Roses 2022

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ısıon VROSES YORK

ARE ROSES GREEN? P.3

A look into the environmental impact of Roses 2022

ROSES COVERAGE P.4 - 11

Match reports from the weekend of sporting events

INTERVIEW WITH FRANKI RILEY P.12 Vision speaks to York’s Sports Union President.

ROSES FANS P.13

Vision interviews York fans on the reasons behind their trek to Lancaster.

A SEA OF RED HATE BIGGEST ROSES DEFEAT IN THE TOURNAMENT’S HISTORY

IMAGE: KAITLYN BEATTIE-ZARB


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ROSES 2022

CONTENTS PAGE Editors Katie Preston Marti Stelling Deputy Editor Dan Bennett SCENE Editor Emily Sinclair Chief Subeditor Megan Bartley Subeditors Alexis Casas Isobel Williams Emma Thomas Matt Davis Caroline Sherlock Miri Huntley Sharanya Kumar Emily Jebb Managing Director Matt Davis Social Media Director Orla McAndrew Technical Director Marks Polakovs Contributers Kaitlyn Beattie-Zarb Megan Bartley Marti Stelling Katie Preston Emily Sinclair Emily Jebb Matt Davis Matt Ward-Perkins Orla McAndrew Miri Huntley Joe Hirst Special Thanks To Franki Riley Will Rowan Matt Ward-Perkins YSTV URY

Pages 4-5 Pre Weekend Events Pages 6-7 Friday Events Pages 8-9 Saturday Events Pages 10-11 Sunday Events Page 12-13 Interviews Page 14 Full Results Page 15 Statistics

A NOTE FROM THE EDITORS ROSES 2022 HAS been a whirlwind of waking up on the floor in a room full of strangers, googling sports rules, getting ill, and walking up the Mount Everest of Lancaster University. We also enjoyed watching and reporting on a variety of sports (rain or shine), whilst trying out Lancaster’s foodie scene- though I’m still not sure if it was worth the shower skipping or the prices! On Thursday afternoon, it was clear that we weren’t off to the best start when we found that the memory card holding footage from the weekend before had corrupted and so we had lost hundreds of photos. However, we made the best of a bad situation and used the literal three photos we had remaining from the weekend. To add to matters, Roses coincided with our office move meaning we had no choice but to become women in STEM the week before Roses, setting up PCs in our new office with the help of our wonderful Technical Director, Marks Palakovs, via Zoom. While it’s lovely to be in a shiny new office, it’s not nice writing this editor’s note in a room with a heater that won’t turn off! On Friday morning, we packed our bags and caught the 6am coach to Lancaster. An early start for us all, the tiredness really hit us when we were an hour or so

into the journey, obviously not used to the ridiculously early morning start. After traipsing around Lancaster and trying to find the Student Media designated meeting room in the Lancaster Sports Centre, we made our way to the first sport on our calendar to cover: handball. The highlight of the entire weekend must have been watching a Lancaster player run into the wall *twice*. The unfortunate news that underwater hockey was cancelled as York had failed to get a team together upset us as we had all been curious to see how the game was played, so hoped that canoe polo could answer our content calls. Our hopes were met when we saw Matt Ward Perkins’ doppelganger in a kayak. Another sadness came when, after a huge pizza order was made by our fellow student media teams YSTV and URY, Katie, unfortunately, dropped the rainsoaked pizza onto the muddy grass whilst watching Men’s rugby. The sadness of the wet pizza did not match the stress of Katie’s continuously crashing laptop, however, making both Women’s Basketball and Canoe Polo tricky games to cover when you can’t type anything! From wacky to wonderful, we have supported York’s teams in every way possible. Emily’s five hours on a water-logged

football pitch, and near pneumonia, demonstrates the team’s dedication. It’s been a challenging weekend for Vision, but 1 seen how the meI am really proud to have dia team looked out for each other. From buying drinks, to holding bags and lending airbeds, Vision has proven that we are a society as well as a paper. In all, it’s been a busy and exciting time to be editors. Thank you to everybody who made this issue possible, from a handful of dedicated sub-editors to our team who work behind the scenes to lay up. Enjoy the issue! Marti, Katie, and Emily


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ROSES 2022

ARE ROSES GREEN? BY MARTI STELLING

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT of the cross-University sports competition. After an exciting weekend of sports and celebrations, I decided to look at the environmental side of the Roses competition. The Roses event brings together thousands of students from both universities, which constitutes a lot of environmental waste. A recycling scheme is in place to ensure that cups used to serve the signature red and white drinks don’t contribute to plastic in landfill. Collection points were located at various points near the sports centre, meaning that the cups could be used multiple

times. However, refill points for water bottles were few and far between. Throughout the entirety of the sports centre, there was only one water dispenser. With many sports competing at the same time, this often resulted in long queues, making the temptation of buying bottled water more inviting. In a single year, 481.6 billion plastic bottles were used worldwide, equating to 40 billion per month. The University uses water dispensers which operate by sensors. There is an automatic counter on the machine recording “how many bottles have been saved from landfill”, though this is not an accurate measurement. The amount of water dispensed only fills an average size water bottle less than

halfway, meaning that Lancaster University is not accurately reporting their contribution to reducing plastic consumption. This is an area that the University of York is much more efficient with. There are water dispensers across campus, with machines on every floor of most buildings. Takeout food containers is another area that is likely to contribute to environmental waste. Takeaway food comes with a lot of packaging, some is recyclable, but most isn’t. Even in the instances where the packaging was labelled as ‘eco-friendly’, there weren’t clear instructions on whether they could be recycled or where to recycle them. However, Lancaster University has a similar recycling system in place

which divides paper, cardboard, and plastic into separate bins, aiming to make recycling simpler. Yet these are often used incorrectly, and rubbish is dumped in recycling, contaminating the load. Across the venues, there was lots of litter on the campus. While large bins were provided, it is unfortunately inevitable that with food outlets across the venues and large crowds, litter will be left behind. The University did a good job of having litter pickers around most of the time, including in the main University shopping area where many students went for meals in the evening. As the first in person Roses since 2019, there is also the environmental cost of transport. The

benefit of having virtual events means that teams and spectators don’t need to use transport, which accounts for carbon emissions. However, the fact that the University arranged coach transport is an eco-friendlier alternative than expecting people to make their own way by car. The carbon dioxide emission per passenger per journey of coaches is around six times lower than car travel, making this a sustainable decision. Token gestures, such as collecting wristbands from the Opening Ceremony to recycle were made by the University, though bigger issues, such as litter and packaging waste need to be better managed.

