The Oxford University Rugby Football Club (Oxford University RFC or OURFC) is the rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 club of the University of Oxford

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

. The club contests The Varsity Match

The Varsity Match

The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...

 every year against Cambridge University

Cambridge University R.U.F.C.

The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...

 at Twickenham

Twickenham Stadium

Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...

.

History

Oxford University RFC was founded in 1869, fifteen months before the creation of the Rugby Football Union

Rugby Football Union

The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...

. The first Varsity Match was played in February 1872 in Oxford at 'The Parks', the following year the return game was played in Cambridge on Parker's Piece

Parker's Piece

Parker's Piece is a flat and very roughly square green common located near the centre of Cambridge, England. The two main walking and cycling paths across it run diagonally, and the single lamp-post at the junction is commonly known as Reality Checkpoint...

. In 1874 it was decided that the game be played on a neutral ground. Oxford, like rivals Cambridge, have supplied hundreds of players to national teams, and was key in spreading the sport of rugby throughout Britain as past students brought the game back to their home counties. The very first international player to be capped whilst at Oxford was Cecil Boyle

Cecil Boyle

Cecil William Boyle was an English sportsman who played international rugby union for England and first-class cricket. He was killed in action during the Second Boer War....

, who represented England

England national rugby union team

The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...

 in 1873

1872-73 Home Nations rugby union matches

The 1872–73 Home Nations rugby union matches was a single international friendly held between the England and Scotland national rugby union teams...

, one season before Cambridge University.

Notable former players

See also :Category:Oxford University rugby union players

Gareth Baber Gareth Baber Gareth Baber , is a Welsh former rugby footballer and now a rugby union coach.During his playing career Baber earned a Blue for Oxford University's rugby team...  J.M. Bannerman John Bannerman, Baron Bannerman of Kildonan John MacDonald Bannerman, Baron Bannerman of Kildonan OBE was a Scottish farmer, rugby union internationalist and Liberal politician.-Family and education:...  Stuart Barnes Stuart Barnes Stuart Barnes is a former English rugby union footballer, and now rugby commentator for Sky Sports. Barnes played fly-half for Newport RFC, Bristol, Bath; and represented England and the British Lions at international level.-Biography:Born in Essex, Barnes was educated at Rougemont and Bassaleg...  Onllwyn Brace Onllwyn Brace Onllwyn Brace was a Welsh international scrum-half who played club rugby for Newport and Aberavon. He won nine caps for Wales and would captain the team twice in the early 1960s...  Ian Buckett Ian Buckett Ian Buckett is a former international rugby union front row forward who played for Swansea and London Welsh and played county rugby for North Wales rugby....  - Ernest Cheston Ernest Cheston Ernest Cheston was a rugby union international who represented England from 1873 to 1876.-Early life:Ernest Cheston was born on 24 October 1848 in Hackney the sixth son of Chester Cheston of Clapton. He attended Haileybury and Imperial Service College where he was the captain of the school rugby XX...  Troy Coker Simon Danielli Simon Danielli Simon Charles Jonathan Danielli is a professional rugby union player who plays on the wing for Ulster and Scotland.-Early life:...  Dan Drysdale Dan Drysdale Daniel "Dan" Drysdale was a Scottish international rugby union player, who played for and the Lions.Born in Kippen, Stirlingshire Drysdale, went to George Heriots and also played for Heriot's FP,, London Scottish F.C. and Barbarian F.C....  Gareth Davies Rob Edgerton David Evans David Evans (rugby player) David Evans born 19 August 1988 in Swansea, Wales is a rugby union player for Neath RFC.He has been selected for the current Wales national rugby union team 2008/09 squad.-External links:* http://www.neathrugby.co.uk/the-squad/david-evans/...  Walter Rice Evans Walter Rice Evans Walter Rice Evans was a Welsh international rugby union player, who won three caps between 1890 and 1891.-Life:Evans was born in Neath, Glamorgan...  Gwyn Francis Gwyn Francis David Gwyn Francis was a Welsh international rugby union player, who played for the Welsh national side twice .-Life:...

Billy Geen Billy Geen William "Billy" Purdon Geen was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Newport and county rugby for Monmouthshire. Geen was selected for Wales on three occasions.-Rugby career:...  Phil de Glanville Phil de Glanville Philip Ranulph de Glanville is a former English rugby union player who played at centre for Bath and England.-Rugby career:...  Jonathon hudson Simon Halliday Simon Halliday Simon John Halliday is a former English rugby union international. He also played nine first-class cricket cricket matches...  Toshiyuki Hayashi Toshiyuki Hayashi Toshiyuki Hayashi was a Japanese rugby union player. He played as a prop and as a lock.Hayashi played at Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers.He had 38 caps for Japan, scoring 3 tries, 12 points in aggregate...  Gary Hines Gary Hines Gary Hines was a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2003 provincial election. He represented the electoral district of Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank as a member of the Progressive Conservatives....  David Humphreys Don James Vivian Jenkins Vivian Jenkins Vivian Gordon James Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union player who, having taught Classics and Games at Dover College, went on to have a successful career as a sports journalist. He won 14 caps for Wales and 1 cap for the British and Irish Lions. He also played first-class cricket with...  David Kirk David Kirk David Edward Kirk, MBE, , is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He is best known for having been the captain of the All Blacks when they won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987....  Nick Mallett Nick Mallett Nicholas Vivian Howard Mallett is a former South African rugby union player who was until recently the head coach of the Italian national team, previously replacing Pierre Berbizier on 3 October 2007...  Niall Malone Niall Malone Niall Gareth Malone is a former rugby union footballer who played for Leicester and Ireland.-References:...  Stan McKeen Stan McKeen Stan McKeen is a Canadian rugby union player.-Rugby career:McKeen began his rugby career at St. George's School in Vancouver and eventually found himself playing for the UBC Old Boys rugby club. While still a youngster Stan achieved provincial representative honours and in 2001 played for his...  Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky

