The 111th Bottle Match

The biggest event in the Royal School of Mines’ calendar is once again upon us. On the 22 and 23 February, the second oldest varsity match after the Oxbridge boat-race will take the stage for the 111th year. The varsity is between the RSM and the Camborne School of Mines based in Cornwall, and is ultimately decided with a game of rugby that concludes a two day catalogue of sports.

The RSM and CSM began this sporting rivalry in December of 1906, playing rugby against each other to determine which prestigious institution had greater athletic dominance. 20 years later, the trophy was born after students of the RSM stole a 3ft Bottle from a Bass Brewery lorry and was decorated with the crests of the two mining schools. The winner of the rugby match gets to take home the Bottle for the year, some of the more observant of you may have noticed such a bottle proudly displayed behind the Union Bar for the past two years. In fact out of the last 17 Bottle Matches, the Royal School of Mines has won a respectable 14.

Last year, the RSM had a very convincing win against Camborne of 22-0; let’s hope they bring us more of a challenge this year. Despite the rugby being the climax of the weekend and the ultimate decider of victory, the two mining schools now challenge each other in golf, netball, squash, hockey and football. Each of which has its own trophy and glory presented to the winning institution. The RSM men’s hockey team will be looking for their first victory since 2008, and the ladies will be looking to overcome CSM for the second time in three years. The football team is looking stronger than ever, and after holding CSM to a 0-0 draw last year will be looking to capitalise on their home soil. Squash was settled last year with a 5-0 victory to RSM, and golf was drawn at 2-2, but both RSM teams are confident of bringing home their respective trophies. Finally, netball will be fighting to come back from their undeserved loss last year, and re-establish their winning streak over CSM.

The Royal School of Mines and Camborne School of Mines alternate in hosting the varsity weekend, and after a very successful trip down to Cornwall last year for RSM, Camborne will be taking the trip up to London this year. The Bottle Match is the definition of a great rivalry, and with a great rivalry comes even greater support. Last year the RSM had around 200 keen supporters making the cross-country journey, and it will not be a surprise to have just as many Camborne miners at Harlington next Saturday. For the first time there will be a food van and a bar open throughout the Saturday at Harlington, followed by the traditional player’s dinner back at Imperial. The weekend is capped off with an awards ceremony and after-party in Metric.

Anyone is welcome to come along and support The Bottle Match, the Saturday (23rd) begins at Harlington at 9am, and the rugby will end the day kicking off at 2pm. Join us in the Union from around 8pm for the after-party. Let’s bring the Bottle back to the Union Bar for the third year in a row!