The Welsh Varsity takes place every year between Cardiff University and Swansea University. The many sports represented at this event include rugby union, hockey, squash, badminton, lacrosse, rowing, golf, basketball, football, netball, fencing and an array of other sports including many martial arts. Profits go to charity. The event is held over the course of a week, with some sports competing over a weekend due to the nature of the sport. The majority of the games are held on the Wednesday afternoon, with the centrepiece rugby union match between the two sides held in the evening and often attended by in excess of 12,000 supporters, with over 14,500 at the last contest between the two sides.
This years event will take place on May 2nd 2012.
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Over the previous few years, the rugby match has been held in Bridgend at Brewery Field, home of Bridgend RFC, roughly half-way between the two cities. The match has previously been played in Cardiff Arms Park and St Helens, returning to Cardiff Arms Park for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 matches. The 2010 match was played at Swansea's Liberty Stadium for the first time. The 2011 match was held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the national stadium of Wales.
| Year | Location | Winner/Holder | Swansea | Cardiff | Attendance |
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| 1996 (Nov) | Cardiff Arms Park | Swansea | 26 | 11 | unknown |
| 1998 | St Helen's | Swansea | 49 | 13 | unknown |
| 1999 | Cardiff Arms Park | Swansea | 17 | 13 | unknown |
| 2000 | St Helen's | Swansea | 28 | 18 | 3,300 |
| 2001 | Cardiff Arms Park | Swansea | 10 | 10 | 2,900 |
| 2002 | St Helen's | Swansea | 21 | 3 | 3,100 |
| 2003 | Brewery Field | Cardiff | 12 | 18 | 3,000 |
| 2004 | Brewery Field | Swansea | 25 | 11 | 2,900 |
| 2005 | Brewery Field | Swansea | 16 | 8 | 3,300 |
| 2006 | Brewery Field | Cardiff | 5 | 15 | 3,600 |
| 2007 | Cardiff Arms Park | Swansea | 18 | 0 | 5,200[1] |
| 2008 | Cardiff Arms Park | Cardiff | 9 | 19 | 8,100 [2] |
| 2009 | Cardiff Arms Park | Cardiff | 6 | 9 | 10,800 |
| 2010 | Liberty Stadium | Swansea | 16 | 12 | 11,400 |
| 2011 | Millennium Stadium | Swansea | 28 | 18 | 14,789 |
The inaugural Welsh Boat Race was held in 2006. The Welsh Boat Race has continued to grow due to support from WARA (Welsh Amateur Rowing Association), and sponsorship deals. The venue for the boat race has historically been the River Taff, but the venue for 2010 is the River Tawe. The event has, so far, been held on a Wednesday to coincide with the other Varsity games but due to increasing popularity from alumni, parents and the general public, the event has now been moved to the weekend.
Men's race
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Women's race
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Men's novices race
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Women's novices race
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As of 2011 the following sports are also played with the university winning in the most sports taking home the Varsity Shield.
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To date Cardiff have won the shield every year since it was introduced in 2002.
Xpress Radio, Cardiff University's radio station, and Xtreme Radio, Swansea University's radio station, both co-operate during the varsity with the home station providing feeds to the away station. Last year's commentators were Eloi Ruegg, presenter and then head-of-sport at Xpress Radio, and Craig Lawton, also then head-of-sport for Xtreme Radio. In 2010, Varsity was covered by Xpress Radio and Xtreme Radio. The University newspapers also cover the event, and from 2009 Swansea University's SU Tube will also be covering the event (although not live). Since 2009, Cardiff Union Television (CUTV) have covered the event. In 2011 for the first time the Welsh channel S4C broadcasted the game live.