Congratulations Luke Newland.
It’s with immense pride we congratulate Luke Newland on his selection to play in the famous Varsity match for Oxford university against Cambridge this Saturday at StoneX stadium.
We believe that Luke is the first player from Llantrisant town but certainly the first from Llantrisant RFC, to be selected to play in such a prestigious Match that is steeped with history.
Oxford and Cambridge Universities have competed against each other at rugby in what is known as The Varsity Match since 1872.
For Home Nations players the Varsity Matches acted almost as an unofficial international trial during the amateur era, while for overseas stars, even now, the history and prestige of the event makes appearing in the fixture one of the highlights of their careers.
Almost 700 players from Oxford and Cambridge have played test rugby, including New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup 1987-winning captain David Kirk. The scrum-half famously won ‘a Blue’ for Oxford – the term given to players who compete in the fixture – a year after lifting the Webb Ellis Cup. In total, 18 players who studied at Oxford or Cambridge, including William Webb Ellis himself, have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
Prestigious players to have played for Oxford in The Varsity match include;
England & Lions outside half Stuart Barnes, Irishman David Humphreys, Gareth Rees the former Canada Captain, Anton Oliver the New Zealand hooker, Australia Captain & 2nd row James Horwill, Australia wing Joe Roff, and South African player and Coach Nick Mallett.
Welshmen who’ve played in the Varsity match include; The great winger Gerald Davies for Cambridge, No8 Eddie Butler for Cambridge, Flyhalf Gareth Davies for Oxford and Centre Jamie Roberts for Cambridge.
Luke was given recognition at our Annual Dinner last year as one of the players who has played at every age group from U6 all the way through mini, junior, youth and Senior rugby for Llantrisant RFC.
His name will be included alongside those famous names mentioned above when he gets ‘a Blue’ this Saturday.
We congratulate Luke and all his family but especially his parents, Bec & Matthew who are probably just that little bit prouder than all of us at the club!
All the best Luke from everyone at Llantrisant RFC and of course, the whole town.
(Rumour has it that Matthew could’ve had a Blue….if only the white hadn’t of been tucked so tight behind the yellow!)
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