Oxford captains ready for Cambridge rivals in match for disabled fans

Men’s winger Ed, 24, and women’s prop Hazel, 21, will lead the out the Dark Blues of Oxford against the Light Blues of Cambridge in the famous annual rugby match, raising funds for leading disability charity Leonard Cheshire.

Ed is a sixth year medical student at St Hilda’s College, while Hazel is studying an MPhil in Classical Indian Religion at St Cross College. They recently visited residents at the charity’s Agnes Court care home for disabled adults in Banbury, and welcomed them to several Varsity warmup games at Oxford University’s Iffley Road rugby ground.

Hazel said:

‘There’s a history between Oxford rugby teams and Leonard Cheshire, and I love visiting Agnes Court! The residents have shown us lots of great support and I’ve had so much fun chatting to them.

‘It reminds you of the impact sport can have for spectators and I’m so pleased they’re getting behind us at Twickenham.’

Ed, Hazel and their team mates will welcome Agnes Court residents to Twickenham on Thursday.

Ed added:

‘With the profile of the Varsity Match, we’d like to give people some appreciation of the good work that Leonard Cheshire does,  both at Agnes Court and also in the community and internationally.’

Leonard Cheshire is the main charity partner of the Varsity Match. Funds raised will support high quality care homes, UK employment schemes and international education programmes.

Ed and Hazel name strong sides, boasting several veterans of previous Varsity matches.

Ed will return for his fourth Varsity Match after missing last year’s victory through injury. Ed has twelve players with Varsity experience in the team, including fellow winger Tom Stileman who will play in his fifth Varsity Match. 

Ed said:

‘Varsity is a fantastic shared experience, trying to get the best out of people and building towards a common goal.

‘My first Varsity Match, the 2015 victory, is up there with my fondest memories and is my best rugby moment so far. This year I will have the honour of being captain, which will be very special.’

Hazel, playing in her third Varsity Match after overcoming a late injury scare, names 10 starting players with Varsity experience. The Harlequins front-row forward is seeking her first Twickenham win for Oxford women, after a strong and influential season as the Dark Blues skipper.

Hazel added:

‘It’s a humbling experience to be captain. I’m so excited. We’ve got experience, a new brand of rugby and a real hunger. We may have lost the last two matches, but we are determined not to lose again.’

‘I got involved in rugby in the second year of uni and loved it straight away. I wish I’d got involved in the game earlier and now I’m in a position to encourage more and more girls to get involved as soon as possible. I can try to shape other people’s experience and help them realise how much they love the sport.’

The women’s match kicks off at 11.30am at Twickenham followed the men’s match at 3pm, with both games live on ITV4.

The Varsity Match on Thursday coincides with polling day in the General Election, as it did for the first match in 1872. For most of the day at Twickenham all thoughts will turn to rugby, with the event set to attract huge crowds. 

The player of the match in the men’s game will receive the Alastair Hignell medal, named after the former England international and Cambridge men’s captain. Hignell, 64, who has multiple sclerosis, is a Leonard Cheshire ambassador and will present the award on the day.

 

Leonard Cheshire has been the main charity partner of the Varsity Match since 2014. Funds raised support the charity’s high quality care homes, including Agnes Court, as well as UK employment schemes and international education programmes.

Media enquiries

For further information and hi-res photos, please contact Nick Bishop on nick.bishop@leonardcheshire.org or call 01202 747100 / 07889 976 267. Alternatively, contact the team on 020 3242 0399. Out of hours contact: 07903 949 388.