Cuppers success for Downing Rugby!
The Downing College Rugby Club has celebrated silverware this term with victory in the Rugby Cuppers Plate final.
The team of Downing and Caius came away triumphant against St John’s College, ensuring that they would take third place overall in this year’s Cuppers tournament.
It caps off an incredibly successful year for the Rugby team, who won the University’s College Rugby Union League in Michaelmas Term after an unbeaten run of matches.
According to Captain Sam Parmenter, the team was fuelled by the disappointment of their narrow defeat in the semi-final to Trinity/Christ’s and boosted by some 11th-hour additions to the squad.
Sam said: “The opposition quickly found themselves getting outplayed in the dark arts of the scrum and the wide expansive attacks we finally got together. Highlights included a complete dominance in the scrum and at the lineout from the pack, earning many penalties, and a 14-man St John’s maul being stopped pretty much single-handedly by one Downing back row player.
“In the heat of the May Saturday, the physical battle was intense, but the team's momentum was unstoppable. The final score after a maul try, a pick and go, and an excellent wide move off a line out with two conversions was 17-7. Man of the Match for relentless energy was Tom Ackerman, and special mention to all our supporters who came down to watch. Hearing the crowd cheer was a huge morale boost.”
Congratulations to the Rugby team for ending such a successful year in style!
Published 1 June 2026