Blaikie's omission leaves Cambridge blushing
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Cambridge suffered an inauspicious and embarrassing start to their build-up for next Tuesday's Varsity Match at Twickenham – the 121st in this series between Oxford and Cambridge.
The Light Blues captain, Duncan Blaikie, committed an historic howler as he followed tradition and recited the numbers, names and colleges of his team members from memory.
The New Zealander jumped from No 12, fellow Kiwi Jason Wright at inside centre, to No 10, fly-half Owen Edwards – completely omitting any mention of Cambridge's speedy No 11, Aki Abiola from St Catharine's out on the left wing.
A blushing Blaikie, a qualified doctor in his home country, but who is now studying law as a post graduate in Hughes Hall, had to step back up to the microphone and own up to his mistake and rectify the error.
"Omitting a team member at the announcement is a heinous crime in Varsity eyes," said a grinning Tony Rogers, the Cambridge coach. "There will be a severe punishment for that slip-up. It will be pretty awful whatever he is subjected to."
The last time a captain committed this cardinal sin was back in 1985, when Gavin Hastings, the former Scotland international, forgot to name his blindside flanker Steve Kelly. Cambridge lost that match, ending a run of five wins on the trot.
Next week Blaikie, the Light Blues' openside, has the tricky task of helping his side end another run – three successive defeats. And Oxford, who are also captained by a Kiwi, the blindside flanker Fraser Gemmell, are confident that they have a balanced team that can turn in a better performance than either team managed last year.
With 43,000 tickets having been sold for the 10 December showdown, Twickenham officials are confident that the crowd will top the 50,000 who showed up last year.
Blaikie's was not the only bloomer. In his introductory speech Hamish Ritchie, the chairman of MMC who are sponsoring the Varsity match, referred to England's record breaking prop Jason Leonard as the American golfer Justin Leonard.
OXFORD UNIVERSITY: T Barlow (St Anne's); W Rubie (Brasenose), J Allen (University), A Willet, S Douglas (both Merton); M Honeyben (Pembroke), D Taberner (Worcester); K Tkachuk (Kellogg), D Griffiths (St Edmund Hall), H Nwume (University), A Russell (Magdalen), C Edwards (Balliol), F Gemmell (St Catherine's, capt), D Lubans (St Anne's), B Durham (Keble).
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY: A Newmarch (St Edmunds); S Kingsbury (Corpus Christi), S Frost (Hughes Hall), J Wright (St Edmunds), A Abiola (St Catharine's); O Edwards (Hughes Hall), B Dormer (St Edmunds); R Bosch (Hughes Hall), C Collins, J Reilly (both Fitzwilliam), G Webster (St Edmunds), M Purdy, O Scrimgeour (both Fitzwilliam), S Eru (St Edmunds), D Blaikie (Hughes Hall, capt).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments