OURFC U20s make national quarter finals

Sunday afternoon saw the Under 20’s defeat their Warwickshire counterparts 15-12 in the final group match of the U20 National Championship.

The fixture was set to be the group decider and Oxford were able to secure victory to keep alive hopes of glory in a competition featuring some of the country’s top county sides.

Getting stuck-in at a very muddy Iffley.

Unhelpful conditions did not make for much flowing rugby- the Iffley Road surface resembled a boggy battlefield as the two sides went to war. Fighting against both pounding rain and sub-zero temperatures both teams strove to put on the best show possible.  This was a day for men not boys.

Oxford flew out of the traps and totally dominated the opening half. A trio of unconverted tries put the home side into a commanding 15-0 lead at half time.

When it rains it pours.

Magdalen flanker Henry Hughes and Teddy Hall hooker Will Darby slid over the line with the game’s opening tries before Univ scrum-half Matt Shorthose rounded off the first half scoring. Oxford’s lead would have been even more impressive if kicks had gone over.

Warwickshire came alive after the break making a real contest of the second period. The Midlanders were able to run in two tries, one of which was converted to bring themselves within striking distance of Oxford’s now fragile lead.,

But the home side were able to hold firm and withstand a great deal of pressure to leave Warwickshire 3 points shy.

Oxford now progress into the quarter-finals and face a potentially tricky trip all the way to Durham on Sunday 7th April.