List of sports rivalries in the United Kingdom
This is a list of the main sporting local derbies and other sports rivalries in the UK.
England
American football
- Bristol–South Wales rivalry: Bristol Aztecs vs. South Wales Warriors[6]
- Cheshire derby: any match between Chester Romans, Crewe Railroaders and Halton Spartans[7]
- East Anglian derby: Ipswich Cardinals vs. Norwich Devils[8]
- Essex Derby: Essex Spartans vs. East Essex Sabres.[9]
- Farnham–Kent rivalry: Farnham Knights vs. Kent Exiles[10]
- Humber–Lincolnshire rivalry: Humber Warhawks vs. Lincolnshire Bombers.[11]
- Kent–London rivalry: Kent Exiles vs. London Olympians.[12]
- Knottingley–Leeds rivalry: Knottingley Raiders vs. Leeds Bobcats[13]
- Leeds derby: Leeds Bobcats vs. Yorkshire Rams.[14]
- Leicester–Nottingham rivalry: Leicester Falcons vs. Nottingham Caesars[15]
- London derby: London Blitz vs. London Warriors, can also refer to games for either against the London Olympians.[16]
- Manchester–Merseyside rivalry: Manchester Titans vs. Merseyside Nighthawks[17]
- North East derby: Gateshead Senators vs. Northumberland Vikings[18]
- South Coast derby: Portsmouth Dreadnoughts vs Solent Thrashers[19]
- Swindon–Oxford rivalry: Swindon Storm vs. Oxford Saints[20]
- West Midlands derby: any match between Birmingham Bulls, Sandwell Steelers and Tamworth Phoenix[21]
- Yorkshire derby: any match between Doncaster Mustangs, Sheffield Giants and Yorkshire Rams[22][23]
Association football
Basketball
- Leicester Riders vs. Newcastle Eagles[24]
- Glasgow Rocks vs. Newcastle Eagles[25]
- North-East derby: Durham Wildcats vs. Newcastle Eagles[26][27]
- Yorkshire Derby: Leeds Force vs Sheffield Sharks[28]
Cricket
- London derby: Middlesex CCC vs. Surrey CCC[29]
- War of the Roses: Lancashire CCC vs. Yorkshire CCC[30]
- West Midlands derby: Warwickshire CCC vs. Worcestershire CCC[31]
- Battle of the Bridge: Essex CCC vs. Kent CCC[32]
- South Coast: Hampshire CCC vs. Sussex CCC[33][34][35]
eSports
- El Nashico: Lionscreed vs. Ruddy eSports[36]
Ice hockey
- Basingstoke Bison vs. Guildford Flames[37]
- Bracknell Bees vs. Slough Jets[38][39][40]
- Milton Keynes Lightning vs. Peterborough Phantoms[41]
- Nottingham Panthers vs. Sheffield Steelers[42][43][44]
- Tyne-Tees derby: Billingham Stars vs. Whitley Bay Warriors[45][46][47][48]
- Essex derby: London Raiders vs. Chelmsford Chieftains[49][50]
Korfball
- Big Two derby: Bec KC vs. Trojans KC
- Manchester derby: Manchester Hawks vs. Manchester Warriors
- Milton Keynes derby: MK Bucks vs. MK Lakers[51]
Motorcycle Speedway
- Somerset derby: Swindon Robins vs. Somerset Rebels[52]
Rugby league
- The Battle of the Borough Derby: Leigh Centurions vs Wigan Warriors[53]
- The Calder Derby: Castleford Tigers vs Wakefield Trinity[54]
- The Cheshire Derby: Widnes Vikings vs. Warrington Wolves[55][56]
- The Cumbrian Derby: Whitehaven vs. Workington Town
- The East Lancashire Derby: Oldham Roughyeds vs. Rochdale Hornets
- The Five Towns Derby: Castleford Tigers vs. Featherstone Rovers
- The Good Friday Derby: St. Helens v Wigan Warriors[57]
- The Heavy Woollen Derby: Batley Bulldogs vs. Dewsbury Rams[58]
- The Hull Derby: Hull F.C. vs. Hull Kingston Rovers[59]
- The Leeds Derby: Leeds Rhinos vs. Hunslet
- The London Derby: London Broncos vs. London Skolars
- The Locker Cup Derby: Warrington Wolves vs. Wigan Warriors
- The Roses Derby: Oldham Roughyeds or Rochdale Hornets vs. Huddersfield Giants or Halifax
- The Salford Derby: Salford Red Devils vs. Swinton Lions
- The South Yorkshire Derby: Sheffield Eagles vs. Doncaster
