Varsity Match 2016: High Class Blues Fives
07/03/16:
Men’s Blues Match. Rodney Knight reports:
After a fine display of fives from the Oxford and Cambridge Blues teams in this much anticipated encounter, it was the Light Blues who proved convincingly on the day to be both better prepared for the contest and to have real strength in depth this year in their men’s squad.
2015 Varsity Match: I Never Felt More Like Watching The Blues
Rodney Knight reports:
03/03/15: On a fine day at Eton last Saturday and marking the end of a long tenure as Master-in-charge there by Mark Williams, four teams contested the 2015 Varsity Match with the Light Blues winning the first team matches and the Dark Blues showing their strength in depth by winning both second team matches.
2014 Varsity Match: Champagne Fives
Rodney Knight reports:
If victory in this historic encounter were to be measured in bottles of Pol Roger Champagne, the laurels this year would go to Oxford 9-3. The Men’s Blues match was in fact decisively won by Cambridge 3-0, however, while the Oxford Peppers won their match equally convincingly and the Oxford Ladies achieved a second successive 6-0 whitewash.
Varsity Match 2013: The Wind of Change
The 2013 Pol Roger Varsity Match took place at Eton on Saturday and saw dominant performances from the Cambridge men and the Oxford ladies.
2012 Varsity Match: Oxford regain the crown
Rodney Knight reports:
In this Jubilee year it was the Dark Blues who swept the board in the Men's Blues match; and although Cambridge Penguins did the same in the second team match, the Light Blues have reason to be disappointed with their result on the day. The Ladies match saw a clean sweep for the Oxford team, whilst Cambridge took the Alumni match 5-1.
2011 Varsity Match: Cambridge edge historic contest
Rodney Knight reports:
In fine but cold weather, the newly refurbished Eton College courts welcomed this historic Varsity Match first, courtesy of the Provost and Fellows; and the occasion did not disappoint. Not just two men’s teams as has been the tradition now for 50 years, but for the frist time ever, two full teams of ladies contested the highly-prized result.
2010 Varsity Match: Light Blue skies over Eton
The sunny but bitterly cold weather favoured Cambridge this year in an enjoyable and closely fought match at Eton, courtesy of the Provost and Fellows.
2009 Varsity Match
Rodney Knight reports:
The Battle of Wills
Oxford 2, Cambridge 1
The slightly later date of this time-honoured encounter produced the mildest weather for some years and ensured that natural light could be enjoyed throughout by players and spectators alike.
2008 Varsity Match
Dale Vargas reports:
Cambridge 3, Oxford 0
The Eton Fives match is a comparative youngster as Varsity matches go: the first Rackets match was played in 1852, Real Tennis in 1859 and even Squash was played three years before the first Eton Fives match in 1928. However, eighty years later, it is a pleasure to report a keenly fought contest of high quality fives: the fact that Cambridge won the blues match 3-0 - their fourth victory in a row - hides the fact that courts 2 and 3 both went to five games.
2007 Varsity Match
Rodney Knight reports:
Rain encourages Play
On a very wet but mild day at Eton, a collection of nearly 50 supporters were fortunate to see Fives of a high standard in all courts in this time-honoured encounter, which produced a third successive win for the Light Blues.