Benson leads the way for Cambridge
CAMBRIDGE, with their ‘big names’ leading the way, dismissed Oxford with an eight-try demolition to mark the first occasion this game has been played at the StoneX. It is the highest score and biggest margin of victory in the fixture’s history.
Harlequins and former England U20 fly-half Jamie Benson was a commanding figure throughout while Scotland’s GB sevens star James Farndale lit up proceedings with his running skills.
Not to be outdone, in possibly his last senior game, was Japanese No.8 Makoto Tosa who was playing for the Dark Blues 15 years ago when he first appeared in this game. Tosa, who has suffered a brain tumour in the interim which interrupted his professional career in Japan, was an abrasive presence in the loose and was still going strong at the end despite his 37 years.
So an outstanding day for the Light Blues who were generally excellent across the park, save for scrum time where they encountered serious problems, especially in the first half. Realising this possibly prompted them to play even wider than originally intended with pleasing results.
Oxford opened with an Archie King penalty but Cambridge hit straight back with a try for David Holdroyd. Benson failed to convert but rammed home the advantage with two excellent long range penclassic alties before skipper Ben Gompels burrowed over after excellent work from his pack.
Next came a try from impressive lock Charles Kantolinna following a rapid break up the left flank by Farndale who missed his blue last year when he was required for sevens duty.
The Dark Blues badly needed to score next but Cambridge still poured it on and on the stroke of half-time flanker Fergus Hughes touched down for a fourth try to effectively clinch the game before they went back down the tunnel.
Cambridge were in no mood to let up and scored possibly the best try of the game early in the second half when Max Loveridge expertly caught his own chip passed on to Farndale who found freshman and replacement George Bland on his inside for a sumptuous score.
The carnage continued pretty much unabated. Tosa touched down for a popular try before Farndale scored a cracker on the right flank with inside outside swerve to leave defenders floundering.
Oxford rallied briefly with an opportunist try for scrum-half Jack Hamilton but Cambridge finished on a high note with MOM Benson, a star recent product of Hampton School along with Louis Lynagh, doing remarkably well to first win a high ball in traffic then evade three or four defenders before sprinting 20 yards to the line.
Meanwhile, much has been made of the change of venue after 95 games at Twickenham since 1921, a move that reflects the new reality of the occasion nearly 30 years into professionalism.
The Varsity match is not a stadium filler at Twickenham any more, nor is it a crucible of Test players. But it is a meaningful and tradition laden game that needs preserving. The StoneX seems about right and let’s not forget moving around is part of the DNA of this fixture. Nothing is ever set in stone. Yesterday was the 13th different venue in total.