Varsity 2023: The Big Preview

A long-term staple in the calendars of Nottingham student sporting fanatics, Varsity brings together the very best team and individual sporting talents that the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University have to offer in an epic series of fiery clashes. Rhys reviews the UoN teams looking to make it a perfect ten consecutive series wins.

Two universities. 25 sports. One trophy. Notts Varsity is back for 2023. Almost all of the action is taking place this March, with five days of non-stop Varsity drama at the end of the month. From the court to the pool, the pitch to the table, we have the definitive guide to all the events.

Sunday 26th March

Varsity Week kicks off at home with an American football game beginning at 1pm at David Ross. The immensely talented squad will be looking to recreate last year’s epic win which saw them defeat Trent 2421. Beginning at the same time is the women’s rugby union fixture at Nottingham Outlaws. UoN battered Trent 62-5 in 2022! Jessie, club president, can’t wait for the clash, telling Impact: “Varsity is always a great way to showcase everything we’ve been working for”. The bat signal is up for green and gold supporters: “get yourself down to Nottingham Outlaws to watch some good rugby and support women’s sport in general!” There is no men’s rugby union fixture again this year but the men’s rugby league side are in action, concluding Sunday’s schedule at Nottingham Outlaws at 6pm. Unfortunately there is no women’s rugby league game.

Even though UoN are riding the wave of nine straight Varsity series wins, there’s no less weight on this Nottingham rivalry. It’s still UoN versus Trent, green versus pink, and that is plenty of motivation for both sides. That was evident in the one Varsity fixture to have already taken place. In a titanic clash, UoN’s ice hockey team dramatically beat Trent 2-1 in the final seconds of a relentless game.

The rest of the UoN contingent will be looking to follow suit this month. We reached out to every green and gold team who’ll seek Varsity glory this month, from those competing in established fixtures to debuting sports. Here’s our guide…

Monday 27th March

On Varsity Monday, futsal have all the limelight at David Ross with the fixture kicking off at 6pm. Both sides will be challenged to reproduce the immense drama of the 2022 game, where UoN came back from the dead to rescue a 5-5 scoreline, before clinching an incredible win on penalties as DRSV erupted. Having lost twice against NTU in the league already this year, it’ll be no easy task. President Andy Allen says “Varsity is a great way to bring publicity to the sport, and a bit of healthy competition against Trent never fails to disappoint.”

Tuesday 28th March

Tuesday is the lacrosse show! The men’s team face-off first at 5.30pm at our rival’s Clifton Campus, seeking to avenge last year’s 10-7 defeat. Immediately after, at 7.30pm, UoN’s premier women’s lacrosse team will seek to get one over NTU, as they have done twice already this season. The team told us they “can’t wait to leave it all out on the pitch and bring the win home for the green and gold” - here’s hoping they do!

Wednesday 29th March

If these initial fixtures have whetted your appetite, Wednesday is where things get seriously exciting, with a whopping fifteen sports vying for points.

Both hockey teams are in action, looking to replicate their double success in the UoN Sport Headliner event in November. The men’s team push back at 1pm at Beeston Hockey Centre, hoping for a repeat of 2022’s 4-1 victory. First team player Isaac Farrant explained the significance of the fixture: “Having missed Varsity in my first year due to COVID [the series wasn’t held in 2020 or 2021], having the opportunity to play last year was special. The whole club really comes together and gets behind you.” The ladies’ team get their chance at revenge for last year’s 1-0 loss immediately after at the same venue, beginning at 3pm. Also on Wednesday is netball and UoN returning to Clifton Campus. The match starts at 7.30pm, and the green and gold will be looking to put things right after a disappointing 52-28 defeat last year.

For UoN sports fans, Super Wednesday is everything you could wish for. With thirteen sports of all kinds spread across just two venues, Super Wednesday promises to be a Varsity festival and - perhaps most importantly - there are plenty of points on offer.

Trent’s Clifton Campus will host dodgeball, tennis, volleyball, and Gaelic football, with cycling and golf also to be ‘home’ events for NTU. UoN volleyball’s president and vice president are looking forward to the game: “Not only does Varsity give us a chance to prove that Green truly is superior to Pink, it also allows our final year students to go out with a bang! You see, typically we put those graduating on our Varsity squad. These players range from our 1s to our 4s, meaning the whole club gets involved.”

The clashes continue at David Ross, which will entertain swimming, badminton, squash, table tennis, water polo, korfball, and canoe polo! Having just learned about canoe polo via YouTube compilations, I can say that it’ll certainly be worth getting tickets for, given the immense skill and aggression displayed in what is essentially water polo on kayaks (not canoes). Ahead of Super Wednesday, UoN Korfball president Steph Arnull told Impact that the club are “super excited to get involved with Varsity this year for the very first time”, adding that the sport is described as “a mix between basketball and netball.”

Thursday 30th March

With just two sports and three fixtures left, this could be where Varsity is won or lost for UoN (or hopefully where they try to secure a historic flawless series).

Whichever way it pans out, there is some big-hitting sporting action.

Men’s basketball is the first fixture of the day, a 5.30pm tip-off. Trent secured a 103-81 victory in 2022, so there is added motivation of revenge for the green and gold. The women’s team play straight after this, also at David Ross and at 7.30pm.

“Men’s football will provide a fitting curtain close to Notts Varsity 2023, having been one of the original fixtures in the first unofficial iterations of Varsity”

Finally, men’s football will provide a fitting curtain close to Notts Varsity 2023, having been one of the original fixtures in the first unofficial iterations of Varsity. UoN fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Basford United last year, so will be looking to reverse the result this time out when they kick off at the same venue under the lights at 7pm. UoN must go into the game favourites, having finished a couple of places above NTU in the BUCS league table.

Unfortunately, UoN women’s football informed us that Trent have cancelled their varsity fixture. However, UONWFC remain intent on playing in an unofficial charity Varsity featuring the whole of both clubs. Follow their socials for more information!

Varsity is a highlight of the university experience for players and fans alike, so make sure to get down to the pitches, courts, and pools to support the mighty green and gold!

Visit nottsvarsity.co.uk for any changes in dates and times, as well as to purchase tickets.

Rhys Thomas