027 - get in touch!
Thinking of applying to Oxford for an undergraduate degree? Or do you already have a place for this coming September 2026? Currently in Year 12 or 13 and playing rugby? We'd love to hear from you! The University of Oxford have three upcoming open days over the summer - 1st and 2nd of July, as well as the 18th September.
Continue reading here......
Undergraduate applicants for 2026 or 2027 - get in touch!
Thinking of applying to Oxford for an undergraduate degree? Or do you already have a place for this coming September 2026? Currently in Year 12 or 13 and playing rugby? We'd love to hear from you! The University of Oxford have three upcoming open days over the summer - 1st and 2nd of July, as well a...
Meet the 2026-27 Men's Blues Captain: From Māori All Blacks to Oxford Blue: Reed Prinsep’s Next Chapter from New Zealand Rugby to Western Force to Oriel College, University of Oxford
A huge thank you to every business, player, supporter, volunteer and member of staff who helped make the second Corporate Clash such a success. Despite the challenging weather in the lead-up, we found a way, and it was brilliant to see eight businesses come together for an afternoon of touch rugby, networking and fundraising.
Congratulations to Leda Group on being crowned our 2026 Corporate Clash Champions! 👏🏆
A special thank you to our title sponsors, Ridge LLP for their continued support, alongside Out of the Grind, Storey Consulting, Howes Percival, G&T Catering, The Oxford Wine Company, Paul Roberts and thelittlegigtrailercompany, and Steve Karpa for helping make the day so memorable.
Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the event. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Interested in taking part next year? Get in touch now to register your interest for Corporate Clash 2027—we'd love to welcome your business onto the pitch! 🏉
28/06/2026
Meet the 2026-27 Women*s Blues Captain: Mel Morley
From Oxford United Football Club to Oxford Quins RFC through to gaining a place at St John's College, Oxford
We are incredibly proud and excited to see where Mel will lead the club alongside Men's Captain, Reed.
MEET THE 2026/27 WOMEN*S BLUES CAPTAIN
As the academic year draws to a close and students all over Oxford begin packing away their belongings for the long-awaited summer holiday, Oxford University RFC is proud to announce the election of its 2026/27 Blues Captains. The elections of the OURFC Blues Captains and the Committees is first ste...
23/06/2026
This Friday, Iffley Road plays host to the 2026 OURFC Corporate Clash Touch Tournament and we can't wait to welcome businesses, supporters and members of the local community for what promises to be a fantastic afternoon.
Eight Oxfordshire businesses will battle it out on the rugby pitch in a touch rugby tournament that combines sport, networking and fundraising, with matches kicking off from 1:00pm.
A huge thank you to our title sponsor Ridge LLP and to all of the teams taking part:
🍔 Howes Percivall – BBQ Sponsor
☕ Out of the Grind – Complimentary coffees, teas and iced drinks
🙌 Storey Consulting – Sponsors of the complimentary drinks
🥒 PickleUp – Complimentary tasters throughout the day, reducing cramp.
Rather than charging for refreshments, we are encouraging attendees to support Andy Gomarsall's fundraising efforts as part of the Lewis Moody XV Cycle Challenge, helping to raise funds and awareness in the fight against Motor Neurone Disease.
We're also proud that the event will help raise awareness for two fantastic charities:
❤️ Bhubesi Pride Foundation
❤️ Sobell House
The event is completely FREE to attend, so if you're in Oxford on Friday afternoon, come down to Iffley Road, enjoy some rugby, support some great causes and soak up the atmosphere.
A big thanks to thelittlegigtrailercompany supplying an amazing PA/Sound System for the event
We look forward to seeing you there!
📍 Oxford University Rugby Football Club, Iffley Road
⏰ Friday 26th June | From 1:00pm
🎟 Free Entry
13/07/2026
30/06/2026
29/06/2026
29/06/2026
28/06/2026
23/06/2026
18/06/2026