Replacement flanker Dugald MacDonald was taken to hospital with a neck injury as Oxford University went down 24-8 to a powerful Army outfit at Aldershot on Wednesday night, the match finishing ten minutes early.

It was the second Blues match in succession to be cut short by injury, following Luke Fenwick’s broken leg against the Navy last week.

A Charlie Marr penalty put the students ahead, but the Army led 7-3 at the break with a converted try.

They extended the lead with an early second-half penalty, before Oxford reduced the arrears thanks to a try from second row Jamie Durward.

Two further Army tries, one converted, sealed the verdict.