Rugby League War of the Roses

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.

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 (35 titles)
Broadcast partner	Sky Sports

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 Rugby Football League (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The series has in effect been replaced by the International Origin series, where England take on the "Exiles" – a team composed of the best overseas players in Super League.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
89	34	35	9

Year	Winner	Attendance	Venue
1895	Yorkshire	9,059	Watersheddings, Oldham
1896	Lancashire	5,300	Fartown, Huddersfield
		15,000	Watersheddings, Oldham
1897	Yorkshire	11,000	Park Avenue, Bradford
1898	Yorkshire	8,000	New Barnes, Salford
1899	Lancashire	9,000	Thrum Hall, Halifax
1900	Lancashire	18,000	Athletic Grounds, Rochdale
1902	Draw	12,235	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
		14,286	The Willows, Salford
1903	Lancashire	11,000	Headingley, Leeds
1904	Yorkshire	8,500	Watersheddings, Oldham
1905	Lancashire	8,000	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
1906	Lancashire	5,000	The Willows, Salford
1907	Yorkshire	7,000	Thrum Hall, Halifax
1908	Lancashire	6,000	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
1909	Yorkshire	6,000	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
1910	Lancashire	2,000	Central Park, Wigan
1912	Draw	3,199	Thrum Hall, Halifax
		4,000	Watersheddings, Oldham
1913	Yorkshire	3,500	Fartown, Huddersfield
1919	Lancashire	5,000	The Willows, Salford
1920	Yorkshire	7,000	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
1921	Yorkshire	4,000	Athletic Grounds, Rochdale
1922	Draw	8,000	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
1923	Lancashire	8,000	Watersheddings, Oldham
1924	Lancashire	6,000	Thrum Hall, Halifax
1925	Lancashire	13,000	Knowsley Road, St. Helens
1926	Lancashire	9,000	Belle Vue, Wakefield
1927	Lancashire	12,000	Wilderspool, Warrington
1928	Lancashire	6,520	Thrum Hall, Halifax
1930	Draw	4,300	Athletic Grounds, Rochdale
		9,000	Belle Vue, Wakefield
1931	Lancashire	10,049	Wilderspool, Warrington
1932	Yorkshire	4,000	Belle Vue, Wakefield
1933	Yorkshire	2,000	Watersheddings, Oldham
1934	Draw	1,500	Headingley, Leeds
1935	Lancashire	6,700	Naughton Park, Widnes
1936	Lancashire	7,648	Wheldon Road, Castleford
1938	Lancashire	3,653	Athletic Grounds, Rochdale
		3,000	Headingley, Leeds
1942	Yorkshire	5,000	Crown Flatt (old ground), Dewsbury
1945	Lancashire	11,059	Station Road, Swinton
1946	Yorkshire	5,000	Parkside, Hunslet
1947	Lancashire	6,270	Central Park, Wigan
1949	Lancashire	7,000	Thrum Hall, Halifax
		15,000	Wilderspool, Warrington
1950	Yorkshire	6,547	Fartown, Huddersfield
1951	Yorkshire	11,573	Hilton Park, Leigh
1953	Draw	8,400	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
		12,870	Hilton Park, Leigh
1954	Yorkshire	8,500	Odsal, Bradford
1955	Lancashire	8,000	Watersheddings, Oldham
1956	Lancashire	8,500	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
1957	Yorkshire	6,200	Naughton Park, Widnes
1958	Yorkshire	5,000	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
		8,500	Hilton Park, Leigh
		6,417	Hilton Park, Leigh
1960	Lancashire	15,054	Belle Vue, Wakefield
1961	Lancashire	4,970	Hilton Park, Leigh
1962	Yorkshire	7,956	Belle Vue, Wakefield
1963	Lancashire	11,200	Knowsley Road, St. Helens
1964	Yorkshire	6,331	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
1965	Yorkshire	5,847	Station Road Swinton
1966	Lancashire	10,528	Headingley, Leeds
1968	Draw	8,932	Naughton Park, Widnes
		6,656	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull
1969	Lancashire	4,652	The Willows, Salford
1971	Yorkshire	2,000	Wheldon Road, Castleford
		2,000	Wheldon Road, Castleford
1971	Yorkshire	5,019	Hilton Park, Leigh
1972	Yorkshire	2,343	Wheldon Road, Castleford
1973	Lancashire	3,307	Naughton Park, Widnes
1974	Draw	1,219	Lawkholme Lane, Keighley
		3,114	Naughton Park, Widnes
1975	Yorkshire	700	Central Park, Wigan
1977	Draw	2,740	Wheldon Road, Castleford
		5,056	Naughton Park, Widnes
1978	Lancashire	4,283	Naughton Park, Widnes
1979	Yorkshire	2,744	Wheldon Road, Castleford
1980	Lancashire	1,593	Naughton Park, Widnes
1981	Yorkshire	1,222	Wheldon Road, Castleford
1982	Yorkshire	1,738	Hilton Park, Leigh
1985	Yorkshire	6,743	Central Park, Wigan
1986	Yorkshire	5,983	Headingley, Leeds
1987	Yorkshire	9,748	Central Park, Wigan
1988	Yorkshire	8,244	Headingley, Leeds
1989	Yorkshire	10,182	Central Park, Wigan
1991	Yorkshire	6,454	Headingley, Leeds
2001	Lancashire	10,253	JJB Stadium, Wigan
2002	Lancashire	7,352	Wheldon Road, Castleford
		9,283	Headingley, Leeds
2003	Yorkshire	6,454	Odsal, Bradford

International touring teams

Both Lancashire and Yorkshire have played numerous matches against touring Australian and New Zealand teams.[2][3] From the 1967–68 Kangaroo Tour, both Lancashire and Yorkshire were taken off the Australian's itinerary with the only county side they played being Cumbria. The two teams also played in the only Rugby League County Championship in 1974–75.

