Benson, Holmes take the plaudits at HQ

JAMIE Benson scored two tries as he notched all Cambridge’s points and steered the Light Blues to a 15-10 Varsity Match win at Twickenham.

The former England U20 fly-half, who is in the Harlequins academy, carried off the Alastair Hignell Medal as the man of the match.

Oxford came into the game looking to make it three wins in a row and started well but it was the Light Blues who opened the scoring when Benson slotted a penalty.

Vasco Faria levelled before Benson notched the first try. The 20-year-old put centre Max Loveridge through a gap with a delayed pass and then took the return to score a try he also converted.

Two minutes later Oxford were back on level terms after a 25m solo effort from wing Thomas Mewes. Faria converted and it was 10-10 at the break.

Benson danced his way through heavy traffic to notch his second try and regain the lead, and from there the Light Blues kept Oxford at bay.

Clodagh Holmes became the first woman to score four tries in the Varsity Match as she guided Oxford to their first win since 2016, 31-12.

The Dark Blues fullback was winning her fourth Blue and she enjoyed her first success in what was her final appearance as she departed clutching the Bunting-Pegers Trophy as the player of the match.

Light Blues skipper Emelia Bushrod darted over from a close-range ruck for the opening try.

The ferocity of the Cambridge tackling knocked Oxford out of their stride and even after Holmes had grabbed her first try, the underdogs struck again when Grace Izinyon drove over to make it 12-5.

Holmes ran in her second try to cut the gap to two points before No.9 Alex Wilkinson went on a 15 metre charge from a pick and go penalty to edge Oxford ahead.

Skipper Lauren Webb’s 40-metre run paved the way for Holmes’ hat-trick try before the medical student rounded off her Varsity career with a 60metre run to the line.