Varsity 2025 Match Report
Edinburgh Edge St Andrews at the Death to Win the 2025 Varsity Game
The latest edition of this historic Varsity fixture against the University of Edinburgh saw the St Andrews 1st XV travelling down to Edinburgh to defend their trophy won the year before. The roar that greeted the teams as they ran out into a packed Hive Stadium showed that the fans were up for this grudge match. The Saints faithful had showed up in good numbers and were in fine voice right from the 1st whistle.
Within the opening exchanges it was clear that the players were also fired up for this fixture, which massive hits being greeted by equally huge roars from the crowd. Edinburgh got off to a good start, capitalising on Saints ill discipline to add 6 points from the boot of Jamie Cain, Edinburgh’s fly half. St Andrews would quickly answer back, through the boot of their own fly half, Howie Offord who showed remarkable composure as a freshman in his first cap for the saints. 6-3 to Edinburgh.
Twice did the Saints defence repulse Edinburgh on their own line, however, eventually Edinburgh’s sustained period of pressure gave them the breakthrough. A nice move down the blindside of the scrum put them in the Saints 22, where they spread the ball to the opposite side of the pitch to score in the corner. The difficult conversion drifted wide, and Edinburgh lead 11-3.
Saints answered right back with what would have been the try of the game had the final pass of an amazing counter attacking move not drifted forward. Right on the stroke of half time they did mange to cut the deficit, with Offord slotting another penalty. 11-6.
Whatever St Andrews coach Dave Morris had said in the changing room at half time clearly got the Saints boys fired up, as they opened the second half with a bang. They scored two quick tries, both from Saints earning their first caps. The first try was scored by Michael Onohayendo, who powered over from close range.
The second try came when Offord combined with Finlayson-Russell to send him rampaging behind the Edinburgh line. Eventually Saints pressure lead to a scrum, where Roeland Van Den Berg fended and spun his way under the sticks to score. 20-11.
Edinburgh scored next through a strong driving maul in the corner, with Jamie Cain this time slotting the conversion and not long after, a routine penalty kick, leaving the score 20-21.
St Andrews regained a slender lead after Offord added three more points off the boot, but the tension was running high as the clock ticked down to just five minutes left and the Saints up by 2.
Unfortunately St Andrews were not able to hold on, with a suspect touch line decision going Edinburgh’s way, they advanced down the pitch with a maul that had been very impressive all game and added the winning score with the clock in the red.
There were plenty of positives to take from this game into the season. Saints captain James Murray showed his class and composure as a leader throughout the game, and the Saints looked very dangerous when they got the ball into the wide channels, which they did well especially given the wet conditions. Freshman fly half Howie Offord was impressive in his debut for the Saints, and expect his confidence to grow with time. The defence had spells where it marched Edinburgh back each phase with bruising physicality, flashing the potential to be highly destructive as the season progresses.
Final Score: Edinburgh 26 – 23 St Andrews
