Have your say: Should War of the Roses return?

Drew Darbyshire

There has been talk on social media whether the War of the Roses should make a return and we want to know what you think.

The Origin Series, commonly known as War of the Roses, was an inter-county rugby league clash between Lancashire and Yorkshire.

The first ever game was played in 1895 and was held nearly every year until 1991.

In 1985, an annual contest between Lancashire and Yorkshire was proposed as a replacement for the County Championship. The first game was played in 1985 but it only lasted six years before it was scrapped due to lack of interest.

The clash was revived in 2001 under the name ‘Origin Series’, inspired by Australia’s State of Origin between New South Wales and Queensland, of course.

It was ceased in 2003 though as the RFL thought it would put too much strain on the players and has not been played since.

Lancashire won the title 35 times while Yorkshire lifted the trophy on 34 occasions, so there were some brilliant battles over the years.

There have also been suggestions that Cumbrian and Southern teams should also be created and the two could be a curtain-raiser between the main clash.

Some even think the War of the Roses should return and replace Magic Weekend.

It would depend on whether there would be an appetite for a War of the Roses clash again and whether the players would want to take part in it.

You would also have to take into account when the games would take place. Would they take place in the middle of the season, before or at the end?

Anyway, let us know in the comments below if you think the War of the Roses clash should return.