The big news of the opening day of the World University Rugby Cup was that the combined New Zealand Universities side lost one of their pool games.
Having been 10-3 up against the University of British Columbia (Canada), they ended up on the losing side by a 20-10 score, even with UBC at one stage reduced to fourteen men.
Following the conclusion of the game, UBC captain Charlie Thorpe said:
“It wasn’t a pretty game of Rugby, but after our nerves settled we came together well as a team and got away with a great result.”
The New Zealand side bounced back to beat Siberian Federal University, who were also beaten by Trinity College Dublin, who then threw the whole group wide open by beating British Columbia University.
That means that on Friday, when the sides come together for the final pool games at St Edward’s School, Oxford, anything could happen, and anyone bar Siberian Federal University could go through to the main semi finals. With the University of British Columbia facing them, they are perhaps favourites.
In pool one things look simpler, Oxford University v University of Cape Town will be the pool deciding game on Friday morning after both sides collected two victories from their two games yesterday, both beating Waseda Univeristy, and Oxford University Greyhounds.
Following the conclusion of  Friday’s pool games at St Edward’s, the tournament will then move to Oxford Unviersity’s famous Iffley Road ground for the knockout stages.
2015 World University Rugby Cup Pools:
Pool 1 | Pool 2 |
Oxford University (OURFC) | New Zealand Universities (NZU) |
University of Cape Town (UCT) | Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) |
Waseda University (WU) | University of British Columbia (UBC) |
Oxford University Greyhounds (OUG) | Siberian Federal University (SFU) |
2015 World University Rugby Cup Schedule:
RESULTS – Match day 1 – Tuesday 15th September – St Edward’s School, Oxford:
Pitch 1 | Pitch 2 | ||
Time | Match | Time | Match |
13.00 | UCT 47-5 OUG | 13.00 | TCD 14-3 SFU |
14.00 | OURFC 26-7 WU | 14.00 | NZU 10-20 UBC |
15.30 | OURFC 34-7 OUG | 15.30 | NZU 17-3 SFU |
16.30 | UCT 26-14 WU | 16.30 | TCD 8-0 UBC |
FIXTURES – Match Day 2 – Friday 18th September – St Edward’s School, Oxford – 40 minute pool matches:
Pitch 1 | Pitch 2 | ||
Time | Match | Time | Match |
10.00 | OURFC v UCT | 10.00 | NZU v TCD |
11.00 | WU v OUG | 11.00 | UBC v SFU |
 Iffley Road – Play-offs, 40 minute matches:
1400 P/O 1 4th in pool 1 v 3rd in pool 2
1500 P/O 2 3rd in pool 1 v 4th in pool 2
1600 P/O 3 2nd in pool 1 v 1st in pool 2
1700 P/O 4 1st in pool 1 v 2nd in pool 2
Match Day 3 – Saturday 19th September – Iffley Road – 7th/8th Place Final, 60 minute match:
1300 Loser of P/O 1 v Loser of P/O 2
Match Day 4 – Sunday 20th September – Iffley Road – 5th/6th Place Final, 60 minute match:
1300 Winner of P/O 1 v Winner of P/O 2
Match Day 5 – Monday 21st September – Iffley Road – Finals, 60 minute matches:
3rd/4th Place Final
1300 Loser of P/O 3 v Loser of P/O 4
Final
1630 Winner of P/O 3 v Winner of P/O 4
