rguably there is nothing bigger in university sport than a grudge match between Oxford and Cambridge. They litter the Cambridge sporting calendar and all university sporting societies will have put a big red ring around the chosen date. And with tens of thousands flocking to the rugby Varsity match at Twickenham, a similar number attending the Boat Race with even more watching it live on BBC, and with huge numbers turning up to even the polo Varsity, its importance in Cambridge life is clear. However with many teams now playing in leagues and national competitions, the importance of one yearly spat can be heavily questioned. Considering that most other universities have adopted their own ‘varsities’, have the two institutions become too insular in their outlooks?

Much of the allure of Varsity derives from its history; many of the most important fixtures date back to the nineteenth century. The first ever recorded match between the two universities dates inevitably back to Lord’s, the most British of sporting institutions, where in 1827 they played a two-day cricket match. The historic Boat Race followed two years later, while the first football and rugby fixtures took place in 1870s. Yet not every Varsity match has such a long history, for example the women’s rugby Varsity match only started in 1988. It is undoubtedly true that the match has the same intensity simply because of the sheer weight of the two intuitions, yet without the historical importance attached to the event, there is less of a furore surrounding it.

Yet those matches that do contain a certain historical significance have offered promoters key opportunities for marketing and exploitation. Some of the encounters have drifted into the public conscience. The Boat Race is live on BBC every year, the rugby Varsity live on Sky Sports, as is the rugby league fixture. They are ideally suited to the live broadcast: readymade one-off affairs where the winner takes all.

This is something Blues rugby captain Jimmy Richards alludes to: "the Varsity match is all about one match and the success of the whole years hinges on just 80 minutes". Rugby union is one of the few sports where the Blues do not compete in a league and Richards admits that all other matches are essentially practice games. He argues that "if we were to change to a league set up, we would lose a lot of the mystique and tradition and this would dilute the whole occasion"

Stirring stuff and music to promoters hears but from a fan’s point of view, it would surely be better to see the Blues compete in a nail biting and exciting league campaign. Indeed, it would surely benefit the club as much as the students, for a critical league clash between the Blues and another top rugby side will surely fill more benches in Grange Road than a friendly between Cambridge and Blackheath.

Indeed, as much as the prestige of Oxbridge counts, real challenges can be posed by other sporting universities. It is something revealed by Skylar Neil, RFUW Blues captain, when she not only says that opposition in the women’s rugby leagues is possibly tougher than against Oxford but also that victories against Loughborough can mean more to the players. Indeed, she adds that "CURFC has placed greater emphasis on our performance in our BUCS and RFUW leagues and, as a result, have been very successful in our Varsity matches as well". There is clearly a mutual relationship which the Blues have profited from. Teams such as Loughborough will always be stronger than Oxford: it would surely benefit the men’s rugby team to compete against such teams in more than just a ‘friendly’ capacity. The Boat Club similarly train simply for the Boat Race. Engaging in a more competitive environment beforehand would surely benefit them.

Consequently, the issue of Varsity is a hotly debated topic amongst players themselves. In this case, both captains clearly feel their respective set-ups benefit them the most. There is a tension between wanting to keep the symbolism of the Varsity fixture but also realising that there may be other challenges out there, some of which can be immensely rewarding.

Varsity will always be the fixture for the season but it must be realised that a league campaign complements it rather than detracts from it. There are benefits to both the club and the students. For the player, the chance of further glory. For the supporters, the chance to support the best university in the country. That cannot be offered simply by a comfortable victory against a weak Oxford side.