- The War of the Roses Derby: Leeds Rhinos vs. Wigan Warriors
- The West Yorkshire Derby: Bradford Bulls vs. Leeds Rhinos (The term is also used to describe a four way rivalry with the addition of Huddersfield Giants and Halifax)[60]
Rugby union
- The London Derby: Harlequin F.C. vs. Saracens F.C.[61]
- The East Midlands Derby: Leicester Tigers vs. Northampton Saints[62]
- Bath-Bristol derby: Bristol Rugby vs. Bath Rugby[63]
- West Country derby: Gloucester Rugby vs. Bath Rugby[64]
- The New West Country derby: Bristol Rugby vs. Exeter Chiefs[65]
- Milton Keynes derby: Bletchley RUFC vs. Milton Keynes RUFC[66][67] vs. Olney RFC[68]
- Former West London/Hampstead FC Split Derby: Wasps RFC vs. Harlequin F.C.[69][70]
- M69 Derby: Wasps RFC vs. Leicester Tigers[71]
- Former Thames Valley Derby: Wasps RFC vs. London Irish RFC[72]
- Exiles Derby: London Irish RFC vs. London Welsh RFC[73] vs. London Scottish RFC[74]
- South Hampshire derby: Havant RFC vs. Gosport and Fareham R.F.C.[75][76]
- Hertfordshire derby: Old Haberdashers RFC vs. Tabard RFC[77]
- Luton-Dunstable derbies: Luton RFC vs. Dunstablians RFC vs. Stockwood Park RFC[78][79]
- North Devon derby: Barnstaple RFC vs. Bideford RFC[80][81]
- Beds derby/ The Battle for Bedfordshire: Bedford Blues vs. Ampthill RUFC[82]
- RAG derby: London Scottish v Richmond
Northern Ireland
Association football
Gaelic football
- Armagh–Tyrone rivalry: Armagh v Tyrone[83]
- Sperrin derby: Derry v Tyrone[84][85]
- Armagh-Down rivalry: Armagh v Down[86][87][88]
Scotland
American football
- East Kilbride–Edinburgh rivalry: East Kilbride Pirates vs. Edinburgh Wolves[89]
- Glasgow derby: East Kilbride Pirates vs. Glasgow Tigers[90]
Association football
Basketball
- Edinburgh derby: Boroughmuir Blaze vs. City of Edinburgh Kings[91]
Cricket
- Edinburgh Derby: Carlton Cricket Club vs. Grange Cricket Club[92]
Ice Hockey
- Scottish derby:
- Dundee-Kirkcaldy derby: Fife Flyers vs. Dundee Stars[96][97]
- Forth derby: Fife Flyers vs. Edinburgh Capitals[98][99]
Motorcycle Speedway
- Scottish Speedway Derby: Edinburgh Monarchs vs. Glasgow Tigers[100][101][102][103][104]
Rugby union
Shinty
- Badenoch derby: Kingussie Camanachd vs. Newtonmore Camanachd Club[106][107]
Wales
Association football
- Anglesey derby: Llanfairpwll vs. Llangefni Town[108]
- Gwynedd derby: Bangor City,[109][110] Caernarfon Town[111] or Porthmadog[112][113]
- A40 Derby: Haverfordwest County vs. Carmarthen Town[114]
- Flintshire derby: Connah's Quay Nomads vs. Flint Town United[115]
- North East Wales Derby: Wrexham AFC vs. Connah's Quay Nomads (Only Applys To The Women's Leagues in Wales as both men's teams play in different pyramids)
- Cross Boarders Derby: The New Saints vs any combination of Wrexham AFC (Women's League Only) or Connah's Quay Nomads
- El Twitico: Llantwit Major AFC vs. Ammanford AFC
- Defunct
- North Wales derby: Rhyl F.C. vs. Bangor City[116][117]
Rugby league
- Welsh Derby: North Wales Crusaders vs. West Wales Raiders (defunct)
Rugby union
- Judgement Day rivalries consist of any match between Ospreys, Dragons, Scarlets, and Cardiff Blues. Specific rivalries with these four include:
- West Wales Derby: Ospreys vs. Scarlets
- South Wales Derby: Ospreys vs. Cardiff Blues
- East Wales Derby: Cardiff Blues vs. Dragons
University sports
See also
References
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These games are massive," said Solomons. "For me, this is one of the big derbies of world rugby.
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