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Annual Review
2010/11
provides them with an event that is
unique. Training hard to be part of
the blue boat and to win is certainly
aided by this. Even so, the best reward
rowing in the boat race gives you is the
sense of achievement and self-belief
acquired. Making the boat and winning
the race makes you feel like you would
be capable of achieving anything if
you really decided you wanted to.
Regardless of how unfounded this
conviction might be about certain things
you may strive for later on in life, the
self-belief, confidence and tenacity
that winning the boat race will give you
can only help. If nothing else, by being
more tenacious than others, you have
more chances at achieving your goal
and hence statistically are more likely to
get there. I think this is why I value my
experiences at OUBC as highly as I do
the experiences I’ve had in completing
four years of studies at Oxford.
Alec Dent
(2007 Economics & Management)
2
011 proved to be another very
special year for Keble RFC.
The College has now reached five
consecutive Cuppers finals, winning
three, and has won five consecutive
league shields. Remarkably, of the
team that won in 2007, only two
players, Tom Ouldridge and Ross
McAdam remained for the
2011 triumph.
However, a season which finished
so triumphantly started in the worst
possible fashion, as the team lost to
arch-rivals Teddy Hall in 1st week of
Michaelmas Term by throwing away
an 18-7 halftime lead. This defeat
meant that we finished runners up in
autumn’s reorganisational league, and
although no silverware is awarded,
second place was painful. However,
this disappointment galvanized the
squad, and we returned for Hilary with
real determination. The turning point of
the season was a hard-fought win over
Brasenose in January.
Crucial was a notable change in style
of play. For the previous four years,
Keble’s success had been based on
dominant forwards, but we realized
this year that we were physically much
smaller than the opposition. In the early
weeks of Hilary, it became apparent
that our strength was playing intelligent
rugby at high tempo, combining skilful
backs with a mobile forward pack (our
No. 8 was the University’s top sprinter)
that could provide quality possession
all over the pitch. Momentum flowed
in our favour as Magdalen were
dispatched 81-14, and Christchurch
51-15. The league decider with Teddy Hall
in 3rd week proved a great occasion as we
produced a bonus point win in front of a
noisy crowd. The small Keble pack fronted
up and scored a remarkable push-over try
from a scrum. Arguably, the 33-17 score-
line justly reflected our dominance.
Despite the league win, an injury crisis
threatened to derail the season. Prior
to our quarter final against Oriel, all
six potential second-row options were
injured, abroad, or ill. A 27-0 victory
was a more difficult match than the
score-line suggests, as Keble overcame
a team with several University players.
Indeed, our greatest worry was that
we lacked players of that standard to
compete at the sharp end of Cuppers,
but as our College players overcame
such opponents, we came to realize
that such classifications meant nothing
once on the pitch.
Such lessons would be vital for the next
two games. Our semi-final drew us
against a Univ side packed with Blues.
With Keble written off by everyone,
Univ were the bookies favourites, but
they came up against a truly inspiring
defensive display, resulting in a
remarkable Keble win of 22-5.
Brasenose were our opponents in the
final, and the emphasis pre-game in
the dressing room was on seizing our
chance to get Keble RFC’s class of
2011 on the trophy. Under floodlights,
we played some cracking attacking
rugby to score four tries in the first half.
The side’s defensive resilience never
faltered and Brasenose were limited to
a solitary penalty and a final score of
41-3, stalwart Sam Ader scoring with his
last touch of the ball.
And so, a season which began badly
ended on a huge high. The longevity of
Keble’s purple patch can be attributed
to the ethos created by former players.
Leaving are Ross McAdam, Sam Ader,
Lewis Roberts, Gyan Mathias, and Abe
Knight, who have contributed hugely
in establishing that ethos. Players may
come and go, but the mentality remains
the same. Teddy Hall currently have thirty
Cuppers wins, we have ten, of which nine
came in the last twenty years. I hope that
future Keble sides continue this trend.
Charles King
(2009 History & Modern Languages)
Keble Rugby Cuppers
Alec Dent (2007 Economics & Management)