Before Cambridge University Women’s Rugby Union Football Club (CUWRUFC) became a mixed club back in 2013, it put forward an annual Varsity team to face O*ford. The Old Girls game was about them – the 400 women who have represented Cambridge in the Rugby Union Varsity Matches, who, before this year, went relatively unknown. At least, compared to the male Blues, who’s names can be found all over the clubhouse and in college records. This year, thanks to Millie Bushrod, Captain of the CURUFC Women’s Blues team 2022-24, the visibility status of these women changed for good with the Cap Project. Saturday was not just about the face off between CURUFC’s current XV and the Alumni XV – it was about heritage, about community, about the fierce alumni network which runs through CURUFC’s rich history and the relationships which connect present and past players of such a historic club.

On a glorious Saturday afternoon, Grange Road opened its doors for the annual Old Girls game. 150+ alumni filled the clubhouse with stories, friendship and a general buzz of excitement for the changing of history which was about to occur. For most women, this was an extraordinary event- as, being part of CURUWFC, a club entirely separate from CURUFC, they were not allowed to play on the Grange Road pitches, or use the onsite facilities including the clubhouse. The change CURUFC now sees is unrecognisable- both men and women have equal budgets and opportunities, both playing their Varsities at Stone X stadium, with a ‘One Club’ ethos echoing through every part of the club. This is the message Chair of the Club, Jess, spread in her speech to past and present members of the club before the cap presentation: she maintained how reflective we should feel to play on such a pitch – an exciting opportunity for ourselves, but even more so when doing it for the women who couldn’t before us. It is not an honour, but a well deserved right, and a symbol of how progressive the club has become, including diversity within the club’s managerial structure.

“To play on such a pitch […] It is not an honour, but a well deserved right”

Attention was then turned to Emilia Bushrod, the Women’s Blues Captain 2022-24. Alongside captaining her side to an exceptionally successful season ending in Varsity Victory, Millie had been working tirelessly to find and document every woman who has ever earned a CURUFC or CUWRUFC cap since the first Womens’ Varsity Match in 1988. This was no mean feat- she trailed through endless programmes, through video footage, through memories and pictures from alumni all over the world in order to assign every player a Cap number. When asked about her inspiration for the project, Millie explains how about 18 months ago she “had the idea of potentially trying to make a list of all of the past Varsity Match players at Cambridge. This led to the formation of the excellent Caps Project Team where we worked to collate the list”.

They were then presented with their caps, starting with the first ever 1988 Womens’ Varsity Squad, wearing old kit of a time gone by, of a time unrecognisable to players today. They were then followed by 150 other players/ 400 who were present to receive their caps, each receiving thunderous rounds of applause and cheers from past teammates and current players alike. For Millie, “It was a real moment in history for women’s rugby at the University of Cambridge. Watching each of the past players collect their caps with beaming smiles made me feel so proud.”

“Perhaps the most special element was being able to visualise the history of the club”

The Blues XV then faced up against the Alumni XV for the main event. A hard-fought match, which saw many strong players return from last years’ winning Blues squad, ended in a 53-3 victory to the Old Girls, putting any connotations of ‘old’ to rest. This squad also included one of the players from the very first Varsity match in 1988, an incredible feat and an honour to share the pitch with.

The community and atmosphere of a large group of women who have one common interest cannot be denied – and the evening which followed was nothing short of special. Around 150 of CURUFC’s community flooded the clubhouse for drinks after the match, with a special musical appearance from some of the Old Girls, who played many CURUFUC related tunes, uniting players in song and dance.

The room was full of inter-generational conversation, about rugby, about university experiences, about everything that we had in common. Connection with alumni is always special, but this was extra special- a room full of multiple generations who all chose to play for CURUFC/CUWRUFC, all with different experiences within the club. Perhaps the most special element was being able to visualise the history of the club – these women are not just names in a book or pictures in an album- they are the physical proof of experience, their stories bringing archival content to life. They, and fellow sportswomen, are the reason CURUFC and women’s sport in general is what it is today, and the gratitude we owe to the trailblazers of our past cannot be forgotten.