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The Vision team at this year’s Roses Tournament. The first away Roses for all of us, Vision had a great time alongisde fellow student media YSTV and URY documenting this year’s Roses fixtures.


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ROSES 2022

ROSES BUILD UP

ROWING DEFEAT

WOMEN’S SENIOR SUCCESS UNMATCHED BY THE YORK MEN’S ROWING TEAMS BY MATT WARD-PERKINS

YORK LANCASTER

76 9

ROWING SEES THE most points on offer of any of the events that happen before the Roses weekend, with 16 up for grabs. On the River Lune in Lancaster, York saw outstanding success from their women’s rowing crews, winning every race they took part in, apart from the novice women’s eight. Four of the seven points that York secured came from a comfortable victory in the Women’s Senior Eight. In what was a close race initially, York had more left at the

end, pulling away as the boats made the turn in the river for a very strong win. York’s senior women’s four won by well over a boat length to secure another two points earlier in the day, and the novice women’s four were able to hold on in a close race to keep a win in touching distance for York’s rowers. The Women’s Novice Eight crew were able to stay in touch with Lancaster throughout, but couldn’t seem to make a dent in Lancaster’s lead, in York’s only women’s loss. Lancaster and York used different crewing strategies, with York using rowers in either the four or eight for each of their races, and Lancaster picking four from their eight-person crews to

race twice. In the end, it was the strength of the Lancaster Men’s crews that made the difference in their 9-7 win. Despite a number of strong performances from the York crews, in particular the Novice Men’s Four, who worked incredibly hard to reel in an early Lancaster lead from the start only to miss out by less than a boat length, Lancaster’s men’s boats were stronger on the day. In the final race of the day, with a vocal Lancaster crowd supporting from the top of the River Lune aqueduct, the Lancaster senior men’s eight got ahead and stayed ahead with a really consistent row, confirming the overall win for Lancaster.

That was much of the story of York’s regatta in Lancaster, with really strong starts from Lancaster crews giving York an incredibly difficult job in their attempts to get back into races. York also suffered from a lack of luck in the coin toss, mainly being placed in the outside lane, which, while starting ahead because of the longer distance around the corner, suffered from challenging and choppy conditions as the wind speed increased throughout the day. Weather caused delays throughout the event as officials struggled to help the York and Lancaster boats into good starting positions, and it was clear that it had caused problems for both sets of crews all day.

After the day’s action was over, University of York Boat Club President Benedict Dyson said: “The women’s squad especially did really well today. I think they should be proud of themselves. “I think the men have a lot to work on ahead of our national BUCS regatta, but I’m sure we’ll get good results there. “The highlight was probably the novice women’s four. It was great to see people new to rowing get such a good win in a close race. “I’m looking forward to seeing Roses in York next year!”.

YORK CRICKET SUCCESS EARLY ROSES VICTORY IN MEN’S 1STS CRICKET

BY JOE HIRST

YORK

211

LANCASTER

148

The UYMCC 1st XI, and a strong supporting contingent, arrived at Lancaster cricket club at 9:30 am on Thursday morning. The green wicket and overcast weather meant that it was no surprise that having lost the toss, York openers Harry Baldwin and Theo Gallagher made their way onto the field to start the York innings. Despite the tricky conditions and some sharp bowling from the Lancaster openers, Baldwin and Gallagher were strong in defence. York had 33 on the board after 11 overs when Gallagher was bowled by Ethrington for 12 having left one which appeared to move sharply inwards. When number three batter Kieran Chakraborty was dismissed with the very next ball, it looked like Lancaster had the upper hand. However, new batter Joe Brotherton and Baldwin had other ideas. Brotherton

sped along to make a classy 50, which included some beautiful front-foot strokes that fully took advantage of the short straight boundaries. The score was 119-2 when Brotherton was dismissed for 53 after being caught at mid-off having mistimed a lofted drive. Baldwin went two overs later for a steady but important 35. Wickets continued to fall as the number six batter Arnav Wadhwa fell first ball. York captain Jonathon Jelfs was also dismissed shortly after, reducing York to 125-6. This passage of play saw four wickets lost for just six runs. Much of this was due to the impressive bowl of Steeples, who finished his ten over allocation with 4-11, and York was somewhat relieved when he had finished his spell. After seeing off Steeples, Will Udy and Will Bradley, who had watched the mini-collapse unfold from the other end, took advantage of some loose bowling from the new bowlers and increased the scoring. Good pals with Brotherton off the pitch, Bradley exhibited similarly fluent stroke play on it. His 27 was a crucial knock that

provided calm while wickets fell. Udy took advantage of a dropped catch at long-on and began to manipulate the field well for a run-a-ball 26. After Udy and Bradley were eventually dismissed, Cook then had lower-order power hitter Matisse Richards caught and bowled for just two. The introduction of the leg-spinner Cook proved to be a shrewd bowling change, as he finished with figures of 2-24 from four death overs. It looked like Lancaster would roll York over for less than 200, but a commendable unbeaten 26 from Tom Copp, who was supported well by number 11 Finn Collins meant that York finished on 211 all out. Lancaster thus needed 212 to win from their 50 overs. And it initially didn’t go to plan for them, as York openers Richards and Copp claimed a wicket each. Richards dismissed Swindells, Lancaster’s skipper, for a duck. Copp’s wicket was that of Cook, who was brilliantly caught at first slip by Jonathon Jelfs. Despite the early setback, Lancaster dug in and began to score fairly quickly. Rippengall, Sahu, and a few leg-side wides

1 pushed the score along to 58-2 off just 11 overs. However, this revival didn’t last, as Copp returned the favour to Jelfs by gobbling up a mistimed chip from Rippengall at mid-wicket to give Jelfs his first of three wickets in the game. Jelfs went on to get his second when he emphatically bowled and sent off Sahu for 17. From then on it always looked like a York win would be the outcome. As the beers flowed on the boundary so did the Lancastrian wickets on the pitch. Off-spinner Kieron Chakroborty came on from the bottom end and took 3-49 off his nine overs. Jelfs claimed his third when Brown was judged to have been LBW. Richards was subsequently reintroduced to proceedings and dismissed Ethrington in the battle of the opening bowlers. Richards finished with impressive figures of 2-29 from his ten overs. The final wicket of the day came courtesy of Theo Gallagher, who bowled Lidsay to wrap up the first of three Roses victories for the UYMCC. Lancaster finished on 148 all out, giving York a well-merited 63 run margin of victory.

