The Varsity Series

Every year, Varsity fixtures take place in most competitive sports between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Whether the team involved is the Rugby Blues (first team) playing at Twickenham in front of a 20,000+ strong crowd, or a 3rd team playing in front of their friends and family, the Varsity match is often the most important fixture in any Oxford team’s calendar. The training and hard work that go into the run up to each Varsity fixture are a huge part of the sporting year at both institutions. For a full list of sports that compete in a varsity visit our Sports A to Z.

The History of Varsity

The man who began the Varsity match tradition was Charles Wordsworth of Christ Church, Oxford, who in June 1827 arranged a two-day cricket match against Cambridge at Lords. The first Boat Race between the two universities followed in 1829, and was rowed over 2 and a quarter miles between Hambleden Lock and Henley Bridge. The second Boat Race was not until 1836 which was rowed over more than double the distance, from Westminster Bridge upstream to Putney Bridge. It was in this race that one of the Cambridge oarsmen tied a light blue ribbon to the bows of the Cambridge boat (the colours of his school, Eton College). The colour dark blue was then ascribed to Oxford because it is the colour of Christ Church College, and the Oxford crew sported white jerseys with dark blue stripes during the race. These colours have remained over the years and even now student-athletes represent Oxford in dark blue and Cambridge in light blue, with first teams in both institutions generally know as 'the blues' in most competitive sports. Those student-athletes who have represented Oxford in a Varsity match against Cambridge in a Full Blue sport (and acheived the criteria within their sport) are deemed to have achieved a 'blue' and are entitled to wear a dark blue blazer. For more details regarding earning a 'Blue' please visit our Blues Awards page.

Varsity Eligibility

Eligibility for Varsity matches and events is established by a set of rules that are governed by the Joint Blues Committee of Oxford and Cambridge Universities. The current eligibility rules can be found in the document below:

 

Any queries regarding eligibility should be sent to competitions@sport.ox.ac.uk.

