Major RV Stanley was an Oxford local who took a keen interest in OURFC, becoming our representative on the RFU committee from 1907 to 1923. The inaugural Stanley's match was played in 1919, in which the future England greats and RFU Presidents, William Wavell Wakefield and Thomas Anthony Voyce, donned the white Stanley's shirt. Similar to the invitational team the Barbarians, the Stanley’s XV has included some of the biggest names in world rugby and it remains a great honour to be selected. 

 

Outside of rugby, little seems to be known about Major Stanley. He appears to have never attended the University or indeed played any rugby himself. However Stanley remains a household name amongst OURFC circles, largely due to his lifelong dedication to the club, where he served almost every role possible on the OURFC Committee. As a result he was fondly known as 'Uncle' by those who knew him. In 1957, Stanley died on the eve of the match and his team pulled off an impressive 19-9 victory in his honour.

 

Every year, it is tradition to invite the Cambridge side to watch the Stanley's match and the Oxford side to see the Steele-Bodger's game. This brings with it the dilemma of trying to hide our 'tricks' and star players from our Varsity opponents. In 1955, the Oxford Captain, Roy Allaway, declined Cambridge's invitation to watch the Steele-Bodger match, however, his opposite number, JW Clements, brought his team to watch the Stanley's match regardless. Before the match, Allaway and his squad decided not to conceal anything, but instead embrace the spirit of the Stanley's XV and play open and exciting rugby. That day, 44 points were scored, with one try coming from an interplay of passing which included every Oxford player and lasted 1 minute and 22 seconds. That year Oxford won the 74th Varsity Match by 9 points to 5.

 

In 2019, the Women*s Major Stanley’s Match was introduced to complete the day and this year's match will be the sixth encounter between the Dark Blues and the Women’s Major Stanley’s XV. Dr Clodagh Holmes, captain of this year's Major Stanley's side, has played in every single Major Stanley's match and we look forward to welcoming her back to Iffley Road for her second captaincy and first time in the white shirt after graduating this summer.