Varsity 2025: Dramatic Rugby Double-Header Serves a Suiting Finale to the 2025 Edition

As the evening descended on Richmond Rugby ground, the UCL crowd roared in support, showing the early signs of what would become a memorable night of varsity rugby.

Having lost the year before, UCL Women’s Rugby were considered underdogs coming into their game. Managing the team, Calypso Newman stated “King’s are strong, but we’ve got the players to face them” as UCL entered the game with drive and confidence.

At the start of the first half, UCL pushed on the attack and dominated possession against the impenetrable defensive line of the opposition. Yet, contrary to the flow of play, King’s took the first few tries, fuelling UCL’s determination to level the playing field.

UCL rebounded with a fervent attacking force that kept play firmly in the opposition’s half – a special mention to Funto Akarakiri whose runs propelled the game further into King’s territory. However, through another successful counterattack, King’s gained another try to end the first half up 15–0.

The second half saw both teams coming out aggressively, with King’s conceding a yellow card for a high tackle and UCL facing some unfortunate decisions by the referees. Unfazed, UCL continued to drive forward showing true grit and determination, dominating in King’s half for the majority of the game.

A few scrums later and UCL were on the defensive, holding off King’s until a lucky break in which the first try of the half was conceded. After a long stalemate mid-pitch, the game concluded 25-0 to KCL.

Jess Kneale (Back) spoke of the loss, “as a team it has been a good shift, but those lucky breaks were our weakness”. Although ultimately unsuccessful, the UCL side were celebrated with pride by the crowd who applauded their resilience and efforts against a strong opposing side.

As the men’s team took centre stage, the crowd only grew livelier.

King’s came out strong in the first half, attacking with immediate effect but were bounced off the stone wall that was the UCL defensive line. After some brutal tackles, a reversal of fate allowed UCL to secure first points on the board with both a try and conversion.

The retaliatory King’s efforts were suppressed by UCL’s strong defence countless times before a lucky break was conceded and a try was gained by the opposition. However, just as quick as this had happened, UCL’s attacking force resulted in the second try and conversion of the game in the closing minutes of the first half.

At half time the score lay at 14 – 5 to UCL with all still to play for.

Once again, the second half opened with a bold KCL attack resulting in an early try but a second failed conversion prevented a full gain of momentum. KCL’s fly-half seemed to be trending towards a nightmare as his next penalty kick rattled into the cross-bar. After some hard work in the middle of the pitch, however, a penalty for King’s brought the scores closer close to even (14-13).

A brilliant kick of the ball from the UCL half led to perhaps the best attacking strike of the game, with the winger Jack Strange scaling half the pitch to secure another try for UCL and leaving King’s in a state of disarray. Beginning to taste victory, the wave of purple on the right-hand stands screamed their support at full volume filling the stadium with their passionate chants.

A long graft by the opposition saw King’s snook in a try and conversion that pushed them into the lead. With one point down and seconds on the clock, UCL needed a miracle if victory was to be theirs.

Almost like clockwork, a penalty against King’s was called at the 80-minute mark within kicking range.

As the kicker stood up to the mark, the crowd fell silent. In what felt like slow-motion, the ball drifted through the air just outside of the left post. Ready for the final whistle to signal a King’s win, the red-ladened fans exclaimed in victory. Yet the whistle was not to be heard. King’s had caught the ball and ran with it in, gone down, and conceded a penalty; UCL once again had possession. With the option of kicking or going for the try, the ever-confident purple side took their biggest risk yet. Catching the ball to the left of the middle of the field with 15 metres to go, UCL’s Strange again sprinted across to the far corner and past the final disoriented King’s player to lead his side to their fifth varsity victory in five years.

With the match concluding 24-20, it was truly a night to remember for UCL Men’s Rugby and their accompanying die-hard fans.

Varsity 2025: Dramatic Rugby Double-Header Serves a Suiting Finale to the 2025 Edition

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