Former Magdalen College School pupil Nick Gardner will be Oxford University’s Varsity Match hooker as they seek a third straight victory.

Gardner was handed the No 2 shirt yesterday when captain John Carter named his team to face Cambridge University at Twickenham on Thursday, December 6.

The 22-year-old, from Chipping Norton, joined Oxford, where he is training to be a biology teacher, this term.

Gardner has come through the ranks at Oxford Harlequins and helped them survive in National 3 South West last season.

Former Chinnor pair, prop Bob Baker and flanker Alex Waddingham, have also made the Dark Blues’ side.

But flanker Gus Jones, from north Oxford, has to be content with a place on the bench, despite captaining England Under 18s last season.

Carter said there was a really strong spirit in his squad.

“All these guys would have picked each other and that’s how team selection works for me,” said Carter.

“We have now got a very intense ten days where we really come together as a 23.

“We have got great coaches and great players and are really looking forward to it.”

No 8 Carter is the only survivor of the pack that started in last year’s victory over Cambridge, while loose-head prop Lewis Anderson and lock Jason Law were replacements.

Anderson has been understudy to Hamish Macdonald for the last two Twickenham showdowns, but the roles are reversed this time.

Last year’s scrum half, Sam Egerton, starts at full back this time, while Jon Hudson moves from No 15 to fly half.

Stuart Commins is handed the scrum half spot, with 18-year-old fresher Henry Lamont on the right wing.

Charlie Marr, Oxford’s Twickenham fly half in 2010, is on the bench alongside centre/wing Heewon Cho, who could become the first Korean to appear in the Varsity Match.

Oxford University: Egerton*, Lamont, Bramham-Law*, Turner*, Vallance, Hudson*, Commins, Anderson*, Gardner, Baker, Law*, Rowlands, Waddingham, Harris, Carter* (capt). Reps: Wisson, Direen, Rickner, Jones, Marr*, Hughes, Cho, H Macdonald*. * denotes Blue.