Varsity Fixtures and Results 2023/24

Club  Proposed date Venue Result
Oxf-Cam
Winner
American Football
Athletics - Men's Blues
Athletics - Women's Blues
Athletics - Men's 2nd
Athletics - Women's 2nd
Athletics - Vfear 10/02/2024 Lea Valley 3-1 Oxford
Athletics - Freshers Varsity Men's 11/11/2023 Wilberforce Road  49-79 Cambridge
Athletics - Freshers Varsity Women's 11/11/2023 Wilberforce Road  71-71 Draw
Aussie Rules - Men's 02/03/2024 University Parks 20-56 Cambridge
Aussie Rules - Women's 02/03/2024 University Parks 49-1 Oxford
Badminton - Men's & Women's 16-17/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 46-29 Oxford
Badminton - Mixed 18/11/2023 Cambridge 14-4 Oxford
Baseball 09/03/2024 Coldham's Common, Cambridge Cambridge
Basketball – Men Blues 02/03/2024 Cambridge 67-88 Cambridge
Basketball – Women Blues 02/03/2024 Cambridge 54-29 Oxford
Basketball – Men 2s 02/03/2024 Cambridge 55-46 Oxford
Basketball – Women 2s 02/03/2024 Cambridge 25-38 Cambridge
Boxing (Amateur) - Men's 09/03/2024 Cambridge 2-7 Cambridge
Boxing (Amateur) - Women's 09/03/2024 Cambridge 1-0 Oxford
Bowmen (Archery)
Canoe Polo 02/03/2024 postponed TBC
Canoe Marathon 02/03/2024 postponed Cambridge Canoe Club
Cheerleading - Blues Oxford
Cheerleading - 2nds Cambridge
Clay Pigeon Shooting - Men's Cambridge
Clay Pigeon Shooting - Women's Cambridge
Clay Pigeon Shooting - Men's 2s Cambridge
Clay Pigeon Shooting - Women's 2s Cambridge
Contemporary Dance
Cricket (Three Day) Trinity
Cricket - 50 over, Mens Trinity
Cricket - 50 over, Womens Trinity
Cricket - T20 Men's Trinity
Cricket - T20 Women's Trinity
Croquet
Cross Country - Men's Blues 02/12/2023 Wimbledon Common Cambridge
Cross Country - Women's Blues 02/12/2023 Wimbledon Common Oxford 32 - Cambridge 46 Oxford
Cross Country - Men's 2s 26/11/2023 Cambridge Cambridge
Cross Country - Women's 2s 26/11/2023 Cambridge Oxford
Cross Country - Men's 3s 26/11/2023 Cambridge Oxford
Cycling - Mountain Bike Men's Oxford
Cycling - Mountain Bike Women's Oxford
Cycling - Time Trial
Dancesport Trinity Iffley Road Sports Centre
Eton Fives - M1 02/03/2024 Harrow School 3-0 Oxford
Eton Fives - M2 02/03/2024 Harrow School 4-0 Oxford
Eton Fives - W1 02/03/2024 Harrow School 3-0 Oxford
Eton Fives - W2 02/03/2024 Harrow School 2-1 Oxford
Fencing 02/03/2024 Cambridge
Football (Association) - Men's Blues 15/03/2024 The Abbey, Cambridge
Football (Association) - Women's Blues 15/03/2024 The Abbey, Cambridge
Football (Association) - Mens 2nd 03/03/2024 Oxford City Stadium 2-3 Cambridge
Football (Association) - Womens 2nd 03/03/2024 Oxford City Stadium 2-3 Cambridge
Football (Association) - Mens 3rd 03/03/2024 Oxford City Stadium 1-0 Oxford
Gliding  Early July Oxford Gliding Club, RAF Weston-on-the-Green
Golf 22nd-23rd March Rye Golf Club
Gymnastics - Women's Blues Cambridge Oxford
Gymnastics - Men's Blues Cambridge Oxford
Gymnastics - 2nd Cambridge Oxford
Handball - Womens 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 24-19 Oxford
Handball - Mens 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 39-7 Oxford
Hockey (Field) - Mens Blues 1-0 Oxford
Hockey (Field) - Womens Blues 0-4 Cambridge
Hockey (Field) - M2 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 1-1 (4-3 penalties) Oxford
Hockey (Field) - W2 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 0-1 Cambridge
Hockey (Field) - M3 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 3-1 Oxford
Hockey (Field) - W3 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 2-1 Oxford
Hockey (Field)- M4 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 1-0 Oxford
Hockey (Field) - W4 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 1-0 Oxford
Ice Hockey – Men 08-10/03/2024 Cambridge
Ice Hockey – Women 08-10/03/2024 Cambridge
Jitsu 17/02/2024 Uni Sports Centre, Cambridge
Judo - Mens A Cambridge Oxford
Judo - Mens B Cambridge Cambridge
Judo - Womens A Cambridge Cambridge
Judo - Womens B Cambridge Cambridge
Karate - Women's 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 147-169 Cambridge
Karate - Men's 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford
Kendo - A
Kendo - B
Kickboxing 03/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 3-0 Oxford
Korfball - Blues 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 18-17 Oxford
Korfball - 2nds 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 12-6 Oxford
Korfball - 3rds 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 13-3 Oxford
Lacrosse – Men's Blues 24/02/2024 University Parks 17-3 Oxford
Lacrosse – Women's Blues 24/02/2024 University Parks 10-7 Oxford
Lacrosse - Men's 2nd 24/02/2024 University Parks 7-5 Oxford
Lacrosse - Women's 2nd 24/02/2024 University Parks 5-12 Cambridge
Lacrosse - Mixed Blues 24/02/2024 University Parks 8-10 Cambridge
Lacrosse - Mixed 2nd 24/02/2024 University Parks 4-9 Cambridge
Lawn Tennis - Men's Blues 28-30/06/2024 Moor Park Golf Club
Lawn Tennis - Women's Blues 28-30/06/2024 Moor Park Golf Club
Lawn Tennis - 2s-5s 22-23/06/2024 Cambridge
Mixed Martial Arts * 10/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre
Modern Pentathlon
Mountaineering - Men's Indoor Climbing 02/03/2024 Hang Boulder Gym, Hounslow
Mountaineering - Women's Indoor Climbing 02/03/2024 Hang Boulder Gym, Hounslow
Netball - Blues 24-25/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 34-32 Oxford
Netball - 2s 24-25/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 35-33 Oxford
