ANATOMY OF A MATCH: Varsity 2026 in the captains’ words

As the dust settles on this year’s Varsity Match, Oxford’s victorious captain and player of the match, Chloe-Marie Hawley, and Cambridge’s gallant captain, Phoebe Jackson, who had to stay on the sidelines due to injury, tell Helen M Jerome just what it was like at the StoneX, for the annual clash that’s always circled on their calendars.

How did you feel as you walked out ahead of the team onto the StoneX pitch?

Chloe-Marie Hawley: Immensely proud. Leading this group out at StoneX after the work that has gone into this season, and the last couple of years for me personally, was a huge honour. I walked out with a lot of confidence and Dark Blue pride on Saturday and there is no better feeling than that.

This team has built a real identity around resilience and unity, and to represent Oxford with that group beside me meant everything. This match wasn’t just about captaining a Varsity side; it was about leading a team that has genuinely earned its moment.

Phoebe Jackson: I was incredibly proud to be leading the girls out onto the pitch. I know how hard they had worked to get to this point, and I was so excited for them to be experiencing what is such an unforgettable occasion.

The walk out was, however, the most emotional part of the day for me personally, and it was impossible to hold the tears back.  

What did you think of the crowd?

Chloe-Marie: A loud crowd is always great – the buzz really lifts you, giving you a surge of energy and adrenaline. It doesn’t really distract me, I love it. As the say ‘pressure is privilege’ and I lean into that when it does get loud and intense. We talk a lot about composure under pressure, and the atmosphere gave us energy without taking away our clarity.

Also, a loud crowd makes Varsity feel properly significant, like you’re part of something that will be remembered. It makes Varsity unforgettable and encourages you to put on a worthy performance. 

Cambridge initially defended solidly, and you had a couple of early injuries – did any of this shake your confidence?

Chloe-Marie: The first 15 minutes were definitely rocky and not what we scripted. But I did expect some resistance from the tabs, after all it is Varsity. I don’t think I’ve ever played a Varsity match without the tabs coming in super strong in the first 10/20 minutes.

However, this entire season has been about facing challenges and overcoming whatever is thrown at us, so we couldn’t have been better prepared, to be honest. Early injuries are always disruptive and as Captain you go through every possible worst-case scenario to make sure you have a backup to your backups within your 23 squad. Our team is built on adaptability though, and I just had to trust that the squad could adapt to whatever unfolds, which we did.

It is also a bit of cheat code having Shams, as she could cover any position on the pitch and makes the positional changes feel natural rather than reactive. She’s our versatility. On top of that, we have a strong bench, so when the starting XV rotates there’s no drop in standard. If anything the tempo lifts and Liv Rosin was raring to go.

The way the game unfolded for us shows how important all 23 teammates are in ensuring the team plays well. Adaptability has defined us this year and it showed! The message was simple to the team, stay patient and trust the system. 

How frustrating was it to be on the sidelines carrying water and trying to be captain without playing?

Phoebe: I genuinely find it more stressful being on the sidelines, with my only contribution to the game being my words to the girls under the posts.

My nerves were higher than any of my previous Varsities that I’d actually played in, but I had full confidence that the girls would go out there and give it their all and they certainly delivered. 

How did you feel when your Oxford tries started to flow?

Chloe-Marie: I felt like we hit our flow state. We began to play freely, to express ourselves, to trust our instincts. Once we got the first couple, there was so much belief on the pitch in the second half – you could see it in the way we carried, tackled, and in the support lines.

The collective flow is rare, and when you feel it, you know this is an incredible game that everyone is going to remember. 

What were you telling your kickers when you lined up behind them a couple of times?

Phoebe: I actually kept silent; I trust them and their process. I know what it’s like to be in the moment with all eyes on you and the pressure on your shoulders.

A successful kick requires a strong mentality, and every kicker has their own routine to follow in the moment. My words of encouragement and celebration came after. 

I think you only maybe missed one conversion… how satisfied were you with your kicking game?

