SPORT
TRULY SCRUM-PTIOUS The Steele-Bodger match returns A fixture of the national rugby calendar and a who’s who of the Cambridge corporate scene, the annual Steele-Bodger match returns for its 75th edition. The head of operations at Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, Matt Cole-Wilkin, tells us more
WORDS BY PHOEBE HARPER
F or the past 75 years, the beloved Steele-Bodger match has held a prestigious reputation as one of the most hotly anticipated events in the local rugby calendar. On the last Wednesday of every November, a crowd of almost 3,500 people descends on Grange Road – home of the Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club (CURUFC). As head of operations at the club, Matt Cole-Wilkin eagerly anticipates the day as one of CURUFC’s biggest events. “Steele-Bodgers has always been the headline fixture of the Michaelmas term as the last game before Christmas,” he explains. “Traditionally, the game was a warm-up and squad decider ahead of the Varsity match at Twickenham against Oxford, which used to be played in December before being moved to spring.” Taking pause only once, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, players convene whatever the weather each year for a clash of the jerseys, as the Cambridge Blues take on the striking maroon and black colours of the Steele-Bodger XV – before the well- trodden pitch of Grange Road inevitably turns both sides a muddy brown. The event takes its name from the late Mickey Steele-Bodger – a Blue who achieved rugby fame playing flanker for Harlequins, Barbarians and England, before receiving a CBE for his services to the sport.
HOT TICKET In a city steeped in sporting traditions, the Steele-Bodger match is a highlight
Mickey initiated the inaugural match by forming an invitational team in 1948, and, thanks to its popularity, the game has remained a staple fixture ever since. To this day, his son Guy Steele-Bodger assembles the Bodgers competitive team – which encompasses a mixture of players from National Leagues 1 and 2. While the match provides a fantastic showcase for upcoming rugby talent out on the pitch, it’s also a chance for fond reunions. “It’s a big opportunity for alumni and club legends to reconvene,” says Matt. “In the last couple of years, we’ve seen old friends return including the likes of Jamie Roberts, Ollie Phillips, Gavin Hastings… the list goes on!” Enjoyed by rugby veterans and amateurs alike, Steele-Bodgers has become equally well-known for its entertainment and networking opportunities.
“The match is always a thriller, but plenty are there to sample the corporate lunch and end up staying in the marquee, enjoying the drinks over the rugby!” Inside the club’s pavilions and marquees, a corporate lunch, sponsored by Dardan Security and served by Cantab Catering, has become known as a who’s who of the Cambridge property market, finance and law firms, and is described as ‘a big social-networking knees-up’ to mark the start of the Christmas season. Open to all members of the public, the event offers various winter warmers on site including hot food from the clubhouse, coffee traders and multiple bars supplied by Greene King, who will also be serving from a mobile bar. A convivial occasion and a celebration of local sport, too – what’s not to love? Sponsored by Cantab Asset Management, the Steele-Bodger match takes place on 29 November, with kick-off at 3pm. General admission tickets are available for purchase through Eventbrite
It’s always been the headline fixture of the Michaelmas term
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