The least important game of the year

[Snamh]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6208444.stm
<DIV ="logo"></DIV>
<DIV ="line">Roff relishes Varsity challenge </DIV>


World Cup winner Joe Roff will lead Oxford's bid for Varsity glory against Cambridge at Twickenham on 12 December.


Roff, who quit Test rugby in 2004 with 86 Wallaby caps, will be one of three Oxford players in the side who hail from the Marist College in Canberra.


He will start at outside centre next week alongside former schoolmates Jonny O'Connor and fly-half Craig McMahon.


"The match has always had something special about it and it has really appealed to me," Roff said.
<DIV ="bo">


Roff claimed a World Cup winners' medal in 1999 and helped the Wallabies to a series win over the Lions in 2001.


He signed off his Test career two years ago, aged just 29, and this year joined Oxford to study politics, philosophy and economics at Harris Manchester College.


</DIV>
<DIV ="i">
<TABLE><T><T>
<T>
<TR>
<TD width=5></TD>
<TD ="fact"><!-Smva->To play in the Varsity match is one of the great boxes to tick in rugby
<!-Emva-><!-Smva-><!-Smva->Joe Roff <!-Emva-><!-Emva-></TD></TR></T></T></T></TABLE></DIV>
<DIV ="bo">


Roff, O'Connor and McMahon follow in the path of Rob Egerton, another former Marist College old boy who played for Oxford in 1987 and 1988 before winning the World Cup with Australia in 1991.


"We are each from different generations of the same school," Roff added.


"I played a little bit with Jonny but unfortunately I'm old enough to have played most of my rugby with his brother Matt, who also played for Australia."


Playing in the Varsity Match has long been an ambition for Roff.


"If you talk to anyone who knows anything about rugby they know about this game, they know about the rivalry, the traditions and the history," he added.


"To be part of it is one of the great boxes you can get to tick in rugby."


Cambridge boast an ex-professional of their own in Jonny Ufton, the former Wasps player.


He will start his fourth Varsity match at fly-half, after helping the Light Blues to a 31-16 victory last year.





</DIV>
<DIV ="footer">Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/spo...by_union/62084 44.stm

Published: 2006/12/04 23:26:47 GMT

© BBC MMVI
</DIV>

[Snamh]

<DIV =logo>
<DIV =line>Roff relishes Varsity challenge </DIV>World Cup winner Joe Roff will lead Oxford's bid for Varsity glory against Cambridge at Twickenham on 12 December.


Roff, who quit Test rugby in 2004 with 86 Australia caps, will be one of three Oxford players in the side who hail from the Marist College in Canberra.


Cambridge boast an ex-professional of their own in Jonny Ufton, the former Wasps player.


He will start his fourth Varsity match at fly-half, after helping the Light Blues to a 31-16 victory last year.
<DIV =bo>


Winger David Akinluyi, who was snapped up by Northampton after scoring in last year's Varsity Match, is back while New Zealander John Blaikie emulates his brother Duncan in captaining Cambridge at Twickenham.


In addition to Roff's experience Oxford can also call on former London Irish scrum-half Kevin Brennan, who captains the side.


Roff will start at outside centre next week alongside former schoolmates Jonny O'Connor and fly-half Craig McMahon.


</DIV>
<DIV =i>
<TABLE>
<T>
<TR>
<TD width=5></TD>
<TD =fact><!-Smva->To play in the Varsity match is one of the great boxes to tick in rugby
<!-Emva-><!-Smva-><!-Smva->Joe Roff <!-Emva-><!-Emva-></TD></TR></T></TABLE></DIV>
<DIV =bo>


"The match has always had something special about it and it has really appealed to me," Roff said.


Roff claimed a World Cup winners' medal in 1999 and helped the Wallabies to a series win over the Lions in 2001.


He signed off his Test career two years ago, aged just 29, and this year joined Oxford to study politics, philosophy and economics at Harris Manchester College.


Roff, O'Connor and McMahon follow in the path of Rob Egerton, another former Marist College old boy who played for Oxford in 1987 and 1988 before winning the World Cup with Australia in 1991.


"We are each from different generations of the same school," Roff added.


"I played a little bit with Jonny but unfortunately I'm old enough to have played most of my rugby with his brother Matt, who also played for Australia."


Playing in the Varsity Match has long been an ambition for Roff.


"If you talk to anyone who knows anything about rugby they know about this game, they know about the rivalry, the traditions and the history," he added.


"To be part of it is one of the great boxes you can get to tick in rugby."


Cambridge lead the 124-game series 58-52, with 14 draws.











