Major Stanley's Matchday

Emily Scarratt and Mike Tindall named as guest speakers.

The Major Stanley's Matches are an annual fixture played between the Blues rugby teams and an invitational side made up of alumni players.

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. Whilst it is believed that Stanley first raised a side to play Oxford in 1894, the first official Stanley's Match did not feature on the fixture list until 1914 (though this was cancelled due to the war). The inaugural Stanley's match was eventually 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. In 2019, the Women's Major Stanley’s Match was introduced to complete the day and this year's match will be the fifth 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.