IMAGE: JOE HIRST


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ROSES 2022

IMAGE: SYANE ROBINSON

CROSS COUNTRY DESPAIR IMAGE: LUKE SNELL

LACK OF YORK PLAYERS IN MEN’S RACE MEANS INSTANT WIN FOR LANCASTER

BY MIRI HUNTLEY

YORK

12

LANCASTER

11

MUCH LIKE THE Olympics, there are many events that happen before the opening ceremony. So, the weekend before the main events, Roses moved forward with a high pressure and sense of competition. The athletics team had a lot to prove as they travelled to Lancaster this Saturday. The normal 13 strong cross country team had depleted to a disappointing three, however the attending players tried to keep morale high on the journey. Fighting injury and the exams season, York were definitely the underdogs. They even had Franki Riley, the Sport Union President, sub in at the last minute. The Men’s team was the most disappointing as it was non-existent. The President of the Athletics society, Alex Doyle, was the only male runner coming, which meant the four player threshold was not met and Lancaster already had the points.

“It is disappointing to see the lack of people who turned up. However, if our best runners had chosen to come today, I’m sure it would have been a good battle”, he said. When the team arrived, they were met by an absolute onslaught of Lancaster Reds, outnumbering the York team twenty to one. In order to place a team, the Women’s Team needed to have three members running as a minimum, and place in the top three to get the required points in the race for the Roses. This means that a larger number of runners is an advantage, as you have more of a chance of getting into the top three by sheer statistical probability. The Lancaster Women’s was a formidable team of nine runners to York’s three, which meant all three of them (Franki Riley, Syane Robinson and Rachel Oakley) had their work cut out as most had not planned to be there at all, but their love for the sport and for their University spurred them on to keep the team afloat and be able to compete. For the majority of the race, York was

clearly dominating- within seconds, a Lancaster runner had already backed out due to injury, giving York slightly more hope. Robinson showed full domination of the course, lapping people and staying a good 400 metres ahead of the competition for most of the race, with Riley keeping even speed behind her in second. For Oakley it was a different story as due to an injury she could not keep the momentum going. Despite being told mid-race that she did not have to complete, Oakley persevered knowing that would cost her team’s qualification. Oakley finished an incredibly noble fifth, with Robinson taking an easy first and Riley second, an outstanding result by a team so outnumbered. It was then time for the Men’s Race and as there was no official York team, Doyle was not technically required to run. However, it was becoming more and more clear as the day went on that this race superseded University ties or athletic prowess, and instead came down to classic sibling rivalry. Doyle was determined to at least com-

pete with his brother, a Lancaster runner, who had previously never beaten him. With the almost two dozen red runners lined at the start line, Doyle was incredibly outnumbered. At this point, a good number of spectators had come out in support of the teams, mostly the family and friends of the runners, which made for a palpable atmosphere, even before the real Roses festivities began. Doyle was not the winner of this race, nor did he beat his brother, but his dedication to the sport and to his university was incredibly admirable. When Richard Joisce, Athletics Society President at Lancaster, was asked to describe what could be considered a pretty devastating loss by York, he simply described how lovely it was to be in the Lancaster sunshine with a group of people passionate about athletics, and how he hopes for more of this outlook to come in the rest of Roses.

YORK EQUESTRIAN LOSS 1

EQUESTRIAN 1STS BRINGS CLOSE WIN FOR LANCASTER

BY MATT WARD-PERKINS

YORK LANCASTER

135

135

140.5

140

TWO DAYS BEFORE the Roses opening ceremony, York’s equestrian team headed to Bigland Hall in the Lake District to compete for an all important six Roses points. In equestrian at a university level, horses, provided by the host venue, are chosen by drawing names at random. This gives any home team a significant potential advantage, as they are riding the horses they have worked closely with over a long period of time. York had a strong start, with the A team leading, and the B team level with Lancaster’s As, after the dressage stage of the competition.

In dressage, York’s riders were, in general, slightly more accurate than their opposition throughout the day, setting up transitions between speeds well and maintaining strong form while riding. However, when both sides competed in the showjumping element of the equestrian competition, Lancaster proved the stronger of the teams. Despite strong rides from both York and Lancaster, York suffered from a more significant number of penalties for clipping fences, which made the difference in the final standings. Even with those penalties, and Lancaster showing their strength in showjumping, the scores remained very close, leading to plenty of double and triple checking before they were confirmed. In equestrian, a lower score is better, and just 15 points separated York’s A

team on 57.5 and Lancaster’s A team on 42.5 at the end of the competition. The York A side led by just 5.5 points after the dressage round, and were not able to maintain their lead, meaning just three clipped fences was the difference between the teams at the end of the competition. In the B fixture, it was even closer, despite York’s significant 30.5 point lead at the end of the dressage. York’s B result was impacted by penalties, in particular the incredibly unlucky disqualification of a showjumping round from one rider, required by BUCS rules because they didn’t bow to the officials at the end of their run. But, York did well enough to hold onto an important win by 135 points to 140.5, securing two Roses points to add to the overall York total.

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There were a number of outstanding individual contributions from York’s riders to add to the overall strong performance from York’s teams. Hannah Guy and Poppy Shepard from York’s A team shared a joint second place in the individual competition, after drawing in all of the tiebreakers set by BUCS rules. Issy Green from York’s A team finished fifth overall, and Josh Chapman from York’s B side placed as the sixth best rider of all 16 in the competition. Within the madness (in the best possible way) of the Roses competition, the equestrians saw great hospitality from our hosts in Lancaster, a really positive atmosphere and some great performances.


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ROSES 2022

FRIDAY 29 APRIL

CLOSE DEFEAT IN MEN’S HANDBALL BY KATIE PRESTON

YORK

19

LANCASTER

24

ONE OF THE first sports taking place at this year’s Roses tournament, the Men’s Handball game, was a thrilling, nail-biting first introduction to the sport for me. With an early goal for the Lancaster Handball team within the first minute of the game, the men’s handball got off to a flying start. Despite a brilliant save from York’s keeper, Lancaster entered the second minute of the game with a two-point lead over York. However, York’s first goal of the game came from their pivot centre, Findlay, scoring an incredible goal within the game’s first three minutes. Lancaster was close behind, however, and

soon increased their lead over York’s Male Handball team, scoring a third goal before the game’s five-minute mark. Lancaster’s winning streak continued and they scored another brilliant goal seconds before 11:00 am, bringing the overall score of 4–1 to Lancaster. Passionately supporting the male team throughout the game, the York female handball team yelled various chants and cheers, having planned their motivating, team-building shouts ahead of their Roses debut. After York effectively blocked a promising shot from the Lancaster pivot centre, success struck again for York as they scored their second goal in the game’s eighth-minute. This goal marked the start of the game-long comeback for York, who scored another goal shortly after, following an increase in possession and good defence from the Yorkshire team.