Oxford: C Mahony (Wolfson); J Boto (University), J Roff (Harris Manchester), J O'Connor (Kellogg), T Tombleson (Wolfson); C McMahon (Linacre), K Brennan (Linacre, capt); O Tomaszczyk (Brasenose), W Cowie (Keble), R Matthews (Wadham), J Chance (Kellogg), D Alexander (Templeton), D Abbott (Linacre), D Palm (St Cross), J Jones (St Anne's).
Replacements: D Rosen (Worcester), M McGillion (Greyfriars), R Graham (New), M Du Toit (Pembroke), P Jenkins (Keble), J Bucknall (Kellogg), T Catling (Pembroke).


Cambridge: H Murray (St Edmund's); D Tibbott (Sidney Sussex), J Ansbro (Robinson), S Thomas (Trinity), D Akinluyi (Christs); J Ufton (St Edmund's), R Blake (Hughes Hall); R Schwikkard (Hughes Hall), J Clark (St Edmund's), J Dawson (St Edmund's), J Blaikie (Hughes Hall, capt), M Harfoot (St Catharine's), N Johnson (Pembroke), D O'Brien (Hughes Hall), E Andrew (St John's).
Replacements (from): T Woolsey (Queens), A Fitzpatrick (Gonville and Caius), T Boynton (Hughes Hall), R Bartholomew (Jesus), T Malaney (St Edmund's), R Evans (Hughes Hall), C Lewis (St Catharine's), D Stewart (Hughes Hall).
</DIV></DIV>

[munsterbouy]

Come on Cambridge !!!!!!

[Snamh]

May I just say


GWAN OXFORD
@@@@SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 72pt">@@@@/SPAN>

[munsterbouy]

Akinluyiout for Cambridge ...shame

[Snamh]

Akinluyiout for Cambridge ...shame

Excuses starting already....shame[img]smileys/smile.gif[/img]

[munsterbouy]

[img]smileys/biggrin.gif[/img]

[munsterbouy]

Hay makers flying left right and centre oxford number 5 binned

[munsterbouy]

oxford giving away alot of penalties but ufton not converting.Penalty try to Cambridge

[munsterbouy]

Penalty Oxford 3-7 Cambridge

[munsterbouy]

6-7 cambridge Roff making himself known . Cambridge giving away penalties now .

[munsterbouy]

6-10 Cambridge , far too many penalties being given away on each side lots of offside .H/T

what's the latest?

[munsterbouy]

Try Cambridge 6-15

[munsterbouy]

All over 6-15 Cambridge .......

[munsterbouy]

Snamh give my congrats to the Lads in the Office ....[img]smileys/wink.gif[/img]

[Snamh]

Dang. Sounds like the Tabs deserved their victory. Funny how the lesser university always wins these things isn't it?[img]smileys/surprised.gif[/img]


Must change the thread title as well while I am at it....

[munsterbouy]

Great to see grace in defeat ......tut tut bringing in ex international world cup medal winners and the still could'nt win a varsity match.Things are not looking too good for Oxford.But if you willing to except the like of Pete Doherty into the Campus, well need I say more [img]smileys/wink.gif[/img]


It was'nt the best of games to be honest I have seen Cambridge play better at home in Grange road.

[Snamh]

Great to see grace in defeat ......tut tut bringing in ex international world cup medal winners and the still could'nt win a varsity match.Things are not looking too good for Oxford.But if you willing to except the like of Pete Doherty into the Campus, well need I say more [img]smileys/wink.gif[/img]


It was'nt the best of games to be honest I have seen Cambridge play better at home in Grange road.

Pete Doherty?? Sure he never got within an asses roar of Oxford. Some redbrick in London was unfortunate enough to have him as a student.

[Old Dog]

Great to see grace in defeat ......tut tut bringing in ex international world cup medal winners and the still could'nt win a varsity match.Things are not looking too good for Oxford.But if you willing to except the like of Pete Doherty into the Campus, well need I say more [img]smileys/wink.gif[/img]

Writing "except" instead of "accept" above makes me doubt that you're an alumnus of any of the Cambridge Colleges.Are you quite sure that you didn't graduate from UCG?


Oh - and well done [yet again] to the light blues. Floreat Cambrensis!

[Combatlogo]

Great to see grace in defeat ......tut tut bringing in ex international world cup medal winners and the still could'nt win a varsity match.Things are not looking too good for Oxford.But if you willing to except the like of Pete Doherty into the Campus, well need I say more [img]smileys/wink.gif[/img]

Writing "except" instead of "accept" above makes me doubt that you're an alumnus of any of the Cambridge Colleges.Are you quite sure that you didn't graduate from UCG?


Oh - and well done [yet again] to the light blues. Floreat Cambrensis!


Shouldn't that be "Floreat Cantabrigensis"?