It wasn't the best parts at university, Eddie was working professionally during his time at Cambridge. He's always been a grafter but I don't think there was any doubt amongst those who knew him early days that he was super talented and would go far (not that anyone predicts oscars, that's not what I mean).
An active rivalry no, but just an awareness that they occupied the same space and that Eddie was always the one doing better. And then he got Burberry, and moved on to bigger films straight away (without having to do much embarrassing work). He's made it look dignified and simple (it's anything but, as I said above, he's worked like a dog). But he hasn't had done ott pr, even in his Oscar campaigning, and it's happened much faster for him.