Varsity match

A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two university rivals. It is most commonly used to describe meetings between Cambridge University and Oxford University. The Scottish Varsity rugby match between the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh at Murrayfield stadium claims to be the oldest recurring Varsity match in the world, having been played since the 1860s. However, the Varsity Match in Cricket between Oxford and Cambridge predates it, having first been played in 1827.

Varsity in England

By far the country's longest-running series of varsity matches is played between the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford with some rivalries airing live on national television. Unlike in North America, the broadcast of university sport is not commonplace.

In recent years, city and regional sporting rivalries have developed.

Oxbridge

• University of Oxford v. University of Cambridge
  • The Boat Race - Rowing
  • The Varsity Match - Rugby Union
  • Rugby League Varsity Match - Rugby League
  • The University Hockey Match - Field Hockey
  • The Truelove Bowl - Amateur Boxing
  • The Varsity Swimming Match - Swimming
  • The Varsity Water Polo Match - Water Polo
  • The Varsity Polo Match - Polo
  • The University Golf Match - Golf
  • The Varsity Yacht Race - Yachting
  • The University Match - Cricket
  • The Lawn Tennis Varsity Match - Lawn Tennis
  • Ice Hockey Varsity Match - Ice Hockey
  • Varsity blind wine tasting match - Blind Wine Tasting
  • The Varsity Quiz Match - Buzzer Quiz ^[1]
  • Varsity Trip - Ski Racing
  • Varsity Gliding Competition - Gliding
  • The Chancellors' - Fullbore target rifle
  • The Humphry - Fullbore match rifle
  • The Rose Bowl - Archery ^[2]
  • The Aussie Rules Varsity Match - Australian Rules Football (2013 was the 93rd annual varsity match ^[3][4][5][6]
  • Handball Varsity Match - Handball

London rivalries

• King's College London v. University College London
  • The London Varsity - Rugby ^[7]
• King's College London v. King's College London School of Medicine
  • The Macadam Cup - Swimming gala, Water polo, Badminton, Squash, Hockey (men and women), Mixed fencing, Mixed tennis, Ultimate frisbee, Rugby (men and women), Netball, Lacrosse, Football (men and women) and Darts ^[8]
• University of West London v. University of Westminster
  • West London Varsity: Rugby, Football, Basketball, Netball and Cricket. ^[9]
• Imperial College London v. Imperial College School of Medicine
  • Varsity ^[10] - Rugby, Hockey, Netball, Football, Lacrosse, Basketball, Tennis
• Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry v. Queen Mary, University of London
  • The Merger Cup - rugby, football, hockey, rowing, tennis, badminton, netball, squash, and basketball
• Goldsmiths, University of London v. University of the Arts London
  • The Arts Cup - Basketball, Football, Hockey, Netball and Rugby ^[11]
• Brunel University v. St Mary's University College, Twickenham
  • West London Varsity ^[12]
• University of East London v. Middlesex University
• University of London Colleges
  • Allom Cup - Rowing ^[13]
• City University London vs. London School of Economics

City rivalries

• University of Nottingham v. Nottingham Trent University
  • Varsity Series (2004–present)
• University of Bristol v. University of the West of England
  • Established in 1995, the Bristol Boat Race is the country's second oldest varsity boat race after the Oxbridge event.
• University of Leeds v. Leeds Beckett University
  • Leeds Varsity ^[14]
• University of Sheffield v. Sheffield Hallam University
  • Varsity ^[15]
• University of York v. York St. John University
  • White Rose Varsity (until 2011)^[16]
• University of Manchester v. Manchester Metropolitan University
• University of Manchester v. University of Salford
  • The Two Cities Rugby League Challenge ^[17]
  • The Two Cities Boat Race^[18] - Rowing
• University of Southampton v. Southampton Solent University
• University of Southampton v. University of Portsmouth
• De Montfort University v. University of Leicester
  • Varsity of Leicester ^[19]
• University of Kent v. Canterbury Christ Church University
• University of Plymouth v. University of St Mark & St John
• University of Brighton v. University of Sussex
• Newcastle University v. Northumbria University
  • The Stan Calvert Cup

Regional rivalries

North East

• Newcastle University v. Durham University
  • The Boat Race of the North - Rowing
• University of Sunderland v. University of Teesside

