Rugby League War of the Roses

War of the Roses
Sport Rugby league
Instituted 1895
Ceased 2003
Number of teams 2
Country  England (RFL)
Winners Yorkshire (34th Title)
Most titles Lancashire Lancashire (35 titles)
Broadcast partner Sky Sports

The Origin Series, previously War of the Roses, was the inter-county rugby league matches between representative teams from Yorkshire and Lancashire, the areas where rugby league has traditionally been most popular in England.

History

The first War of the Roses was contested in 1895 between Yorkshire and Lancashire since rugby league was founded in Yorkshire and mostly played in the heartlands of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It was held almost annually until 1991 and occasionally was contested in a series.

In 1985, an annual fixture between Lancashire and Yorkshire was proposed as a replacement for the County Championship which had last been played in 1982–83. The fixture became known as the Rodstock War of the Roses, and the first game was played in September 1985. The series lasted until 1991, when it was scrapped due to lack of interest.

The fixture was revived in 2001 under the name of the Origin Series, inspired by the success of Australia's State of Origin series between New South Wales and Queensland.[1]

Player eligibility for the Origin Series was based on the player's region of birth, but players born outside of Yorkshire and Lancashire were also eligible for selection, based on the region where they first played rugby league at professional level.

The Origin Series was reduced to a one-off Origin Game in 2003 due to the British hosting the touring Australia, New Zealand A and as well the kick off of the Rugby League European Nations Cup. So together with the Challenge Cup, WCC and Rugby Super League, the RFL felt that too many Origin matches would be too much strain on the top players. The tournament was then rested due to apathy from rugby league supporters.

The series has in effect been replaced by the International Origin series, where England take on the "Exiles" – a team composed of the best overseas players in Super League.

Results

Total matches Yorkshire Lancashire Drawn
8934359
Year Winner Attendance Venue
1895 Yorkshire 9,059 Lancashire Oldham
1896 Lancashire 5,300 Huddersfield
1897 Lancashire 15,000 Lancashire Oldham
1898 Yorkshire 8,000 Lancashire Salford
1899 Lancashire 9,000 Halifax
1900 Lancashire 18,000 Lancashire Rochdale
1902 Draw 12,235 Hull
14,286 Lancashire Salford
1903 Lancashire 11,000 Leeds
1904 Yorkshire 8,500 Lancashire Oldham
1905 Lancashire 8,000 Hull
1906 Lancashire 5,000 Lancashire Salford
1907 Yorkshire 7,000 Halifax
1908 Lancashire 6,000 Hull
1909 Yorkshire 6,000 Hull
1910 Lancashire 2,000 Lancashire Wigan
1912 Draw 3,199 Halifax
4,000 Lancashire Oldham
1913 Yorkshire 3,500 Huddersfield
1919 Lancashire 5,000 Lancashire Broughton
1920 Yorkshire 7,000 Hull
1921 Yorkshire 4,000 Lancashire Rochdale
1922 Draw 8,000 Hull
1923 Lancashire 8,000 Lancashire Oldham
1924 Lancashire 6,000 Halifax
1925 Lancashire 13,000 Lancashire St Helens
1926 Lancashire 9,000 Wakefield
1927 Lancashire 12,000 Lancashire Warrington
1928 Lancashire 6,520 Halifax
1930 Draw 4,300 Lancashire Rochdale
9,000 Wakefield
1931 Lancashire 10,049 Lancashire Warrington
1932 Yorkshire 4,000 Wakefield
1933 Yorkshire 2,000 Lancashire Oldham
1934 Draw 1,500 Leeds
1935 Lancashire 6,700 Lancashire Widnes
1936 Lancashire 7,648 Castleford
1938 Lancashire 3,653 Lancashire Rochdale
3,000 Leeds
1942 Yorkshire 5,000 Dewsbury
1945 Lancashire 11,059 Lancashire Swinton
1946 Yorkshire 5,000 Hunslet
1947 Lancashire 6,270 Lancashire Wigan
1949 Lancashire 7,000 Halifax
15,000 Lancashire Warrington
1950 Yorkshire 6,547 Huddersfield
1951 Yorkshire 11,573 Lancashire Leigh
1953 Draw 8,400 Hull
12,870 Lancashire Leigh
1954 Yorkshire 8,500 Bradford
1955 Lancashire 8,000 Lancashire Oldham
1956 Lancashire 8,500 Hull
1957 Yorkshire 6,200 Lancashire Widnes
1958 Yorkshire 5,000 Hull
8,500 Lancashire Leigh
6,417 Lancashire Leigh
1960 Lancashire 15,054 Wakefield
1961 Lancashire 4,970 Lancashire Leigh
1962 Yorkshire 7,956 Wakefield
1963 Lancashire 11,200 Lancashire St Helens
1964 Yorkshire 6,331 Hull
1965 Yorkshire 5,847 Lancashire Swinton
1966 Lancashire 10,528 Leeds
1968 Draw 8,932 Lancashire Widnes
6,656 Hull
1969 Lancashire 4,652 Lancashire Salford
1971 Yorkshire 2,000 Castleford
2,000 Castleford
1971 Yorkshire 5,019 Lancashire Leigh
1972 Yorkshire 2,343 Castleford
1973 Lancashire 3,307 Lancashire Widnes
1974 Draw 1,219 Keighley
3,114 Lancashire Widnes
1975 Yorkshire 700 Lancashire Wigan
1977 Draw 2,740 Castleford
5,056 Lancashire Widnes
1978 Lancashire 4,283 Lancashire Widnes
1979 Yorkshire 2,744 Castleford
1980 Lancashire 1,593 Lancashire Widnes
1981 Yorkshire 1,222 Castleford
1982 Yorkshire 1,738 Lancashire Leigh
1985 Yorkshire 6,743 Lancashire Wigan
1986 Yorkshire 5,983 Leeds
1987 Yorkshire 9,748 Lancashire Wigan
1988 Yorkshire 8,244 Leeds
1989 Yorkshire 10,182 Lancashire Wigan
1991 Yorkshire 6,454 Leeds
2001 Lancashire 10,253 Lancashire Wigan
2002 Lancashire 7,352 Castleford
9,283 Leeds
2003 Yorkshire 6,454 Bradford

Womens Rugby League

In 2015, the RFL department of Women's Rugby League announced that they would stage the inaugural Women's "War of the Roses", between Lancashire Ladies and Yorkshire Ladies. The match, which took place at Thatto Heath Crusaders, St Helens, saw Yorkshire Ladies and Lancashire Ladies share the honours after a 22-22 draw, with an attendance of around 500. [2]

The match, held on October 18th 2015, followed a Lancashire Girls vs Yorkshire Girls under 18's match, which finished 34-0 in favour of the Yorkshire side.

Results

Year Winner Score Venue Attendance
2015 Draw 22-22Lancashire St Helens500

See also

References

  1. Woods, Dave (31 May 2001). "Origin game evolves". BBC Sport Online. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  2. Author, Unknown (13 October 2015). "County Origin Renewed". RFL Womens Rugby League. Retrieved 13 October 2015.

External links

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