Netball - 3s 24-25/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 34-48 Cambridge
Netball - 4s 24-25/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 20-40 Cambridge
Netball - 5s 24-25/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 40-42 Cambridge
Orienteering - Mens 17 and 18/02/2023 Dartmoor 295:31-271:01 Cambridge
Orienteering - Womens 17 and 18/02/2023 Dartmoor 183:01-373:59 Cambridge
Pistol Cambridge
PoleSports 05/05/2024 Cambridge
Polo (Horse) - Winter Varsity Blues 01/06/2024 Guards Polo Club 17-4 Oxford
Polo (Horse) - Winter Varsity Seconds 01/06/2024 Guards Polo Club 14-8 Oxford
Polo (Horse) - Winter Varsity Beginners 01/06/2024 Guards Polo Club 14-2 Oxford
Powerlifting - Mens 03/02/2024 Cambridge 696.96-721.14 Cambridge
Powerlifting - Womens 03/02/2024 Cambridge 614.39-645.70 Cambridge
Rackets The Queen's Club (London)
Real Tennis - Mens 02/03/2024 Lords
Real Tennis - Womens
Riding / Equestrian (Blues)
Riding / Equestrian (2nds/3rds)
Rifle - .22 Varsity
Rifle - Match Rifle Varsity
Rifle - Target Rifle Varsity
Rifle - Small Bore
Rowing - Men's Boat Race
Rowing - Women's Boat Race
Rowing - Men's Reserve Boat Race
Rowing - Women's Reserve Boat Race
Rowing - Lightweight Men's
Rowing - Lightweight Women's
Rugby Fives - Mens Blues 17/02/2024 St Paul's School, London 349-147 Oxford
Rugby Fives - Mens 2nd 17/02/2024 St Paul's School, London 180-7 Oxford
Rugby Fives - Womens 17/02/2024 St Paul's School, London 241-54 Oxford
Rugby League - Men's Blues 24/02/2024 OURFC, Oxford 14-6 Oxford
Rugby League - Men's 2s 24/02/2024 OURFC or Lincoln College Sports Ground 6-10 Cambridge
Rugby Union - Men's Blues 02/03/2024 StoneX Stadium 11-56 Cambridge
Rugby Union - Women's Blues 02/03/2024 StoneX Stadium 5-10 Cambridge
Rugby Union - Women's 2s 7-14 Cambridge
Rugby Union - Men's 2s
Rugby Union - Women's 3s 5-0 Oxford
Rugby Union - Men's 3s 8-13 Cambridge
Ski & Snowboard - Men's Blues Team 06/12/2023 Tignes resort, France 330-20-323.91 Cambridge
Ski & Snowboard - Women's Blues Team 06/12/2023 Tignes resort, France 369.37-363.63 Cambridge
Ski & Snowboard - Men's 2nd Team 06/12/2023 Tignes resort, France 369.37-363.63 Oxford
Ski & Snowboard - Women's 2nd Team 06/12/2023 Tignes resort, France 3901.10-436.12 Cambridge
Squash - Mens Blues 17/02/2024 Royal Automobile Club, London 2-3 Cambridge
Squash - Womens Blues 17/02/2024 Royal Automobile Club, London 2-3 Cambridge
Squash - Mens 2nds 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 7-8 Cambridge
Squash - Womens 2nds 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 7-0 Oxford
Swimming - Blues 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford
Swimming - 2nd 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford
Swimming - Channel
Table Tennis - Mens Blues 03/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 5-5 Draw
Table Tennis - Womens Blues 03/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 2-8 Cambridge
Table Tennis - Mens 2nd 03/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 10-0 Oxford
Table Tennis - Womens 2nd 03/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 5-0 Oxford
Table Tennis - Mens 3rd 03/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 5-0 Oxford
Taekwondo - Men's A 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 4-1 Oxford
Taekwondo - Women's A 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 3-2 Oxford
Taekwondo - Men's B 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 2-3 Cambridge
Taekwondo - Women's B 18/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 1-2 Cambridge
Touch Rugby - Blues 24/02/2024 Worcester College, Oxford 7-6 Oxford
Touch Rugby - 2nd 24/02/2024 Worcester College, Oxford 4-3 Oxford
Trampoline 25/02/2024 Cambridge Oxford
Triathlon - Duathlon Men's 1st 03/02/2024 Eton Dorney Oxford
Triathlon - Duathlon Men's 2nd 03/02/2024 Eton Dorney Oxford
Triathlon - Duathlon Men's Mob 03/02/2024 Eton Dorney Oxford
Triathlon - Duathlon Women's 1st 03/02/2024 Eton Dorney Oxford
Triathlon - Duathlon Women's 2nd 03/02/2024 Eton Dorney Oxford
Triathlon - Duathlon Women's Mob 03/02/2024 Eton Dorney Oxford
Triathlon - Men's Blues 11/05/2024 Eton Dorney
Triathlon - Women's Blues 11/05/2024 Eton Dorney
Triathlon - Men's IIs
Triathlon - Women's IIs
Triathlon - Men's Mob
Triathlon - Women's Mob
Ultimate Hilary Cambridge
Volleyball - Mens Blues 17/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 2-3 Cambridge
Volleyball - Womens Blues 17/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 3-1 Oxford
Volleyball - Mens 2nd 17/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 3-0 Oxford
Volleyball - Womens 2nd 17/02/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 3-1 Oxford
Water Polo - Mens Blues 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 9-8 Oxford
Water Polo - Womens Blues 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 21-3 Oxford
Water Polo - Mens 2s 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 12-3 Oxford
Water Polo - Womens 2s 02/03/2024 Iffley Road Sports Centre 9-3 Oxford
Windsurf
Sailing - Yacht Mixed
Sailing - Dinghy Women
Sailing - Dinghy Mixed





Past Results

 

See a missing result or have fixture details to update? Contact competitions@sport.ox.ac.uk with the details.

Varsity Eligibility


Student eligibility for Varsity can be found using the link below

Varsity Eligibility

Contact Us


  sportsfed@sport.ox.ac.uk

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