England football boss Roy Hodgson is in York later this month to preside over one of the fiercest rivalries in sport.
We’re talking a clash more intense than England versus the combined forces of Germany and Argentina. A competition which makes the average Old Firm derby in Glasgow look like a teddy bear’s picnic.
For Roy is to launch Roses 2015 – a tournament which pitches students from York University against their counterparts at Lancaster in 50 sports and 132 fixtures over three days.
It is the 51st annual clash between the two, with York holding the narrowest of leads: 25 Roses victories to Lancaster’s 24.
Roy has seen a lot on his international football travels, but he won’t have witnessed anything quite like this…
But they know this is one of the competitive parts of the year, that everyone does it for fun – but they’d also kill the opposition if they can…
– FA chairman Greg Dyke
Greg pulls some strings
Roy has been brought to the Heslington campus by outgoing York University Chancellor Greg Dyke, who is also chairman of the Football Association.
To have the current England boss take a break from the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign to preside over the start of York’s sporting spectacular is quite a coup.
Securing the England football manager is a real coup for York students and will I am sure will add to the competitive atmosphere.
– York University secretary Dr David Duncan
The competition between York and Lancaster has a long history.
Stemming from the War of the Roses that caused quite a bit of bother in the 15th century, this fierce rivalry lives on in the Roses sports tournament, Europe’s largest inter-university sports tournament.
Last year Lancaster took the honours on home soil. But they haven’t won at our place since 1985. Can York’s class of 2015 bring back the Carter James Trophy to the city where it belongs?
The whole shebang is organised by York University Students Union (YUSU). York sport union president Cass Brown said:
This promises to be a new and exciting year for Roses, engaging more people and uniting the whole of campus as well as the wider community.
Above all, it’s time for the White Rose to reclaim the Carter James trophy!
This year, they’ve added a new element – alumni games. Old boys and girls are being invited back to compete across a range of sports, including tennis, rugby and rowing.
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