Oxford's Michal Plotkowiak will become the first Pole to take part in the University Boat Race.

The 25-year-old, from Poznan, was yesterday named in the Dark Blues crew for the 153rd clash on the River Thames on Saturday, April 7.

Oxford's only returning Blue is Robin Ejsmond-Frey.

Oxford coach Sean Bowden has selected Londoner Nick Brodie to cox his boat despite dropping him just four weeks before last year's race.

Despite his crew's lack of experience in the event, Bowden has called on American firepower in the shape of US world championship team member William Buckland and world junior level rower Adam Kosmicki.

Cambridge will have a definite edge in experience with four members of last year's beaten crew returning.

Great Britain Olympic rowers Kieran West and Tom James, the Light Blues' president, are back along with Germany's reigning world champions, Thorsten Engelmann and Sebastian Schulte.

Oxford: M Plotkowiak (Brasenose), A Kosmicki (Oriel), A Wright (St Edmund Haw), M Fleming (Worcester), R Ejsmond-Frey (Oriel), W Buckland (Jesus), T Kookyer (Keble), A Kusurin (St Catherine's), N Brodie, cox, (St Catherine's).

Cambridge: K McDaniel (St Edmund's), D O'Shaughnessy (St Edmund's), P Champion (St Edmund's), J Cornelius (Emmanuel), T James (Trinity Hall), K West (Pembroke), S Schulte (Gonville and Caius), T Engelmann (St Edmund's), R Glenn, cox, (Darwin).