After nearly equalising the scores in the following minute, the York Female Handball team demonstrated their well-rehearsed chants to encourage their fellow players, including the popular “shoes off if you love the York!” and “I love that keeper, that’s my favourite keeper!”. Following an equalising goal during the game’s 25th minute, York narrowly took the lead in a 7–6 win, however quickly lost its advantage following another Lancaster score. In a game of back and forth, by the match’s half-time, Lancaster stood at an early lead of 10–9. During the post-half-time match, the rivalry between Lancaster and York grew stronger. In an incredibly close game where scores remained neck-and-neck, a highlight of the second half came in York’s pivot-centre finally scoring York’s 11th goal after a penalty.

In an incredibly passionate game, some unexpected drama happened when a Lancaster player ran into the court’s back wall after scoring Lancaster a lead of 19–17. Despite returning to the game unscathed, the same player ran into the same wall a mere four minutes later after scoring Lancaster a lead of 21–17 , with medical staff briefly brought onto the court to check for injuries. Despite Lancaster leading by a sizable margin, York’s team spirit had not dwindled. Running towards the York supporters, the York players incited a continuous chant from the Female Handball team during the last three minutes of the game. An exhilarating last-minute goal for York in the game’s final minute brought the score to 23– 18 to Lancaster, however, Lancaster was smoothly able to claim their victory back by scoring only

moments later. The final goal of the match was from York in the last ten seconds of the game, with mass cheers and chants from the York supporters and ending the game on a 24–19 win for Lancaster. After the game, Vision interviewed York captain Mark Ramsden about his team’s performance: “We knew we had to put a shift in!” The York team knew that their strong point was their defence as opposed to their goal-scoring, so they were delighted to have scored a very impressive 19 points against Lancaster’s 24. Captain Mark Ramsden said that he was very proud of the team, highlighting the sport’s high physical ability. Ramsden emphasised the play of Findlay, York’s pivot centre, citing him as pivotal to “teaching us all, helping us all get better.”

VALIANT EFFORT IN MEN’S LACROSSE 1

BY EMILY JEBB

YORK

3

LANCASTER

5

DESPITE A VALIANT effort from York, lancaster defeated the lacrosse men’s 1s with a final score of 5-3. After a very early start for the team and everyone at Vision, the York Lacrosse Men’s 1s arrived in sunny Lancaster for their Roses match, on Friday April 29. Deemed ‘one to watch’ by the York Sport Union, the Lacrosse Men’s 1s have had an unbelievable season, topping their BUCS league and winning the Northern Conference Cup. Speaking to their captain, Ben Wilson, ahead of the match, he told Vision: “The boys have been grafting to prepare for this game. For most of us it’s not only our first and last Roses, but the best chance we’ve had to beat Lancaster in the

last five years. “To secure the win after having already gone undefeated in the league and cup would be the icing on the cake, and I have no doubt in my mind that we’re capable of it.” With team spirit high, and a history of wins behind them, the rest of the club were cheering from the side lines, sporting bucket hats, banners and flags, urging them on for the rare away Roses victory. The early signs were promising, with York scoring within the first few minutes, securing a swift lead against the hosts. However, Lancaster, suddenly under pressure, quickly retaliated, equalising the score board, executing an explosive counterattack. For most of the first quarter, York appeared to have the majority of the possession. Often passing the ball around Lancaster’s net, York looked for a window of opportunity to reclaim the lead. Although,

after a few failed attempts at goal from the York side, Lancaster jumped ahead, sending the ball into York’s net. Vying for control, York went on the offensive and patiently waited for a lapse in Lancaster’s focus. Eventually breaking through the red defensive wall, Ashley Buttifant scored his second goal. Despite a turbulent start to the match and both sides fiercely competing for the lead, the first quarter concluded with a level score of 2-2. As the second quarter commenced, it was evident Lancaster were not content with the tied scoreboard. Spurred on by their home crowd, they got off to a quick start, becoming increasingly more physical, which allowed them to gain and maintain possession. York, now under pressure from Lancaster’s efforts, conceded two goals, with Lancaster’s number 87 and 99 essential to their successes. Turning the quarter around, Buttifant

completed his hat-trick, and York seemed to regain some control. The first half of the game finished with Lancaster holding a fragile lead of 4-3. The second half of the match started with a seemingly stagnant third quarter, with both teams playing defensively, afraid to concede any advantage. An impressive save from the York keeper, with five minutes until the end of the quarter, kept York in the game. All was to play for in the final quarter, but within the first few minutes, Lancaster compounded their lead and began to pull away, pegging the scoreboard at 5-3. York, not going down without a fight, tried to strike back and made a few ambitious, yet close, attempts at goal. In spite of York’s unyielding fight for the win, this encounter between the Red and White Roses disappointingly ended in a home victory, with the final score reading 5-3.


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ROSES 2022

OPENING CEREMONY BY KATIE PRESTON

LOSS FOR YORK

YORK

52

LANCASTER

35

THE GAME BOTH york and lancaster supporters were waiting for, the Roses 2022 opening ceremony saw the historic rivals go head to head in Women’s Netball. With the Lancaster team being an entire league above York, the away team’s netball squad had a lot of pressure to perform. On top of Lancaster’s already heavy advantage, York’s win in the Roses 2019 opening ceremony fixture was York’s first Netball 1s win in over a decade, with the York team anxious to relive past victories. The ceremony began with Lancaster’s brass band showcasing their musical talents. Whilst the two rival netball squads warmed up on either side of the court, the ceremony was kicked off with a IMAGE: LUKE SNELL tasteful prestige. We were then treated to an a cappella performance by Lancaster University, including someone wearing a comical red lobster costume. Singing ‘Treasure’ by Bruno Mars and ‘I Want You Back’ by the Jackson Five, Lancaster’s a cappella performance gave the crowd a musical warm-up to prepare for the main event. After this, the musical talent show continued as we were given an impressive dance number performance by Lancaster University, culminating in passionate cheers from both the York and Lancaster supporters. Following the various musical performances to build enthusiasm for the Women’s Netball 1s, Lancaster University Vice-Chancellor Andy Schofield gave a welcoming speech to the Lancaster supporters and their sports rivals. Welcoming York as their “friends and rivals”, the Vice-Chan-

