Once Sam Egerton had given them the lead, there was no mistaking their superiority. Hence Lewis Anderson, the loose-head prop, became the first player to play in five winning teams. Worse still for Cambridge University, he will be back, far from sated, for another appearance next year.

Oxford, propelled by four tries in 22 minutes in the second half, had not won five wins in a row hitherto. It was also their most sizeable margin of victory.

Anderson represented the Saracens academy before being told that he was too small — he has grown to 6ft — to make the grade professionally. “We had the ability to be physically dominant,” he said.

Egerton, the Oxford scrum half who last year became the first player to be sent off in a Varsity match for eye gouging, had the more warranted distinction of scoring the try of the day. Gathering a loose ball close to the halfway line, he surged through the remnants of Cambridge’s defence.

Alastair Hignell, the former Cambridge and England full back, made him man of the match: redemption indeed. “These awards are nonsensical,” Egerton said, “because there are so many different positions occupied by players whose games are different.”

Alexander Macdonald gained their second try as a result of exerted pressure before half-time. Tom Reeson-Price, the Oxford lock, added a third through presence of mind; Ian Williams a fourth from Egerton’s offload; and George Cullen, whose kicking had been near faultless, a fifth, which he himself converted.

Gus Jones took his team’s tally over the 40-point mark just before the end. “This was a great mark of the team’s commitment over the last three months we have spent together,” Jacob Taylor, the captain, said.

Donald Stevens, Cambridge’s fly half from Bloemfontein, kicked two penalty goals before he was carried off on a stretcher with possible knee-ligament damage early in the second half. George Smith, who was suffering from concussion, also had to be taken off. After that, they were overrun.

“I feel sure we will get a backlash from the old boys over such a heavy defeat but we gave this everything,” Harry Peck, the Cambridge captain, said.

Scorers: Oxford: Tries: Egerton (10min), Macdonald (39), Reeson-Price (55), Williams (59), Cullen (74), Jones (77). Conversions: Cullen (5). Penalty goal: Cullen (18). Cambridge: Penalty goals: Stevens (16, 35). Scoring sequence (Oxford first): 7-0, 7-3, 10-3,10-6, 17-6 (half-time), 22-6, 29-6, 36-6, 43-6.

Oxford: J Taylor; E Doe (rep: H Hughes, 52), M Janney (rep: B Strang, 69), A Macdonald, H Lamont; G Cullen, S Egerton (rep: H de Berker, 77); L Anderson (rep: J Scaife, 79), N Gardner (rep: J Wisson, 78), I Williams (rep: G Western, 79), F Taylor (rep: G MacGilchrist, 74), T Reeson-Price, F Heathcote, G Jones (rep: R Weir, 78), G Messum.

Cambridge: S Allen; I Cherezov, T May, F Gillies, G Smith (rep: A Rees, 59); D Stevens (rep: J Wylde, 42), H Peck (rep: S Tullie, 74); W Briggs (rep: O Exton, 64), T Pascoe (rep: M Montgomery, 69) J Poulton (rep: F Sanders, 64), J Baker, R Hall, R Bartholomew (rep: C O’Sullivan, 52), H Kelly (rep: D Dass, 69), S Farmer.

Referee: L Pearce. Attendance: 25,176.