Emilia Bushrod savoured the winning feeling as Cambridge University clinched a gripping 10-5 victory over Oxford University in the Women’s Jefferies Varsity Match at Saracens’ StoneX Stadium.
Ella Heathfield’s try and five points from the boot of Izzy Boothroyd were what made the difference between the sides as the two contested an edge-of-the-seat battle in a gripping second half.
“I said before that winning would be everything, and it feels like everything – I didn’t get that wrong!” said Cambridge captain Bushrod.
“We all knew it was going to be close. We looked in control for 60 minutes of the 80-minute game but, in the end, our discipline and being clinical really won that for us.
“How good are our defenders? All of them, so confident to make tackles.
“I spoke in an interview beforehand that we’re as happy to play without the ball as we are with it. I think keeping that mindset, and keeping the positivity was what won us the game.”
It was a squad effort as each and every player stepped up to the mark when called upon, especially with two yellow cards in the closing stages, and a shining example of this was at the set piece.
“Our tactic paid off,” said Bushrod.
“We ‘bomb-squaded’ our two physically stronger props in favour of the more mobile ones so then at the start of the game they were absolutely solid in the scrum, and when Oxford were getting tired, we brought our massive ‘bomb-squad’ on and I think they made such a difference in the scrum.”