cellor commended the ability to host York in Lancaster following four years of no in-person competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ending his welcoming speech on a note of friendship and sports etiquette, the Vice-Chancellor emphasised Roses 2022 as a real chance to relive the friendly rivalry between the two universities. At 6.53pm, Roses 2022 was officially opened by Vice-Chancellor Andy Schofield, with both York and Lancaster supporters cheering for their team and looking forward to the official beginning of the weekend of sport. Introducing the York Netball team as they ran onto the court, the team were hit with boos and pro-Lancaster chants from their rival supporters. Completely juxtaposing the introduction of the York team, the Lancastrian Netball team entered the court alongside upbeat backing music with flashing lights. Their team captain high-fived each netball player as Lancaster supporters screamed and cheered for their beloved team. The respective team captains then tossed a coin, and Lancaster was given a play-off, with Lancaster’s Evie Ball presenting the game ball. The Roses 2022 opening ceremony officially begins. Following a narrowly missed basket by the home team, Lancaster scored two points within the game’s first two minutes, with Lancaster’s goal attack and goal shooter dominating the early playing field. After Lancaster’s early twopoint lead, two further goals by Lancaster’s goal attack brought the early score to 4 - 0. However, York was quick on Lancaster’s heels and scored a goal of their own within the game’s fourth minute. Lancaster continued to increase their margin over York scoring two further points within

a singular minute, bringing the game’s overall score to 6 - 1 within the first five minutes. In a game of attempting to close Lancaster’s lead, York scored another three goals before the game’s ten-minute mark, however, were unable to decrease Lancaster’s six point advantage, bringing the score to 10 - 4. Following an incredible score by York’s goal attack in the last thirty seconds of the quarter, the Netball 1s first quarter ended with Lancaster in the lead 13-6. Lancaster’s dominating lead in the opening ceremony continued early into the second quarter, with Lancaster scoring twice within the first minutes. York was hot on their tail, however, matching their number of goals moments after with two brilliant shots by York’s goal attack. Despite trying to decrease Lancaster’s lead, York was unable to bridge the gap, with Lancaster scoring twice within a single minute giving the home team a nine point lead. However, following some great interception from York’s centre, the away team were able to score thrice within a two minute period, bringing York’s total score into the double digits and increasing the pressure on their Lancaster rival. Throughout the second quarter, Lancaster was able to maintain the majority of ball possession, with their more accurate shots and better defence gaining them three more goals to bring the scores to 21 - 12. Following dominance from Lancaster’s goal attack in particular, the York Netball team significantly stepped their game up at the end of the second quarter. With a goal during the final minute and another at the final thirty-second mark, York entered halftime with a score of 19 to Lancaster’s 25. As in the first half, Lancaster’s defence and interception re-

mained incredibly strong at the start of the third quarter. With Lancaster scoring at the end of the quarter’s first minute to secure them a ten-point lead, a continuous interception by Lancaster’s goal defence spurred York fans on to encourage their team. After some back and forth scoring from both teams, the score lay at 35 - 26 to, with Lancaster’s lead remaining strong. During the middle of the third quarter, however, York’s interceptions appeared stronger and more frequent with their increased focus on the defence allowing York to score twice, bringing the score at the end of the quarter to 38 - 29 to Lancaster. Going into the fourth and final quarter of the opening ceremony, Lancaster scored an early goal to reinstate their ten-point lead. Scoring again in the last minutes of the game, Lancaster managed to score a total of 50 points compared to York’s 33. In a tense last two minutes of the game, two successful shots brought York’s final score to 35 points. The game’s final goal was an amazing shot in the last two seconds by Lancaster, bringing the opening ceremony’s final score to 52 - 35 to the Roses 2022 hosts. York Sport Union President Franki Riley emphasised the commitment put in by York’s Netball team, stating that the girls “played their absolute hearts out” and really had to fight for their amazing final score. York Netball Captain Charley Warren reiterated the same proud atmosphere, highlighting that “all the girls have been amazing on and off-court” and commenting on the final scores’ inability to reflect the closeness of the game. An amazing spectacle and moment in sports etiquette, the Roses 2022 opening ceremony was a hit with Lancaster and York fans all around.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL DESPAIR BY KATIE PRESTON

SCHEDULED AS “ONE to watch” on Friday,American Football was a game of back-and-forth between the York Centurions and the Lancaster Bombers, ending in an unbelievably close final score between the two rivals. Historically, the home team has won this fixture in the past three Roses, however, York’s American Football team were up to the challenge. After a coin toss gave York the kick-off, the Lancaster Bombers started off incredibly well, making it to the first down within the game’s opening minutes. By 20 minutes into the game, the Bombers still had the majority of the possession, leading them to achieve a successful touchdown in the game’s 21st minute, scoring six points. However, York managed to achieve a touchdown almost 25 minutes into the game, giving York a score of six points. A successful field goal by Lancaster increased the home team’s lead, bringing the score to 9 - 6. York were able to score a touchdown, however, catching Lancaster somewhat off guard. Soon after, York scored again, bringing the total score to 14 - 9. York continued to keep pressure on Lancaster’s right side, with support for York building on the pitches’ sidelines. However, their efforts were not good enough to prevent two touchdowns from Lancaster bringing the score to 15 - 14. York then achieved the first down at 4pm as one of the better throws seen in the game. The final score lay at 15 - 14 to Lancaster, giving the home team a narrow win in Friday’s game of American Football.


8

ROSES 2022

SATURDAY 30 APRIL

PHENOMENAL MEN’S BASKETBALL WIN BY KATIE PRESTON

YORK

68

LANCASTER

63

FOLLOWING A ROSES Saturday of highs and lows for York, the Men’s 1s basketball game became the one to watch for York and their sporting rivals. After a loss for York at the Women’s Basketball earlier in the evening, the York men’s team and their supporters were desperate for sporting success. Neck and neck throughout the game, the court was packed with supporters from both York and Lancaster, with Vision only being able to enter the game as a result of our student media status, situating ourselves amongst the crowd of avid sports fans. An extremely tense and fast-paced game from the very beginning, baskets scored in quick succession meant York and Lancaster were at a tie of 5 - 5 within the game’s first few minutes. An amazing basket from Lancaster brought the score to 7 - 5, beginning the IMAGE:and LUKEneck SNELL rivalry between the teams. neck York quickly decreased Lancaster’s point lead after successfully scoring a point in a free throw, with two following successful shots from the away team bringing the overall score to 9 - 10 to York at the end of the first quarter. Improving their offence during the second quarter, Lancaster’s player no. 16 scored an amazing two-pointer to take the lead from York, bringing the score to 12 10. York was hot on the heels of their rivals, however, with York’s German Barrio Garrote (no.1) scoring a brilliant basket from the three-point line to take back the lead. In a rapid-fire few minutes, Lancaster’s score from the three-point line and offensive triumphs resulted in another two-pointer in the quarter’s last minute, bringing the score to 17 - 14 to Lancaster. A successful free throw shot from York’s Ross Paterson (no.19) followed by two successive two-point scores within the quarter’s second minute brings the score to a nail-biting 20 - 19. A near miss from