Lancashire

Game No.	Date	Result	Venue	Attendance	Notes
1	18 January 1908	Lancashire def. New Zealand 20–4	Watersheddings, Oldham		1907–08 All Golds tour
2	25 November 1908	Australia def. Lancashire 20–6	Central Park, Wigan	4,000	1908–09 Kangaroo Tour
3	8 March 1909	Lancashire def. Australia 19–14	Wheater's Field, Broughton	4,000
4	2 October 1911	Australasia def. Lancashire 25–12	Ewood Park, Blackburn	5,000	1911–12 Kangaroo Tour
5	30 November 1921	Australasia def. Lancashire 29–6	Goodison Park, Everton	17,000	1921–22 Kangaroo Tour
6	14 December 1921	Lancashire def. Australasia 8–6	Wilderspool, Warrington	6,000
7	3 January 1927	Lancashire def. New Zealand 28–3		7,000	1926–27 New Zealand Kiwis tour
8	26 September 1929	Australasia def. Lancashire 29–14	Wilderspool, Warrington	24,000	1929–30 Kangaroo Tour
9	20 September 1933	Australia def. Lancashire 33–7	Wilderspool, Warrington	16,576	1933–34 Kangaroo Tour
10	29 September 1937	Lancashire def. Australia 7–5	Wilderspool, Warrington	16,250	1937–38 Kangaroo Tour
11	8 December 1948	Lancashire def. Australia 13–8	Central Park, Wigan	11,788	1948–49 Kangaroo Tour
12	22 November 1951	Lancashire def. New Zealand 13–12			1951–52 New Zealand Kiwis tour
13	30 November 1952	Australia def. Lancashire 36–11	Wilderspool, Warrington	5,863	1952–53 Kangaroo Tour
14	23 September 1959	Lancashire def. Australia 30–22	Knowsley Road, St. Helens	15,743	1959–60 Kangaroo Tour
15	25 September 1963	Lancashire def. Australia 13–11	Central Park, Wigan	15,068	1963–64 Kangaroo Tour
16	30 November 1967	Australia def. Lancashire 14–2	The Willows, Salford	9,369	1967–68 Kangaroo Tour

Yorkshire

Game No.	Date	Result	Venue	Attendance	Notes
1	18 December 1907	New Zealand def. Yorkshire 23–4	Belle Vue, Wakefield		1907–08 All Golds tour
2	5 November 1908	Australia def. Yorkshire 21–11	The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull	3,500	1908–09 Kangaroo Tour
3	25 September 1911	Australasia def. Yorkshire 33–13	Bramall Lane, Sheffield	4,000	1911–12 Kangaroo Tour
4	7 December 1921	Australasia def. Yorkshire 24–8	Belle Vue, Wakefield	6,000	1921–22 Kangaroo Tour
5	15 December 1926	Yorkshire def. New Zealand 17–16	Fartown, Huddersfield	3,000	1926–27 New Zealand Kiwis tour
6	20 November 1929	Australasia def. Yorkshire 25–12	Belle Vue, Wakefield	7,011	1929–30 Kangaroo Tour
7	13 September 1933	Australia def. Yorkshire 13–0	Headingley, Leeds	10,309	1933–34 Kangaroo Tour
8	6 October 1937	Australia def. Yorkshire 8–4	Odsal, Bradford	7,570	1937–38 Kangaroo Tour
9	24 November 1948	Yorkshire def. Australia 5–2	Headingley, Leeds	5,310	1948–49 Kangaroo Tour
10	5 December 1951	New Zealand def. Yorkshire 10–3		2,958	1951–52 New Zealand Kiwis tour
11	26 November 1952	Australia def. Yorkshire 55–11	Fartown, Huddersfield	3,737	1952–53 Kangaroo Tour
12	28 September 1959	Yorkshire def. Australia 47–15	Clarence Street, York	7,338	1959–60 Kangaroo Tour
13	18 September 1963	Yorkshire def. Australia 11–5	Craven Park, Kingston upon Hull	10,324	1963–64 Kangaroo Tour
14	4 October 1967	Yorkshire def. Australia 15–14	Belle Vue, Wakefield	19,370	1967–68 Kangaroo Tour

Women's 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.[4]

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

Results

Year	Winner	Score	Venue	Attendance
2015	Draw	22–22	St. Helens	500

Origin Legends

In 2017, Rugby AM announced a charity game between Yorkshire and Lancashire legends at Headingley Stadium in Leeds, which saw Yorkshire defeat Lancashire 14–12. The following year Yorkshire retained their Origin Legends title with a 32–14 victory over Lancashire in Castleford. 28 August 2019 saw the return of the game at Headingley and notable players including Gary Connolly, Denis Betts and Sean Long for Lancashire and Jason Robinson, Stuart Fielden and Rob Burrow for Yorkshire. The game was won 21–18 by Lancashire

See also

• International Origin
• Roses rivalry

References

1. Woods, Dave (31 May 2001). "Origin game evolves". BBC Sport Online. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
2. Lancashire at Rugby League Project
3. Yorkshire at Rugby League Project
4. Author, Unknown (13 October 2015). "County Origin Renewed". RFL Womens Rugby League. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2015.

External links

• Rleague.com: War of Roses