OUWRFC beat Cardiff University 68-0 in their recent BUCS encounter, propelling the girls into fourth position on the table.
The home match was do-or-die, as Oxford, Cardiff, and Glamorgan battle it out in a three- way fight against relegation in the BUCS Premiership South. The top three teams in the Premiership – Gloucestershire, Exeter, and national champions UWIC – feature dozens of international players between them, meaning that a successful season at this highest level of university rugby is more about staying in the league than it is about being named champions.
The Blues quickly rose to the challenge. For ten minutes, the match was in a deadlock. However, after a series of impressive Oxford scrums the Blues were camped in Cardiff’s 22. Several strong rucks resulted in the first try of the match, scored by flanker Ann Tivey.
Although Cardiff initially appeared ready for a fight, the Welsh defence quickly collapsed as Oxford found tries from all corners of the park.
Both the forwards and backs found points, showing the impressive breadth of the mostlynew Blues team for this season.
Try-scorers included Kelly-Anne Ferguson, Libby Knowles, George Rought Witta, Charlie Brown, Ann Tivey, Rachel Kan, Jessie-Joy Flowers, Ellen O’Connell, Mairi Robertson, and Carly Bliss. Several conversions were also made by Flowers and Robertson.
Oxford’s defence was equally as impressive, keeping the Welsh to nil despite several breaks made in both halves of the pitch.
Prop and try-scorer Libby Knowles was modest about her woman-of-the-match performance, commenting that “this was really a team victory more than it was about any individual performance – although I am stoked to have scored my first try at the top level of university rugby.”
OUWRFC now prepare to face Glamorgan in Wales during Fifth Week, another important encounter that will count in the battle against relegation as the season heats up.
