The History of Varsity

Leeds Varsity is the annual tournament where Leeds University Union (LUU) and Leeds Beckett Student Union (LBSU) collaborate to create the biggest sporting event of the year! This year, the main matches will take place from Monday 28 April- Wednesday 30 April, with the incredible AMT Headingley stadium Rugby finale on the final day. The event was created in 2004 with a simple rugby fixture between the two universities, and becomes even more integral to Leeds student life each year. But, why?

Varsity Through the Years

For over a decade, Leeds Beckett Bears dominated the scoreline. The event grew from one to over fifty fixtures in this timeline, and the University of Leeds Gryphons had their first win in 2018. Since then, the Gryphons have triumphed twice, and after a narrow loss last year, they are ready to go again! The event is lavishly celebrated, with students enjoying huge afterparties and festivities year after year.

Though the first official Varsity took place in 2004, this wasn’t the beginning of University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett’s sporting rivalry. Their first Rugby match against one another took place in 1976, almost 30 years prior!

In 2008, Leeds Beckett said that the ‘competitive action hosted by the University of Leeds was punctuated with passion, pride and friendship,’ which has now become The Pledge. This was created to ensure that community relationships are put at the heart of Varsity, and teaches students to stay positive and understanding of local people and spaces.

‘George the Gryphon’

Of course, any sports game would not be complete without an iconic mascot. While Leeds Beckett boasts the ‘Beckett Bear’, the University of Leeds has ‘George the Gryphon’, who is a powerful mythical creature. The Griffin sports the head of an eagle and the body of a lion, representing both strength and courage, making it the perfect animal to base the team on. The initial George costume went missing during redevelopments in the stadium, and it is rumoured that he was buried in what became the North Stand of the new arena…

Varsity is…

So much more than the final rugby game! LUU has countless incredible sporting societies involved in Varsity, all deserving to share their moment with the rest of the student body. Some events are non-reservable, where others are ticketed and available to purchase on the LUU Varsity Webpage.

This year, there are 68 different games to watch and enjoy spanning over 24 sports, including Ice Hockey, Korfball and Hockey. In the lead-up to Varsity 2025, we sat down with various sports teams to talk about what Varsity means to them. Click here to have a look at what they said!

Men's Rugby Club Korfball Team Women's Hockey Team Men's Ice Hockey Club

Varsity Facts

●     In 2015, the Varsity Rugby game sold over 15,000 tickets, which was higher than a Rugby Football Union game hosted on the same day.

●     One year, Varsity was trending higher than The Great British Bake-Off Final on Twitter.

●     Until 2022, the event was hosted in late Autumn, beginning the academic year rather than finishing it!

●     Team shirts used to be black and white, but were changed to promote the friendly #wearyourcolours rivalry between the fans.

Varsity Benefits

No matter what, everyone is welcome at Varsity. One University of Leeds student said, ‘Despite not being someone massively into sports, Varsity was a true highlight of my University Experience. There was a great atmosphere, and a real community, I would 100% recommend.’ The importance and history of Varsity lies in our students, and passion, pride and friendship make Varsity so remarkable for helping the student community love their time at Leeds.