Welsh Varsity
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
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.
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Race reports:
2007,
2009
To date Cardiff have won the shield every year since it was introduced in 2002.
, 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 current head-of-sport at Xpress Radio, and Craig Lawton, current head-of-sport for Xtreme Radio. In 2010, Varsity will be covered separately by Xpress Radio and Xtreme Radio. Coverage on Xpress Radio is scheduled to begin at 12pm and run until 6.15pm, at which point Xpress Radio and Xtreme Radio join streams. A pregame show is scheduled at 6.15pm and kick off with live coverage, featuring Xpress Radio analyst James Grover and Xtreme Radio's play-by-play commentators Sam Richards and Craig Lawton, is scheduled for 7.30pm. 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 will be broadcasting the game live.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
Varsity
Varsity match
A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two university rivals; in its original and most common form, it is used to describe meetings between Oxford University and Cambridge University.-Popular British and Irish Varsity matches:*University of Oxford v...
takes place every year between Cardiff University
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
and Swansea University
Swansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
. The many sports represented at this event include rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
, badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, football, netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
, fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
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
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
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.
Rugby match
Over the previous few years, the rugby match has been held in BridgendBridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
at Brewery Field
Brewery Field
Brewery Field is a 8,000 capacity sports stadium in Bridgend, Wales 1,100 of which is seated capacity...
, home of Bridgend RFC
Bridgend RFC
Bridgend Ravens are a semi-professional rugby union club based in Bridgend, South Wales. They currently play in the Welsh Premier Division...
, roughly half-way between the two cities. The match has previously been played in Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
and St Helens
St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground
St. Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground is a spectator venue in Swansea, Wales. It is used for both rugby and cricket.It is owned and operated by the City and County of Swansea council and is also used to host the local annual Guy Fawkes night fireworks display.-History:Since the ground opened in...
, returning to Cardiff Arms Park for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 matches. The 2010 match was played at Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
's Liberty Stadium
Liberty Stadium, Swansea
The Liberty Stadium is a purpose-built sports stadium and conferencing venue in the Landore area of Swansea, Wales. The stadium is all-seated, with a capacity of 20,532 making it the largest purpose-built venue in Swansea and the third largest stadium in Wales after the Millennium Stadium and the...
for the first time. The 2011 match was held at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff, the national stadium of Wales.
Winners of rugby match
| Year | Location | Winner/Holder | Swansea | Cardiff | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 (Nov) | Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World... |
Swansea | 26 | 11 | unknown |
| 1998 | St Helen's | Swansea | 49 | 13 | unknown |
| 1999 | Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World... |
Swansea | 17 | 13 | unknown |
| 2000 | St Helen's | Swansea | 28 | 18 | 3,300 |
| 2001 | Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World... |
Swansea | 10 | 10 | 2,900 |
| 2002 | St Helen's | Swansea | 21 | 3 | 3,100 |
| 2003 | Brewery Field Brewery Field Brewery Field is a 8,000 capacity sports stadium in Bridgend, Wales 1,100 of which is seated capacity... |
Cardiff | 12 | 18 | 3,000 |
| 2004 | Brewery Field Brewery Field Brewery Field is a 8,000 capacity sports stadium in Bridgend, Wales 1,100 of which is seated capacity... |
Swansea | 25 | 11 | 2,900 |
| 2005 | Brewery Field Brewery Field Brewery Field is a 8,000 capacity sports stadium in Bridgend, Wales 1,100 of which is seated capacity... |
Swansea | 16 | 8 | 3,300 |
| 2006 | Brewery Field Brewery Field Brewery Field is a 8,000 capacity sports stadium in Bridgend, Wales 1,100 of which is seated capacity... |
Cardiff | 5 | 15 | 3,600 |
| 2007 | Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World... |
Swansea | 18 | 0 | 5,200 |
| 2008 | Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World... |
Cardiff | 9 | 19 | 8,100 |
| 2009 | Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World... |
Cardiff | 6 | 9 | 10,800 |
| 2010 | Liberty Stadium Liberty Stadium, Swansea The Liberty Stadium is a purpose-built sports stadium and conferencing venue in the Landore area of Swansea, Wales. The stadium is all-seated, with a capacity of 20,532 making it the largest purpose-built venue in Swansea and the third largest stadium in Wales after the Millennium Stadium and the... |
Swansea | 16 | 12 | 11,400 |
| 2011 | Millennium Stadium Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage... |
Swansea | 28 | 18 | 14,789 |
Welsh Varsity boat race
The inaugural Welsh Boat Race was held in 2006. The Welsh Boat RaceThe Welsh Boat Race
The Welsh Boat Race, also known as the Welsh University Boat Race and The Welsh Varsity Boat Race, is an annual rowing race in Wales between the Swansea University Rowing Club and the Cardiff University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights each spring on the River Tawe or River Taff in South...
has continued to grow due to support from WARA (Welsh Amateur Rowing Association)
Welsh Amateur Rowing Association
Welsh Rowing is the governing body for the sport of rowing in Wales. It is responsible for promoting the sport in Wales and for the organisation of all national rowing competitions held in Wales, including the 'Head of the Taff' and the Welsh Open Rowing Championships...
, and sponsorship deals. The venue for the boat race has historically been the River Taff
River Taff
The River Taff is a large river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons — the Taf Fechan and the Taf Fawr — before joining to form the Taff north of Merthyr Tydfil...
, but the venue for 2010 is the River Tawe
River Tawe
The River Tawe is a river in South Wales. It flows in a principally south-westerly direction for some from its source below Moel Feity in the Old Red Sandstone hills of the western Brecon Beacons to the Bristol Channel at Swansea. Its main tributaries are the right bank Upper and Lower Clydach...
. 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
- 2006 - Cardiff
- 2007 - Cardiff
- 2008 - Cardiff
- 2009 - Swansea
- 2010 - Swansea
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Women's race
- 2006 - Cardiff
- 2007 - Cardiff
- 2008 - Cardiff
- 2009 - Cardiff
- 2010 - Cardiff
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Women's novices race
- 2009 - Cardiff
- 2010 - Cardiff
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Race reports:
2007,
2009
Other sports
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.
Coverage
Xpress RadioXpress Radio
Xpress Radio is a national award-winning student radio station based at Cardiff University in Cardiff, Wales, focussed on current, popular and new music. The station broadcasts from 10am-11pm daily with programming ranging from comedy to film review, to the best in new and local music.Xpress is...
, Cardiff University's radio station, and Xtreme Radio
Xtreme Radio
Xtreme Radio is a Student radio station society at Swansea University in Swansea, Wales, run by a team of elected volunteer executive members, and is located in Union House...
, 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 current head-of-sport at Xpress Radio, and Craig Lawton, current head-of-sport for Xtreme Radio. In 2010, Varsity will be covered separately by Xpress Radio and Xtreme Radio. Coverage on Xpress Radio is scheduled to begin at 12pm and run until 6.15pm, at which point Xpress Radio and Xtreme Radio join streams. A pregame show is scheduled at 6.15pm and kick off with live coverage, featuring Xpress Radio analyst James Grover and Xtreme Radio's play-by-play commentators Sam Richards and Craig Lawton, is scheduled for 7.30pm. 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 will be broadcasting the game live.