Katsuhiko Oku Katsuhiko Oku Katsuhiko Oku was a Japanese diplomat who played rugby for Oxford and Waseda University...  Anton Oliver Anton Oliver Anton David Oliver is a retired New Zealand rugby union footballer who most recently played professionally for the French second-division club Toulon, noted for signing veteran greats including former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and great George Gregan...  Ronald Poulton-Palmer Ronald Poulton-Palmer Ronald William Poulton was an English rugby union footballer, who captained and was killed in The First World War....  Conway Rees Conway Rees John Conway Rees was a Welsh international rugby union player.-Life:Rees was born in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. He was educated at Llandovery College and Jesus College, Oxford and was the first Welshman to captain Oxford University RFC. He introduced the four three quarters system,...  Gareth Rees Alan Rotherham Alan Rotherham Alan Rotherham was a rugby union international who represented England from 1882 to 1887. He also captained his country. Rotherham is best known for his part in revolutionising half-back play in rugby union, being the first player to demonstrate how a half-back could be the connecting link between... (IRB Hall of Fame IRB Hall of Fame The IRB Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Rugby Board that recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union. The IRB Hall of Fame covers players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and other individuals...  inductee) Joe Roff Joe Roff Joe Roff is a retired Australian rugby union footballer and a product of the Tuggeranong Vikings Rugby Union Club in Canberra, who played on the wing or at fullback for Brumbies and Australia and played 5 tests as a centre in the early part of his test career...  Richard Sharp Richard Sharp Richard Adrian William Sharp from Cornwall, was educated at Blundell's School and at Balliol College, University of Oxford. He was a former Cornish rugby player at Redruth R.F.C., Wasps FC, Bristol FC and England rugby union fly-half and captain. He played for England while at Oxford and led...   Brian Smith Brian Smith (rugby) Brian Smith is an Australian retired rugby football player and current coach. He is the attack coach for England.Smith was born in St George, Queensland. He played rugby union for the Queensland Reds, and won 6 caps for Australia in 1987, before playing 9 times for Ireland between 1989 and 1991 as...  John Strand-Jones John Strand-Jones John Strand-Jones was a Welsh rugby union player, who represented the Wales national rugby union team on five occasions in 1902 and 1903.-Life:...  Kevin Tkachuk Kevin Tkachuk Kevin Tkachuk is a prop for the Canada national rugby union team and the Glasgow Warriors in Scotland....  Victor Ubogu Victor Ubogu Victor Eriakpo Ubogu is a former Bath and England rugby union player. He also played, whilst still at university, for Moseley....   Ian Williams Derek Wyatt Derek Wyatt Derek Murray Wyatt FRSA is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Sittingbourne and Sheppey from 1997 to 2010, having previously been a councillor in the London Borough of Haringey.-Early life:...  Brett Robinson Brett Robinson Brett Robinson is a former Australian Rugby union player and sports executive with the Australian Rugby Union. Robinson was captain of the ACT Brumbies in the Super 12 competition and played 16 Test matches for the Australia national rugby union team, the "Wallabies". Robinson attended Downlands...  Thomas Gubb Thomas Gubb Thomas Witheridge Gubb was a South African businessman and an early twentieth century rugby union international who is known as one of the “lost lions” due to his participation on the 1927 British Lions tour to Argentina which, although retrospectively recognised as a Lions tour, did not confer...

Current players

Stan McKeen

Stan McKeen

Stan McKeen is a Canadian rugby union player.-Rugby career:McKeen began his rugby career at St. George's School in Vancouver and eventually found himself playing for the UBC Old Boys rugby club. While still a youngster Stan achieved provincial representative honours and in 2001 played for his...

Jonathon Hudson
Recent OURFC Captains
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2004 David Lubans (St Annes)

2005 Andrew Dalgliesh (St Annes)

2006 Kevin Brennan (Linacre)

2007 Joe Roff (Harris Manchester)

2008 Peter Clarke (St Cross)

2009 Daniel Rosen (Worcester)

2010 Nick Haydon (University)

2011 John-Henry Carter (Kellogg)