St Hilda's College
The Football
The Men’s Football Blues were invited to compete in the prestigious World Elite University Football Tournament in Xi’an, China over the summer. The Tournament played host to university first teams from across the world, including the University of Cambridge, Tsinghua University, and Peking University, and lasted just over a week with three group games and two knockout fixtures.
Robert Dowsett, Will Hugh-Jones, and Marcel Tenkorang were the St Hilda’s contingent selected in the Blues touring squad, and spirits were high as the boys arrived in Xi’an despite the blazing Chinese summer heat.
We were very unfortunate not to qualify for the Cup competition knockouts after a memorable first round win against the University of Leiden under the lights, a tense draw with the University of Peking amidst what must have been a tropical storm, and a last-gasp loss the next morning to an inspired University of Seoul side who would go on to reach the tournament final. This meant we were left to compete for the Plate competition, overcoming the fatigue of five games in hot and humid conditions within a week to defeat the National University of Singapore and our old foes in Leiden to secure the trophy.
The competition felt like the international tournament it was. Many of our games were televised on television, with thousands of viewers across China tuning in, and we enjoyed all the mod cons of a professional tournament – recovery facilities, gyms, world-class pitches, and high-quality food to recover.
The Locals
After our final match, we were met by fans who had loyally supported the Oxford boys throughout the tournament. Following countless photos, autograph requests (happily granted), and even one question as to whether we played in the Champions League, we took our bow from what had been an unforgettable week of international football.
Off the pitch, we made the most of our time in China, immersing ourselves in the local culture. Highlights included a spectacular lights show, bustling markets, and a visit to what is often called the unofficial Eighth Wonder of the World – the Terracotta Army. The vast displays of warriors, crafted to protect the first Chinese Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, each carved with immense detail and arranged in military formation, were truly astonishing.
We also embraced the local cuisine – from the especially delicious Xi’an-style noodles prepared for the players to the chicken feet on offer in the supermarket next door (a high-protein recovery snack, or so we were told). This was far from the only new experience: I can safely say I had never before had the chance to order tomatoes from a nightclub bar.
As the curtains fell on our time in Xi’an, we boarded the Bullet Train to Beijing – covering more than 1,000 km in just a few hours. Our final days included visits to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the historic Hutongs, rounding off what was a physically demanding but eye-opening ten days of sport, history, and culture.
Representing St Hilda’s
One of the best parts of the tour was the opportunity to represent St Hilda’s internationally. It may have been too hot to don the old-school St Hilda’s jerseys in China, but the presence of three Hildabeasts on tour – the second highest of any college – was a source of pride for us, and a reflection of the strong culture of success across Hilda’s sporting teams.
For Marcel and Will, who are continuing their studies at St Hilda’s this year, the tour was also valuable preparation for the upcoming college football season, as Hilda’s looks to build on recent success in both Cuppers and League competitions. Last season, the College was promoted to the Premier Division of the Inter-College League.
This tour was an experience the three of us will never forget. We are incredibly grateful to St Hilda’s for the funding provided to support us in our sporting endeavours. To represent both our College and the University on tour was an incredible honour.