Lancaster angered the crowd as the home team’s supporters become anxious over York’s single point lead. Later within the second quarter, York scored a particularly amazing goal after a brilliantly executed forward pass from York’s Niall Murphy (no. 44) to Garrote, bringing the overall score to 24 - 21 to York. Scoring again within the quarter’s fourth minute, York extended their lead over Lancaster to a five-point advantage, eliciting cheers from the York supporters and encouraging chants from their rivals. A successful free throw from Lancaster brings the score to 26 - 31 to York, however York scores a two-pointer after LeRon Hunte-St-Rose (no.3) executes a brilliant mid-air catch and shoot. Scoring in the last 50 seconds of the second quarter, Lancaster were able to close York’s lead, with another successful layup from Lancaster sending the home team’s supporters into a frenzy of celebration, ending the quarter with a score of 33 - 30 to York. Early into half time, a narrow goal miss from York encouraged Lancaster supporters to begin chanting for their team, with York’s two pointer in the games eigth minute bringing the score to 35 - 30 to York and increasing the pressure on Lancaster. Throughout the third quarter, Lancaster’s rebounds were consistent, however the game soon became so rapid fire that neither team’s shots were on target during the quarter’s sixth minute. With Lancaster supporters continuously chanting ‘defence’ to encourage the player’s defensive strategy, Lancaster soon scored another double pointer followed by a free throw success by York, equalising the game at a nail-biting 36 - 36. With tensions amongst the rivals’ supporters at an almighty high, the last minute of the quarter remained as back-and-forth as the rest of the game. After Lancaster extended their lead scoring a two pointer in the last minute of the quarter, York made a quick comeback with player no. 1 scoring in the last 45 seconds, bringing the score to 47 – 45 to Lancaster. A narrowly missed goal from York followed by an amazing goal from Lancaster’s no. 10 in the last second of the quarter

brought the segment’s final score to 50 – 44 to Lancaster, emphasising York supporters’ anguish and Lancaster’s elation. Tensions were unbelievably high at the start of the final quarter. As the York basketball team entered the court, Lancaster fans booed and heckled them in the hopes of securing a home team win. A goal from York’s Abubaker Ndikumana (no.45) in the quarter’s first 25 seconds brought the score to 50 – 46, with York closing in on Lancaster’s lead. Another goal from York by player no. 1 brought the scores even closer, with the singular point difference encouraging the supporters, and the whole Vision team, to become increasingly invested. Tensions only increased after York player 45 equalised the score to 55 – 55 in the quarter’s fourth minute. Following two further two pointers for both teams, an ambitious shot from the three-point line by York player no.1 causes York supporters to go wild as his fellow teammates momentarily invade the pitch. During the game’s final four minutes, possession of the ball remains fairly equal however Lancaster’s defence is noticeably better, consistently catching York’s rebounds and putting pressure on York’s offence. In a seemingly unexpected move from the York basketball team, a pass from Garrote to Murphy allows York to score, with the brief break in Lancaster’s strong defence allowing York to take back the lead at 60 – 57. The most intense point of the game, the last minute of Men’s Basketball 1s saw the score resting at 61 – 64 to York following successful two pointers from both teams. To raise tensions further, a timeout was called during the last 49.7 seconds of the game, with both crowds going wild from the stands as Lancaster supporters’ chants increased from the stands. With 37.7 seconds to go, Lancaster scored and decreased York’s lead to a singular point difference. Everyone was up on their feet, anxious to see their team score the winning basket. A free throw taken by York’s Niall Murphy missed the first try, but a successful second shot extended York’s advantage to a two point lead.

York scored once more in the last 12.2 seconds of the game, with no.44 bringing the game’s total score to 67-63 literal moments before the final whistle. A mere four seconds later, Murphy achieved greatness again, scoring in a free throw to bring the total to a five point lead to York. Another timeout is called at the 8.9 second mark, however Lancaster did not have enough time to equalise the game, with an amazing 68 points to Lancaster’s 63 causing York Men’s basketball players and supporters to ecstatically invade the pitch. Vision spoke to a euphoric Franki, York’s Sport President, who showed us her shaking hands and said: “Earlier today I was struggling to keep it together, but this is something else…it just electrified everyone. “Honestly, the way it’s looking, Lancaster’s set for a decent win overall but it’s moments like this when you are surrounded by so many people that are actively chanting against you not to win and we can still pull that out of the bag, that is what’s so incredible about sport. “The fact these guys could just keep their heads, exactly what they needed to do, hard on the palm, kept their heads in the game, and just took care of business. That is unbelievable. I am so, so proud of them. But when it’s close, it makes it even better.” Named star player by the team’s coach, Niall Murphy also highlighted the brilliance of their win: “The only way I was able to do that is because of how the team worked. Those crowd silences are the best feeling in the world, it’s just next level” Vision also spoke to the team as a whole, with the importance of the team’s defensive strategy becoming an apparent frontrunner in their success: “It was tough, I think we started off a bit slow with the crowd and everything, but I think eventually we got into our rhythm, but I think it was defence today-defence won it. We had a big defensive possession. It was tough, but I think we got there in the end.” York’s win in the Men’s Basketball 1s marked a huge turning point for the away team, substantially improving York’s successes in the Roses weekend so far.


9

ROSES 2022

HUGE HOCKEY DEFEAT BY MARTI STELLING

YORK

0

LANCASTER

8

AFTER WALKING WHAT FELT like the length of the campus and back (and getting further and further away as I did so), I finally made my way to hockey a mere ten minutes late and before the game had even started. Lancaster showed a promising start by dominating possession of the ball and scoring a goal at 4:24pm, shortly followed

by another at 4:27pm. Between these, York attempted a goal, but were blocked by Lancaster’s keeper. After fifteen minutes had passed and nobody had scored, the spectator’s chants were getting louder as they supported their teams. At 4:41pm, undoubtedly impacted by the cheers, Lancaster scored again. On a victory streak, the team scored again at 4:45pm, followed by eruptive cheers from the crowd. One Lancaster supporter shouted, “pull your pants up, York”, while another walked past, dressed head

to toe as a red rose. With the score at 4-0 to Lancaster, the York team were not backing down. They remained in possession for a considerable amount of time, but Lancaster retained the upper hand in the game. At 16:53, Lancaster secured a further goal, followed by another at 16:57. Spectator turnout was much greater for Lancaster than York, with chants supporting the home team dominating. York attempted another goal at quarter past the hour but was blocked by Lancaster’s defence. Be-

fore taking a penalty shoot at 17:21, Lancaster took a moment to have a pep talk. The York team failed to defend the goal, taking the score up to 7-0 to Lancaster. Player 17 from Lancaster scored goal number eight of the match at 5:29pm, hitting the ball into the post from the side. Lancaster Player 12 narrowly missed a goal, met by cheers of encouragement. The game ended at 5:39pm with a final attempt at a goal from York. The teams congratulated one another, with Lancas-

ter winning 8-0 and spectators shouting, “roses are red!” Speaking pre-Roses, the vice captain of Lancaster’s 1men’s club, Will Turner, stated that “overall [we] want to grow as a team, build throughout the year, and ultimately win Roses”. This goal was very much met, leaving York with a painful loss. Vision spoke to the York team, who said they were impressed by Lancaster: “their play, technique, and fitness was next level.”

