BASIL Strang is ready to take on the responsibility of kicking Oxford University to victory in today’s Varsity Match.

The 23-year-old starts at fly half, hoping to take his excellent form from the warm-up games into the showdown at Twickenham.

He has big boots to fill in George Cullen, who proved a thorn in Cambridge University’s side by scoring 18 points in 2014 and kicked all 12 in last year’s victory.

But Strang is champing at the bit and backs himself to perform under pressure.

He said: “I think you have got to relish that opportunity.

“You kick, that is your job and you have got to enjoy it a bit, otherwise you wouldn’t really do it.

“There is that enjoyment of having a skill and executing it. Knowing how much that means to a team is a really nice thing.”

Strang, who is studying a master of science degree in teaching and learning at St Stephen’s House, added: “I have had the very fortunate position of playing at Twickenham a couple of times for the Oxbridge team and it is slightly different having those huge stands.

“In the background you don’t really have anything to fix your eye on because it is all just a mass of green, but you get a nice firm ground and footing, so it is a good place to go and kick.”

Strang, who also teaches biology at Kingham Hill School, was a replacement in Oxford’s emphatic 43-6 win in 2014, but has had to wait two years for his next chance.

Twelve months ago, his course did not meet the criteria set out for Blues sport eligibility, agreed by the Oxford and Cambridge Joint Blues Committee, but he has the green light to play at Twickenham today.

Strang said: “Two years ago I played surprisingly on the wing in the Varsity Match, came on and got 15 minutes.

“The first thing I did when I came off the pitch was to say I really want to do that again.

“Last year it was a kick in the teeth. It has been a long time coming, so I am relishing it.”

TODAY’S TEAMS

Oxford University: Geiger, David, Hughes, Hogg, Stileman, Strang, de Berker, Ball, Hart, Morris, Taylor, Grant, Roberts-Huntley, Blomfield, Wilson. Reps: Thornton, Scaife, Lu, Marsden, MacGilchrist, Beaufils, Kershaw, Kearns. Travelling res: Goss.

Cambridge University: Amesbury, Davies, Triniman, Phillips, King, Gillies, Tullie, Briggs, Burnett, Dixon, Hunter, Bond, Stanley, Du Toit, Dass. Reps: Hugkulstone, Somers, Moros, Lola Erogbogbo, Bartholomew, Bell, Lare Erogbogbo, Griffiths.