Alex Cheesman is out to make amends when Oxford University take on Cambridge in today’s Nomura Varsity Match at Twickenham (2).

The 22-year-old inside centre scored a stoppage-time try that was no more than a consolation in last year’s 31-27 defeat.

And Cheesman, who is winning his third Blue, is desperate to avoid that low feeling again.

Cheesman, who has played for Sale and trained with Wasps, will be watched by a number of professional clubs today, but says he won’t allow that to affect him.

“The focus is always on the team for the game. It is very difficult to think about anything other than that,” he said.

“For me it is about righting the wrongs from last year.

“Last year I think we definitely under-performed.

“It is something we cannot afford to do this time, especially with the strength of the Cambridge side.

“In the final play of that game I touched down under the posts, but then I realised it was the end of our season.

“I remember saying to Ross Swanson as I handed him the ball for the conversion, ‘I can’t leave like this, I’m going to have to stay’.”

Cheesman completed his undergraduate geography degree last summer, but returned to study a masters in biodiversity.

He partners Sean Morris at centre and Oxford will look to them to lead their offensive and defensive effort in the backs.

“Defensively, we are looking for people like Sean to put in big performances,” said Cheesman.

Cheesman won his first Blue as a replacement flanker in 2008 before moving to the No 13 shirt last year.

He said: “When Brian Ashton was the backs coach in 2008, he persuaded me to move.

“Since then, I have had a lot more interest from professional clubs and I played a game for Sale.

“That showed me it was the right decision to go for.”

Cheesman, who was in the England Sevens training squad for the Commonwealth Games, hopes to make it as a professional.

He said: “I started training with Wasps this summer as well as spending quite a lot of time with England Sevens.

“I hope to play a bit more with Wasps after Christmas and sign a contract for the next season.”

No 8 Stan McKeen also wins his third Blue today, as do Cambridge captain Jimmy Richards, at full back, and loose-head prop Niall Conlon.

Oxford skipper and scrum half Nick Haydon is the only other Dark Blue player to have started in last year’s match.

Lock Karl Outen came off the bench in 2009, while outside centre Morris was an unused replacement last year, but started in 2008.

Should reserve centre Harry Guinness join the fray, he and blindside flanker Dan Guinness will become Oxford’s first brothers to appear in the Varsity Match since 1976.

The other returning Blues in Cambridge’s starting line-up are outside centre Fred Burdon, hooker Jamie Gilbert and No 8 Jamie Gilbert.