University Challenge 2019-20: Round 1: Match 12: Wolfson vs Sheffield

Evening all. Here we go again with the antepenultimate match of the first round, with both sides needing a score of 150 or more to come back win or lose. So far, York are safely through with 150. Another debutant team tonight, taking on an institution that has regularly sent teams over the years, including on the third ever Paxo contest, a bit of which I was watching just the other night!

Wolfson College Oxford is a postgraduate college founded 1965 by the same man who founded the Cambridge college of the same name. Like its namesake, its list of noted alumni is relatively short given its age; it includes thus far the genticist Dame Kay Davies and the founder of Linkedin Reid Hoffman. It's first ever UC team were:
Mike Perrin, from East Anglia (via Japan), studying Maritime Archaeology
Mary Caple, from Victoria, Canada, studying Art History
Captain: Claire Jones, from Houston, Texas, studying Global and Imperial History
Ryan Walker, from Stone in Staffordshire, studying Clinical Medicine

Sheffield University is a bit older, founded in 1905 and one of the original redbricks. Its noted alumni list is a lot more plentiful, including the aviator Amy Johnson, the retired politician Lord David Blunkett, comedians Eddie Izzard and Tim Key, and my Uncle Tom! It's last UC appearance was a first round exit three series ago; this year's team were:
Alistair Lyle, from Chiswick in London, studying Metalogy
Sam Kelly, from Seaford in East Sussex, studying English Literature
Captain: Jonathan Newhouse, from Skipton in Yorkshire, studying Cognitive Science
Daisy Fry, from Kent, studying Politics

Off we set again then, and Mr Walker opened the night by spotting a list of things depicted on the back of collectable 50ps, something me and my colleagues at work express great interest in looking out for! British museums gave Wolfson one correct bonus to start with. Mr Newhouse opened his side's account with 'Van Gogh', and they did somewhat better, taking a full set of bonuses. Another starter to the Sheffield captain, and another full set of bonuses duly followed, a pretty solid statement of intent from the Steel City team. Mr Newhouse then made it a hat-trick of starters, and a bonus set on Asterix characters (pity my Mum wasn't watching, she'd have got all those!) gave them a third full house. The first picture round, on religious emblems, went to Wolfson, who took two bonuses this time, which cut their deficit to 75-35.

Sheffield duly increased it again though, as Mr Lyle correctly offered 'nurdle'; a good old school bonus set on words differing by a 'G' at the start, saw their impeccable bonus record end, with just two this time. Ms Jones reawoke the Oxford side by identifying the river Oder, and, again, two bonuses accompanied it. Ms Caple gave the Oxonians a second starter in a row, but a bonus set on the artist Dame Paula Rego didn't give them any further points.

Mr Perrin was first in to identify Mozart's Don Giovanni; the music bonuses, on list songs, gave Wolfson two correct answers, which put them just ten behind, 95-85. Ms Fry duly woke Sheffield up again though, but they took just one bonus on 16th/17th century quotations. Ms Jones came back in with what looked like an educated guess of 'plagiarism' for the next starter, and was right to do so; a full bonus set put the sides on level pegging. In swooped Mr Lyle to give Sheffield the lead again, and two bonuses re-established their advantage. A second starter in a row to Sheffield, and one bonus gave them the score they needed to return whatever; they took the other two bonuses too for good measure.

The second picture round, on regulars at New York's Cafe Society, went to Wolfson, who took two bonuses, taking the scores to 155-130, and setting up a tense finish. Mr Walker duly took the next starter, and one bonus gave them the score they needed to push Merton out of the repechage and ensure a return whatever.

Ms Jones then took the next starter to put them on level pegging, but they couldn't get the one bonus they needed to take the lead (I had two of them). A second starter in a row to the Wolfson captain did put them in front though, one bonus followed. Back came Sheffield thanks to Mr Lyle, one bonus was taken... and that was the gong! A 170-each tie!

So, standard tie procedure, first to answer correctly wins. Asked which of the wonders of the Ancient World was a representation of 'Helios', Mr Perrin buzzed in first with 'Rhodes', then, after a pause, clarified with 'The Colossus of Rhodes'; Paxo decided that was good enough, as both sides would be returning anyway. (Not sure I can agree with that, as they are going in different directions, but what's done is done). Anyway, Wolfson won the match.

A very good match indeed between two good teams, well done both. Unlucky Sheffield, but you're deservedly coming back in the play-offs, so best of luck there! Well done Wolfson though, and best of luck in the second round!

The stats: Ms Jones was the best buzzer of the night with six starters, while Mr Newhouse was best for Sheffield with four. On the bonuses, Wolfson converted 14 out of 30, while Sheffield managed a very good 18 out of 24.

Next week's match: Imperial College London vs Brasenose College Oxford

Only Connect saw the debuts of the Endeavours and the Outliers, all three of the latter having represented Warwick on UC in the past. It was their opponents who triumphed tonight though, 27-14.