North West

• University of Liverpool v. Liverpool John Moores University
• Edge Hill University v. University of Central Lancashire
• University of Chester v. Manchester Metropolitan University

Yorkshire and the Humber

• University of Hull v. University of York
  • The White Rose Varsity (contested until 2011 between York and York St John University^[16]) was a short-lived series established in 2011. It was discontinued in 2013 due to disagreements between the two universities.^[20]
• University of Lincoln v. University of Hull
  • The Humber Games were inaugurated in 2014 after Hull's annual series with York ended in acrimony in 2013.^[21]
• York St. John University v. University of Teesside v. University of Hull
  • The Tri-Varsity (ended 2008)^[16]
• University of Bradford v. University of Huddersfield
• The University of Sheffield v. Sheffield Hallam University

Midlands

• University of Birmingham v. University of Warwick
• University of Wolverhampton v. Birmingham City University
  • Varsity Boat Race ^[22]
• University of Birmingham v. Loughborough University
• University of Warwick v. Coventry University ^[23][24]
• Keele University v. Staffordshire University (2007–present)
• University of Leicester v. De Montfort University
• Aston University v. Birmingham City University
• University of Northampton v. Derby University

East

• University of East Anglia v. University of Essex

South East

• University of Southampton v. University of Portsmouth
  • Varsity Cup ^{[25] [26]}
• University of Kingston v. University of Surrey
• University of Reading v. Oxford Brookes University
• University of Hertfordshire v. University of Bedfordshire
• University of Roehampton v. Buckinghamshire New University
• University of Sussex v. University of Brighton
  • Varsity Cup^[27]
• University of Surrey v. Royal Holloway, University of London, starting 2017 ^[28]

South West

• Bradford University v. King's College London: the Tolstoy Cup
• Harper Adams University v. Royal Agricultural University
• Bath Spa University v. University of Winchester
  • The Charles Cup'
• University of Worcester v. University of Gloucestershire
• University of Bristol v. University of West England ^[29]
• University of Bath v. University of Exeter

Northern England

• University of Leeds v. University of Manchester v. University of Liverpool
  • The Christie Cup
• University of York v. Lancaster University
  • The Roses Tournament
• Durham University v. University of York
  • College Varsity - started 2014 as a replacement for the White Rose Varsity^[30][31]
  • James – Collingwood tournament annually between James College, York and Collingwood College, Durham since 2009.^[32][33]
  • Josephine Butler – Langwith varsity: Annual home-and-away (York in the autumn, Durham in the summer) tournaments between Josephine Butler College, Durham and Langwith College, York held some 2013.^[34]

Other

• Royal School of Mines v. Camborne School of Mines
  • The Bottle Match
• Durham University v. University of Loughborough
  • BUCS Varsity^[35][36]
  • Intramural Varsity (Durham colleges v Loughborough intramural sports)^[37]

Varsity in Ireland

• University College Dublin v. Trinity College Dublin
  • Colours Boat Races ^[38]

Varsity in Scotland

• University of Aberdeen v. Robert Gordon University
  • Granite City Challenge
  • Aberdeen Universities Boat Race - Rowing ^[39]
• University of Abertay Dundee v. University of Dundee
  • The Tay Games Varsity Challenge^[40]
• Heriot-Watt University v. University of Edinburgh
  • Varsity Quaich - Men’s Football, Men’s and Women’s Hockey, Men’s Rugby and Rowing ^[41]
• University of Edinburgh v. University of St Andrews
  • The Scottish Varsity - Rugby ^[42]
• University of Edinburgh v. Glasgow University
  • The Scottish Boat Race - Rowing
• University of the West of Scotland v. Edinburgh Napier University
  • East vs West Varsity - Men's American Football, Mixed Badminton, Men's Basketball, Men's and Women's Hockey, Men's Rugby
• University of the West of Scotland v. Scottish Rural College v. Ayrshire College
  • West Coast Varsity

Varsity in Wales

• Cardiff University v. Swansea University
  • Welsh Varsity - Rugby
  • Varsity Shield
    • The Welsh Boat Race - Rowing
• Aberystwyth University v. Bangor University
  • Aberystwyth-Bangor Varsity

See also

• College rivalry
• College athletics
• Varsity team

References