LOSS FOR WOMEN’S FOOTBALL BY EMILY SINCLAIR

YORK LANCASTER

1 3

THE WOMEN’S FIRST Football game had an impressive turn out as spectators gathered to watch the York side play. With incredible team spirit the York Team played with everything they had despite the increasing rain. In the end, the York Women suffered a devastating defeat as Lancaster secured their first goal in the ninth minute with a powerful shot and uproar from the large crowd. The goal didn’t stop

York’s morale as the team worked together on and off the pitch with spectacular footwork and weaving of the ball ensuring Lancaster didn’t have dominant possession. 31 minutes into play York scored their first goal making the score 1-1. There was lots of possession from York throughout the first half, always keeping on their opponents tails. Their marking was impeccable, especially from center midfield Faye Singleton, as the York women continued to force Lancaster to play at a faster-pace and with more skill.

As half-time hit York remained positive with everything still to play for. York goalkeeper Emily Brookes demonstrated her remarkable talent as she saved two successive Lancaster shots seven minutes into the second half. 14 minutes into the second half Lancaster scored their second goal taking the score to 2-1. With supporters telling Vision that the “pressure is on”, the crowd, team and coaches anxiously watched as the York team continued to play with skill and composure despite the increasing rain. 36 minutes into the

second half Lancaster scored again yet celebrations were quickly squashed as the referee called it offside. With only five minutes left of the second half, York goalkeeper Emily Brookes was heard saying to her team to “finish strong until the end” and that they did with consistent team spirit. With three minutes to go Lancaster scored their final goal taking the score to 3-1 and giving them a win for the first time since 2014. In a statement to Vision from the Women’s First Football team the

team wanted to give special mention to goalkeeper Emily Brookes who “had an amazing game of saves and really kept us in the game” . They also wanted to mention right wing Emma Hallowell for “bombing up and down the wing and getting a quality goal” and finally center back Amy McDermott “who was solid at the back and sent some great balls for us to attack”. Despite the disappointing score, the Women’s Firsts played calmly, focused, and passionately with the crowd, echoing York university who are very proud of them.

HUGE WATER POLO LOSS FOR YORK BY MATT DAVIS

YORK’S MEN’S WATER Polo team had a hard time on Saturday as they struggled to get many shots in during the game. Lancaster broke through the York defensive line numerous times throughout the game, leading to multiple face-offs between the Lancaster shooters and the York goalkeeper. Towards the middle of the game, it became more competitive with York getting more shots on target but still ultimately struggling to convert them into goals for York. In particular, the second quarter was particularly fruitful as the York team managed to score half of their goals of the match. As the game came to a close, Lancaster pulled even further ahead with a streak of four consecutive goals. York managed to score the last goal of the game but with Lancaster so far ahead by that point, their efforts in the final quarter could not claw them back to victory. Ultimately, 1 this all led to a final score of 29-8 to Lancaster for the Men’s Water Polo. The Women’s Water Polo team fared fairly well in terms of defence, with some good saves made from the goalkeeper, particularly in the first quarter. They performed well, especially considering the fact that they only had nine players with seven to occupy the court at any given time, meaning that there were very few opportunities to sub people in and out in case of tiredness. This led to a final score of 11-2 to Lancaster to round off the Pool sports for Roses 2022.


10

ROSES 2022

SUNDAY 1 MAY

HIGHS AND LOWS FOR YORK’S CANOE POLO BY KATIE PRESTON

YORK (TOTAL) LANCASTER (TOTAL)

9 17

WITH BOTH THE Canoe Polo Open and Women’s 1s occurring on Roses Sunday, despite the results for the games’ being starkly different, the supporter turnout was surprisingly high for this more obscure sport. Beginning with the Canoe Polo open, the game began by both Lancaster and York teams lining up alongside each other as the players’ names were announced. Played in two ten minute halves, Lancaster scored an

late goal within the game’s 9th minute, bringing the score to 1 - 0 to the home team.The game was unexpectedly action packed with the players bashing into each other and rowing at great speed across the pool. A good save from York prevented Lancaster from scoring a second time at the start of the eights minute, with York’s no. 3 player Tom executed a solid defence strategy. However, Lancaster quickly struck twice during the middle of the half, bringing the score to 3 - 0. Despite York managing to achieve a goal of their own, Lancaster’s dominance in the pool brought the score to 6 - 1 by half time.

Despite beginning the next half with a brilliant defence from York, Lancaster were able to score twice, giving Lancaster a seven point lead against the away team. With two more goals from Lancaster player three, the score reached 10 - 1 by the game’s fifth minute, making Lancaster formidable opponents for their York rivals. However, York managed to score before the end of the third minute, but their attempts were futile as the game ended with a whopping 12 - 2 to Lancaster’s Canoe Polo Opens team. In the Canoe Polo Women’s 1s, however, York achieved an amazing victory. With Lancaster

having a substitution advantage by being a player up on York, the game started with an amazing early goal by York’s team captain Rose Hemmingway. Hemmingway scored two more amazing goals during the next two minutes, and brought the score to 3 - 2 to York following brilliant possession and offence from York. Two more goals from York’s Canoe Polo Women’s 1s captain brought the score to 5 - 2 at the game’s half time, with York supporters and the team’s coach cheering with glee at York’s success so far. During the start of the second half, Lancaster scored an early

goal to bring the score to 5 - 3, closing York’s winning margin. Hemmingway managed to increase the team’s point-dominance over Lancaster, scoring again in the eighth minute followed by a brilliant save from York’s Belle Sherry, of who was a notable defensive force. Within the game’s last few minutes, Hemmingway scored again to bring the final score to 7 5, with York’s coach encouraging the crowd to chant in support. An intriguing game all round, Canoe polo proved both victorious and saddening for York’s incredible teams.

