The Record 2009 - Keble College - University of Oxford

The Life of the College
division title for the third consecutive year, winning nine games
out of ten and providing almost half of the victorious Oxford
Colleges’ XV.
With the successful league side bolstered with returning
University squad members, Keble comfortably won through the
early rounds of Cuppers before comprehensively outplaying a
Worcester side containing ex-All Black captain Anton Oliver in
the semi-final. With Hall having convincingly beaten a strong
University College side in the other half of the draw, the final
was destined to be tight.
The opening exchanges were cagey, with little to choose
between the two sides before a moment of magic from Dan
Guinness allowed Tom Ainsworth to canter home. Hall, who
had enjoyed the better of the half up to that point, hit back
immediately and the scores were tied at 8–8 at the break. Keble
dominated the twenty minutes following the resumption,
Heinrich Moeller and Matthew Moore adding tries to take
the score to 21–11. With five minutes remaining, Hall scored
an unconverted try to bring themselves back to within seven
points. A heroic defensive effort, interrupted by a twenty-minute
break for a head injury to fly half Brendan Mckerchar and
finished in a biblical downpour, eventually saw Keble home
21–16 for the second title in three years.
Tennis (Men’s)
Andrew Mather
Men’s tennis this term got off to a disappointing start with
Keble not being entered into the League competition due
to poor communication with the organizers. With only one
competition to focus on, Cuppers, the squad was keen for
success and to play throughout the term. Although this is men’s
Cuppers, three of our squad of nine where women: Berry Merle,
Vicky Moffett and Ellie Warner. They joined Greg Weir, Ben
Vanderspar, Will Seamer, Freddie Bacon, Rich Mant and Andy
Mather. Greg and all three girls played in the Oxford blues
team. Keble comfortably beat Corpus Christi and Pembroke
to reach the quarter finals and we were looking in good shape.
The match against University College took a long five hours on
a glorious day in early June and the determination of the team
enabled us to leave with another victory. This set up a grass
court encounter with Teddy Hall in the semi finals, which due
to some rock solid play from Ben & Berry and great tennis all
round, Keble won. Champion dreams were drawing closer to
reality and all that stood in the way were the Worcester team.
In the final few hours of Trinity Term, we squeezed in the
match in the beautiful Worcester gardens. Worcester started
strong and caught us by surprise going 2–1 up. Unfortunately
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