University of St Andrews win historic Scottish Varsity match

The world’s oldest Varsity match took place at BT Murrayfield on Saturday 24 September, with the University of St Andrews overcoming the University of Edinburgh for the fourth consecutive time, recording a score of 24-12 in front of a 10,156 strong crowd. It was the University of Edinburgh who made the brighter start in the eighth minute, Scotland under-20 back-row Scott Burnside making ground in the 22 before Jon Price found Robbie Kent on the wing for a touch down in the right corner. Dave O’Sullivan added the conversion.St Andrews reacted minutes later with the forwards taking it up and captain Scott Docherty keeping play alive from the stand-off position. Charlie Davies was then stopped from metres out after taking a tap penalty before Toby Hall fed the ball to Ludo Meaby for a try left of the posts. Docherty added the extras to square the scores.Davies was involved once again for St Andrews, this time providing the inside pass from Ruari Bell, following a turn over from the forwards. Docherty pushed the conversion wide with a strike of the post in the 26th minute.Half-time: St Andrews 12-7 EdinburghA penalty for St Andrews ten minutes after the interval resulted in a try, Rob Lind taking the ball from the line-out to crash over from close range, before Docherty sliced the sticks to add the conversion.Edinburgh continued to probe despite St Andrews taking an extended lead, a vital steal from Pete Howard metres out paved the way for Harry Ryan to bustle his way through the defence with Burnside then crossing the line.Docherty continued to pull the strings in the closing stages for St Andrews and with space out wide in the 76th minute, the out-half found Harry Jose and Jacques Sharam on the left to locate replacement Mark Wilson for a score in the corner. A break from Edinburgh centre Morgan Ward in midfield punched a hole through the St Andrews defence and with a stretching pass over to the right, Kent looked to be in for his second of the match before he was deemed in touch.A final line-out catch and drive from St Andrews slowed the clock before Finn Murphy hoofed the ball into the crowd to seal another Scottish Varsity victory for the defending title holders.Full-time: St Andrews 24-12 Edinburgh Player of the Match: Scott Docherty (St Andrews)Referee: Ian KennyUniversity of Edinburgh: Jon Price; Robbie Kent, Iain Sexton, Morgan Ward, Pete Howard; Dave O’Sullivan, Bruno Smith; Callum Simpson, Toby Woods, Angus Smith, Ben Pearce, Jack Williams, Scott Burnside, Nick Stephen CAPTAIN, Hugh Browne. Replacements: Sam Blott, Freddie Fergusson, Rob Putter, Harry Ryan, Ben Rose, Fraser Morrison, Hugh Richards.University of St Andrews: Scott MacGregor; Roland Walker, Harry Jose, Toby Hall, Jacques Sharam; Scott Docherty CAPTAIN, Charlie Davies; Chris Cartmell, Malcolm Downey-Wood, Dug Berezford, Ludo Meaby, Ashton Squires, Rob Lind, Ruari Bell, James Wardle. Replacements: Alex Whyte, Dan Cox, Michael Sutherland, TJ Akinjobi, Alexi Kulukundis, Finn Murphy, Mark Wilson. The women’s Varsity contest saw the University of Edinburgh defeat the University of St Andrews 97-0 with Scotland Women player Megan Gaffney picking up the Player of the Match award for her scoring efforts.  Amy Walter scored the first try for the University of Edinburgh, the full-back going over in the third minute after captain Sarah Law spun the ball along the line, with Law converting. Gaffney secured Edinburgh’s second score of the match, receiving the ball from 50 metres out to outpace St Andrews full-back Alexis Jenkins on the right wing before Law added the extras with the boot. Scotland Women player and centre Lisa Thomson made an impressive break from deep inside Edinburgh’s half, brushing past several defenders to set-up Gaffney for her second score under the posts minutes later. Law converted. Thomson was on the charge again, showing her power and pace in midfield to go over for Edinburgh’s fourth try of the match before Law sliced the sticks. Replacement Elizabeth Musgrove found the line after impressive link play created space in the St Andrews 22, with Law nailing another impressive conversion attempt. St Andrews gained momemtum before the interval, with Imogen Hooper and Rhiannon Fox-Rothwell leading the charge in the Edinburgh 22, but slow ball at the breakdown made it difficult for St Andrews to score. A further score from Thomson and a clever offload from Sarah Law to her younger sister Rachel sent the open-side flanker through for her first try for the University of Edinburgh before the interval. Half-time: St Andrews 0-47 Edinburgh After the interval, Sally Stott make the initial break with prop Hannah Kurtz charging over in the right corner for Edinburgh before Gaffney found space once again to go over for her hat-trick, Helena Scullion adding the conversion. Debbie Lee made her way under the posts for Edinburgh with Scullion collecting the points. Further scores from Edinburgh’s Katie Dougan (2), following a floating pass from hooker Alisa Luke, kept the scoreboard ticking. St Andrews continued to probe through the forwards when they secured possesion but tries from Scotland Women player Rhona Lloyd and Gaffney down both wings, converted by Scullion and Law kept the pressure on. A final score and hat-trick try from Dougan following a 50-metre charge, coverted by Law, who had an excellent day with the boot, rounded up play in the women’s Varsity contest. To watch both the women’s and men’s Scottish Varsity matches in full, visit Scottish Rugby TV. Player of the Match: Megan Gaffney (Edinburgh) Referee: Holly Davidson University of Edinburgh Women: Amy Walter; Natalie Guy, Megan Gaffney, Lisa Thomson, Rhona Lloyd; Sarah Law CAPTAIN, India Birrell, Aisla Luke, Hannah Kurtz, Katie Dougan, Debbie Lee, Nicola Howat, Lucy Winter, Sally Stott, Rachel Law. Replacements: Isobelle Hammond, Alison Glass, Emily Marsden, Judith Oguguo, Helena Scullion, Elizabeth Musgrove, Raphaëlle Duché.University of St Andrews Women: Alexis Jenkins; Lanita Gutieva, Myrtille Génot, Rhiannon Fox-Rothwell, Anna Shackleton; Abbie Henderson, Erika Machan; Amy Parry, Imogen Hooper, Kate Saunders, Emily Bruton, Naomi Boon, Eileen Igboanug, Nathalie Becker, Fiona Cooper. Replacements: Katy Barker, Rachel Ng, Beth Tappenden, Comfort Ogbonnaya.