VICTORY FOR WOMEN’S LACROSSE CLOSE VICTORY FOR YORK AS THE AWAY TEAM DOMINATE BY EMILY JEBB

YORK LANCASTER

13 9

AFTER A MOSTLY disappointing weekend for York Sport, Women’s Lacrosse proved that not all Roses are red, with their 1s defeating Lancaster 13-9 on Sunday 1 May. After the 2s saw an amazing victory of 17-2 against Lancaster on Friday morning, our attention turned to the Women’s 1s Lacrosse fixture The grey skies and drizzle did not hinder UYLC’s passion for the sport, cheering and chanting for their peers just as loud, and with as much devotion, on the last day of the Roses as the first.

Going into the match, the Women’s 1s captain, Amy Owens, had every faith in her squad, telling Vision: “The team are really excited to take on Lancaster on Sunday. We’ve improved massively over the season, leaving us third place in our BUCS league. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been training hard and feel confident that we can play some of our best lacrosse. It’s the first Roses for everyone in our team and we can’t wait to get involved in the hype and hopefully get a win for York!” The first minute of the first quarter set the tone for the match, with York sending the ball flying into the back of Lancaster’s net. Shortly after Lancaster levelled the scoreboard to 1-1, captain Amy Owens put them back

in their place with an impressive goal, which was succinctly followed by another for the York side, compounding their lead. Lancaster, attempting to gain some respite, made three tries at goal: with York unfortunately conceding one, but the keeper skilfully saving two, defending York’s advantage. Another goal against Lancaster for York meant that the first quarter concluded with a 4-2 lead to York. The second quarter saw York go from strength to strength. Seeming to gain possession at will and compromising Lancaster’s defence with ease, York scored six goals in quick succession, leaving their old rivals in the dust. The last few moments of the quarter, however, saw another goal for Lancaster, drawing the

first half to a close with a score of 10-3 to York. Possession over the ball went back and forth throughout the second half, with both teams scoring but also making significant saves. York continued their tradition of striking first, landing a goal early on, increasing their already comfortable lead. Lancaster, unable to make up any significant ground, scored twice, towards the end of the third quarter, bringing the tally to 11-5. As the final quarter commenced, York continued to pull away from Lancaster, with two more goals scored, eager to cement the win. However, with play becoming increasingly more heated and impassioned, Lancaster were determined to not surrender without a fight.

1

The last quarter made for a nerve filled yet gripping conclusion to the match. Fuelled by the energy from their crowd of supporters, Lancaster found a second wind and began to strike back, putting York under immense pressure. Within the last 10 minutes, Lancaster scored four times, desperate to redeem themselves on their home ground. It was too little too late for the Red Rose as, when the final whistle sounded, it was York who had secured the win, and four points for York Sport. With the scoreboard displaying 13-9 to York, UYLC ran onto the field to congratulate a well-deserved and hard-fought win for the Women’s lacrosse team.


11

ROSES 2022

RUGBY DEFEAT FOR YORK

LOSS FOR YORK AT ROSES 2022’S LAST GAME OF THE TOURNAMENT

BY MEGAN BARTLEY

YORK

24

LANCASTER

30

SUNDAY AFTERNOON SAW one of the most bitter games of the whole weekend. York’s Rugby players walked out to a very aggressive Lancaster crowd, shouting abuse, attempting to shove the players, and throwing beer on them. The game began well for York, securing a penalty kick six minutes, making the score 3-0 to York. Things were looking up, but unfortunately it would not last. The first half saw a lot of intense midfield play, these teams IMAGE: LUKE SNELL were very well matched, and it made for a very exciting watch. After many strong drives, they managed to get a try and conversion half way through the first half, putting the score at 3-6, with Lancaster in the lead. The ball was kicked from midfield again and a series of clumsy tackles from both teams gave Lancaster a successful penalty kick, putting the score at 3-8. After this, York played with a really strong attack during the last ten minutes of the first half. York’s Ashdown secured the scrum in Lancaster’s half, driving towards the try line. York’s number 13 (confusingly called Lancaster) pushed through Lancaster’s defence and scored a try for York, and after a successful conversion York were in the lead at 10-8. The last five minutes of the first half saw a lot of strong attack from Lancaster, winning a scrum, and pushing towards

York’s line. With 17 seconds left before half time, York missed a crucial throw in. Lancaster kicked it down the pitch and picked it up, scoring a try in the last second of the first half. It was just as the clock stopped for the first half and thrilled the Lancaster dominated crowd, who burst out in deafening cheers of support. Though the clock stopped Lancaster secured a successful conversion, meaning that at half time the scores stood at York 10, Lancaster 13. After a fairly strong first half, York found themselves going into the second half in a weakened position. There was a strong fight put up in mid field, York had a fair number of collapsed scrums 3 minutes into the second half, meaning they gave the ball away a few times. Lancaster secured a throw in and York battled for their ball. Five minutes in the score remained the same. York’s play did not seem to improve even after Hind and Van Kan went off. On the pitch, Lancaster secured the scrum, and the ball mainly stayed in midfield. Lancaster ran it into York’s half ten minutes into the second half of the game. After a Lancaster throw in which they secured, then successfully scored a try, making the score 17-10 to Lancaster. The conversion led to a 20-10 lead for Lancaster. York resumed with the ball but it went to Lancaster. After some back and forth midfield including a free kick for York, the ball went to Lancaster who were attempting to secure a try. The shouts from the Lancaster crowd

were accompanied by a trumpet rallying the home team. Lancaster were then in York’s half, working hard to get through York’s strong defence. Lancaster’s 18 made a drive but was tackled, Lancaster consistently attempted to drive the ball in. 24 minutes from the end of the game player 10 secured a penalty goal for Lancaster, making the score 23-10. The ball then returned to the midfield, and after some back and forth play, York made many solid drives into Lancaster’s half, but an unfortunate fumble of the ball hindered York’s chances. The Yorkshire player received lots of abuse from the rowdy and aggressive Lancaster crowd. With a quarter of the game to go, York’s 13 made an incredibly successful drive towards the try line, but York were struggling to make it through Lancaster’s strong defence. After a scrum in which York succeeded, a drive was made but player 10 dropped it just before the line. Tensions were incredibly high, with York determined to get a try. Another scrum led to York with the ball, and after an immense effort, York secured a try right under the post just on the line. It was a particularly impressive show of attack from York, and after a successful conversion they brought the score up to 2317 to Lancaster. With 15 minutes to go, and the sidelines packed with Lancaster supporters, York were feeling the pressure. After a Lancaster player was taken off by the medics, reportedly bleeding from the ears, the heated game

resumed. Lancaster had the ball in York’s half 10 minutes until the end of the game, making a great drive and securing a try. It was successfully converted making the score 30-17. York refused to go down without a fight though and maintained their determination until the end. