Students take over Twickenham

The idea of more than 45,000 sane people handing over hard-earned cash to watch 30 students chasing a rugby ball at Twickenham is ludicrous.

It is even harder to fathom given that many of those making their way through the turnstiles to watch the 121st MMC Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge University today are coming to the end of an horrendous financial year that has seen the Bear usurp the Bull.

The City of London has always embraced the Varsity Match, with thousands taking the day off, meeting for breakfast at various clubs and then boarding chartered coaches to Twickenham for a carpark picnic and copious amounts of alcohol for what is, basically, an early Christmas office party.

Oh yes, there is also the 80 minutes of rugby.

Anyone who attends a Varsity Match turns up more in hope than expectation of a rugby event that will hit the heights in terms of technical excellence.

This, after all, is one of the most idiosyncratic rugby matches in the world, played at a ridiculously fast pace by young men who make more errors in 80 minutes than they will for the rest of their rugby careers.

So what's the point? Those who support the concept of a Varsity Match emphasise a marvellous history, hundreds of international players who have pulled on the light and dark blue jerseys and the large crowds who flock to Twickenham.

The detractors point out that it is a match stuck in a time warp, that professional rugby has made the contest even less relevant and that a 45,000 crowd today will be less than last year.

Like the Boat Race, this Blues' rugby battle is part of Britain's sporting fabric and the Rugby Football Union have no intention of pulling the plug on this fixture. In the recent past it would have been a stance borne out of loyalty to the universities which many of the high-ranking RFU officials had attended.

That's no longer the case and even the universities acknowledged that their place in the sporting calendar can never be taken for granted. That is why they have instigated plans to ensure this annual jamboree of screaming school children and slightly inebriated adults will still be relevant.

Both Oxford and Cambridge have new links with the Australian RFU and it is envisaged that former professional players from Down Under will, having stopped playing at the highest level, take up postgraduate places at the universities. It's a scheme given impetus by Brett Robinson, the ex-Wallaby flanker, who finished his playing career helping Oxford win last season's match.

Now Dr Robinson is part of the ARU and determined to make the link strong and productive. Many of the top teams in England have already set up links with local universities and others are recognising the rugby strengths of Oxford and Cambridge.

Oxford will be bidding to notch a fourth Varsity Match victory in a row for the first time in 50 years today and Adam Russell could become the first Dark Blue to appear in four successive winning teams.