Cambridge rugby star takes on Oxford rivals to support disabled fans

Stephen will lead out the Light Blues of Cambridge against the Dark Blues of Oxford in the famous annual rugby match on 12 December, raising funds for leading disability charity Leonard Cheshire.

The 22-year-old, who captained Llandovery College and represented Llanelli Scarlets and Wales at youth level, is completing a PhD in Medicine at Emmanuel College. 

Now playing in his third Varsity Match at Twickenham, Stephen starts at no. 8 in a strong Cambridge squad featuring eleven players with Varsity Match experience. 

Stephen says:

‘We’re very lucky this year in that we have a lot of returning players and a lot of continuity. We all work well together.’

Joining Stephen are illustrious newcomers in the second row: former South Africa international Flip van der Merwe and former Australia captain James Horwill. Now 34, both are studying at Judge Business School, Queens’ College.

Stephen adds:

‘These guys are obviously great players, and it’s also the insight they bring from fifteen years of playing professional rugby.’

Stephen played in the win over Oxford in 2017 and puts this at the pinnacle of his rugby career. 

‘My best rugby moment so far was winning the 2017 Varsity Match.

‘It was very special to go through a journey with a group of individuals and achieve your goal.’

Fans from The Manor, a Leonard Cheshire home near Cambridge for disabled adults, will be at Twickenham backing the Light Blues. They will be joined by people from Leonard Cheshire services across the UK.

 

In October Stephen’s team and the Light Blues women visited The Manor, chatting with residents about rugby and much more besides. 

Stephen says:

‘It’s important to keep being involved in the community. I think that’s what’s special about the Varsity rugby teams. There’s a lot more to us than just playing rugby.’

Before beginning his studies at Emmanuel College, Stephen spent two summers working at a local organisation for young disabled people in Pembrokeshire.

He recalls: 

‘You formed genuine links with people, and I loved it. There was a real emphasis on helping people develop independence skills, as Leonard Cheshire does too.’

Stephen has been playing rugby since the age of six. During his time at university, Stephen’s rugby skills have not gone unnoticed outside of Cambridge.

After being asked to play for Blackheath in Kent and then stepping up to the Kent county side, the back-row forward was called up for an England Counties tour of Georgia. 

He looks back on the tour fondly, describing it as a ‘great experience’. When asked who he supports now when Wales take on England, Stephen is clear. ‘As a proud Welshman, I’ll always get behind Wales’.

For the rest of his rugby-playing days at university, Cambridge and The Varsity Match will be his main focus. 

The Varsity Match on Thursday coincides with polling day in the General Election, as it did for the first game in 1872. For most of the day at Twickenham all thoughts will turn to rugby, with the event set to attract huge crowds. 

The women’s Varsity match kicks off at 11.30 at Twickenham followed by the 138th men’s Varsity Match at 3pm, with both games live on ITV4. 

The player of the match in the men’s game will receive the Alastair Hignell medal, named after the former England international and Cambridge men’s captain. Hignell, 64, who has multiple sclerosis, is a Leonard Cheshire ambassador.

Media enquiries

For further information and hi-res photos, please contact Nick Bishop on nick.bishop@leonardcheshire.org or call 01202 747100 / 07889 976 267. Alternatively, contact the team on 020 3242 0399. Out of hours contact: 07903 949 388.