News Centre

Sporting victories

30 April 2009

The University’s rugby squad pictured with staff from the Athletic Union and the University, including Vice-Chancellor Dr David Grant and Louise Casella, Director of Strategic Development

Cardiff University’s rugby team has claimed another impressive Varsity victory over rivals Swansea. Following last year’s win, Cardiff retained the Varsity Rugby Cup with a 9-6 victory in front of supporters at Cardiff Arms Park. The match was the culmination of a day of intense sporting activity which saw students from both Cardiff and Swansea competing for the Varsity Shield.

This year, the Shield went to Cardiff after student teams came out top in a range of events including American football, basketball, fencing, hockey, netball, Ultimate Frisbee, rowing and sailing. This gave Cardiff an overall Shield result of 18-6. Varsity is an annual event and huge numbers of University, Students’ Union and Athletic Union staff work hard to make it an enjoyable experience for all involved.

Martyn Fowler, the University’s Head of Rugby, said after the Varsity Cup Match victory: "Our emphasis throughout this season has been to become the first side to retain the Welsh Varsity Cup and thanks to Club stalwarts, Aled Mason and our Captain Aaron Fowler, we have achieved that goal.

"For large periods of the history of the Varsity match the Cardiff team has been a perpetual underdog so we do not want to become complacent and will continue to work hard to build on this success. We have a very professional rugby programme in place and it is now bearing fruit. If success is a yardstick for this programme, it is there for all to see."

Lacrosse players in action during the record-breaking attempt

In a week of sporting highlights at the University, students from the lacrosse club also made a double Guinness World Record attempt for the longest male and female lacrosse games. The current world record for a lacrosse marathon stands at eight hours and 16 minutes and, although awaiting official confirmation of a new record, the Cardiff women’s team played for eight hours and 30 minutes and the men’s team managed to hold out for an exhausting twelve hours.

The event took place at the University Sports Field in Llanrumney and, as well as attempting to break records, the teams raised money for Right to Play (UK), an organization that uses sport and play as a tool for development of children and youth in disadvantaged areas.