Sunnybank Dragon's flanker George Blomfield took to the hallowed Twickenham pitch after being named in the Oxford University Rugby Football Club starting XV for the 135th Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge.
Blomfield wore the number seven jersey for Oxford, becoming the first Dragon to ever feature in the historic Varsity fixture.
In 2011, having already graduated from the University of Queensland with a civil engineering degree, Blomfield made his first move to London, studying a masters of science in structural engineering at City University in London, whilst playing a season of Northern Hemisphere Rugby for Westcombe Park Rugby Park.
Since returning to Australia, Blomfield dreamed of donning the Oxford blue jersey in the Varsity match and will realise that dream on the ninth of December.
Earlier in the year, whilst representing Sunnybank, Blomfield was accepted to study a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at Oxford, drawing one step closer to accomplishing his dream.
After a gruelling Queensland Premier Rugby season that saw Sunnybank fall just short of the grand final, Blomfield carried his form through to Oxford and has been a regular starter in the back row for the Blues.
Director of Rugby at Sunnybank Gaven Head, who has watched Blomfield hone his skills at Oldmac Oval for the last seven years, has been keeping an eye on the flanker’s progress in the UK.
“George is a live wire. Sometimes those smaller flankers don’t show up on the heavier grounds but he’s been playing well so far and has held his position to become a valued member of the team,” Head said.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity. Through his studies, George has been able to show another Rugby pathway that is often forgotten. Today, a lot of people want to play professional Rugby but there’s other opportunities for players and George has demonstrated that.”
“It’s an exclusive club, he will be surrounded by tradition with all of the old boys from both Universities plus a who’s who of English Rugby.”
