Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club (CURUFC) announced on Tuesday that professional player, Charlie Amesbury, had joined their squad for a period of two months with immediate effect.

The Portsmouth-born winger-cum-full-back who was only recently plying his trade for Bristol Rugby in the Aviva Premiership has taken up a MSt in Social Innovation at Queens’ College and will be available for selection for the Light Blues' 23-man squad in their upcoming Varsity Match against Oxford this December.

Amesbury, who began his professional career with London side Harlequins, will spend two months on the Queens’ College campus before returning to Bristol at the end of Michaelmas term. Bristol’s Director of Rugby, Andy Robinson, told the club website: “Charlie heads to Cambridge University with our blessing. It’s important that he does this and it’s right for his development as a person and a player.”

Clinical Loughborough leave CURUFC craving a cutting edge

The Light Blues’ latest addition has made two appearances in the top tier of English club rugby this season, and Amesbury will continue to have his condition monitored by the Bristol medical team while away at Cambridge. Speaking to bristolrugby.co.uk, the 30-year-old was full of positivity for the coming term: “I value the support from Andy [Robinson] and the coaching team in allowing me to go to Cambridge University until December. It’s a decision that I did not take lightly, but something I had committed to doing from last year.

“It’s a privilege to be able to study and play at Cambridge University and an opportunity that I am excited about. I’ll be following the progress of the lads here closely and will be working hard to get back into the starting team upon my return in December.”

Amesbury, who graduated in 2013 with a degree in Biology from the University of Manchester, also took to Twitter to comment on his move, saying it was a "tough decision to take time away from [Bristol Rugby]" but that it was a "great opportunity for me at [Cambridge University]", and that he would "be cheering on the boys throughout."

Amesbury is not the first high-profile rugby player to turn out for the Light Blues. Last year, Welsh international centre Jamie Roberts took up an MPhil in Medical Science at Queens’ College and represented CURUFC at the men’s Varsity Match that December. However, the Rugby World Cup quarter-finalist suffered a frustrating afternoon: after being forced to retire on 40 minutes due to injury, his Light Blues teammates were on the receiving end of a try-less 12-6 scoreline.  

Though Roberts’s 83 senior caps for Wales give him much greater international pedigree, Amesbury still represents a real coup for CURUFC, having made several Aviva Premiership appearances for Twickenham-based Harlequins, as well as Sale Sharks and Newcastle Falcons as well as Bristol. He has also represented his country, playing for England at under-18 level and for England Sevens at senior level.

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It is hoped that his experience and talent will provide CURUFC with the attacking potency that they struggled to find during last week's 38-5 loss against Loughborough and took its time to kick in during Monday night's narrow 29-26 win over their local Cambridge rivals.

Indeed, responding to the news of Amesbury's signing, CURUFC's Maximilian Campbell told Varsity that the Light Blues were "delighted to welcome Charlie to the club, in the knowledge that he will be a real asset to the squad, not only in terms of his creative and technical ability but also the experience and the knowledge of the game he brings."

With CURUFC taking to the Twickenham pitch on 8th December in search of only their third Varsity win in 10 years, those of a Light Blue persuasion will be hoping that Amesbury’s experience can help put a stop to a string of serious domination from Oxford in the long-running Varsity match in December. The Dark Blues have won every single men’s fixture since 2010 and are just two victories behind CURUFC in the overall standings, which date back all the way to 1872.