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.
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.
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 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The series has in effect been replaced by the International Origin series, where England take on the "Exiles" – a team composed of the best overseas players in Super League.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 |
| 1896 | Lancashire | 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 |
| 1902 | Draw | 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 |
| 1912 | Draw | 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 |
| 1930 | Draw | 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 |
| 1938 | Lancashire | 3,000 | Headingley, Leeds |
| 1942 | Yorkshire | 5,000 | Crown Flatt, 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 |
| 1949 | Lancashire | 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 |
| 1953 | Draw | 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 |
| 1958 | Yorkshire | 8,500 | Hilton Park, Leigh |
| 1958 | Yorkshire | 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 |
| 1968 | Draw | 6,656 | The Boulevard, Kingston upon Hull |
| 1969 | Lancashire | 4,652 | The Willows, Salford |
| 1971 | Yorkshire | 2,000 | Wheldon Road, Castleford |
| 1971 | Yorkshire | 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 |
| 1974 | Draw | 3,114 | Naughton Park, Widnes |
| 1975 | Yorkshire | 700 | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1977 | Draw | 2,740 | Wheldon Road, Castleford |
| 1977 | Draw | 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 |
| 2002 | Lancashire | 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. 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
Yorkshire
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.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
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