- Ask Steven
War of the Roses
I vaguely remember that there used to be a rugby league county championship. Does it still take place? asked Ken Blackmore
The county championship was a regular on the fixture list from the first rugby league season of 1895-96 up till 1982-83. It was usually fought out between Lancashire and Yorkshire, although Cumberland (later Cumbria) nipped in with a few wins too.
Yorkshire won that last competition - which, although played in May, is usually considered part of the 1982-83 season (probably because there had already been one in 1981-82). The attendances were poor, and eventually it was decided to discontinue the competition
There have been some attempts since to kindle interest in a Yorkshire-Lancashire 'War of the Roses', but these have not proved terribly popular with the fans either.