Chloe-Marie: Thank you, I am indeed pleased with my kicking game. I love the try song that plays, the build-up, the walk to the tee. When I place the ball down, it’s simple for me: I just think to myself how much I love this game, visualise the successful kick, and then commit fully. It is very much an energy and confidence thing for me.

I have had plenty of coaches try to impose a consistent routine to my kicking, but honestly I kick best when I am relaxed, confident and present. But the conversion points are always a team effort! I can’t rack up the points without the team scoring tries.

Oxford were brilliant, of course, but you must have some satisfaction that Cambridge scored one of the best tries of the day – how did that make you feel? 

Phoebe: Oxf*rd played incredibly well and were a strong opposition – a huge congratulations to them (ed: this is Phoebe’s asterisk!)

I couldn’t contain my delight on the sidelines when Esther scored. The try was a perfect display of the magic that the girls can create. She read and reacted perfectly to the picture in front of her and capitalised on the opportunity to produce an exhilarating moment that had the crowd, and myself, roaring. 

You must have admired that one remarkable Cambridge try? 

Chloe-Marie: Of course. They executed a small opportunity that opened up for them, and you have to respect the ability to finish clinically when the game is going against you.

Moments like that reflect the level both teams bring to the fixture. Amongst the pressure, Varsity demands precision, and they showed that there. It was an incredible run from their winger. 

What did you say to your team on the final whistle?

Chloe-Marie: I told them we did it. We deserved it. We achieved exactly what we set out to do and there’s no better way than through the effort of all 24. We achieved this in the way that represents this team’s identity. We played a united, expressive, and relentless game. Three tries from the bench is remarkable- it speaks to the depth of our squad and the drive every individual brings.

We owned being Dark Blue. Achieving the club record of all three women’s teams winning Varsity means so much, especially as many of our Blues have come up through the Panthers and Pumas. That pathway, that shared identity across squads – it makes this historic moment even more meaningful. 

Phoebe: When we came together as a team, I told them the only tears that I wanted to see were happy tears. That they had done everything I asked of them and played their best rugby of the entire season. For this, they should hold their heads up high.

I congratulated those who were now officially a Blue on their achievement and told the girls how proud I was of each and every one of them. I finished how we finish every match and every training session, with our ‘family’ chant – our core value at CURUFC. 

How did you celebrate – at StoneX and on the way back?

Chloe-Marie: At StoneX, it was pure joy and satisfaction! We celebrated with our family, friends, OURFC community, and supporters. The feeling of elation was incredible and to feel the pride reciprocated in our supporters is truly special.

While we were still on a high, it was doubly exciting to celebrate the men’s win, who themselves have been working so hard to earn. All StoneX celebrations were just absolutely incredible, it was a very special day as the first time in OURFC history that both the Women’s and Men’s Blues have won Varsity.

What was particularly special for me was being congratulated by alumni from the 1950-80s. These are players who competed when Varsity drew tens of thousands of spectators and was one of the biggest fixtures in the rugby calendar, at a time when women’s rugby wasn’t even part of the conversation. To have them celebrate and say “What a performance. What a standard your team plays at,” was incredibly powerful.

To be recognised by generations who carried this fixture before us, and to see their genuine respect and admiration for the quality of women’s rugby on this stage, means a great deal. The women’s game has progressed each year, and we are firmly part of the Varsity legacy. 

The celebrations weren’t just about the scoreline. It was about recognising how special this group of players and coaches is. In women’s rugby, confidence is key. I said in our-pre match huddle that confidence allows us to express ourselves fully. That confidence only exists because we feel empowered, supported, united as a team. So the celebrations were really a celebration of one another.

Making history in three ways and finishing the season on that kind of high brings a huge sense of pride and sisterhood. The night was a long celebratory one – one that I will never forget. 

Are you hoping to be back for the next Varsity Match?

Phoebe: Unfortunately, my rugby journey has come to an end. With my latest concussion diagnosis, I have been medically advised to step away from all contact sports. It’s what made this Varsity even more emotional, knowing that this was the end for me.

But CURUFC is my family, and I will always be there to be involved in any way that I can. I hope to continue to build on the coaching experience that I developed throughout this season and take on an official coaching role next year. 

Photos: Helen M Jerome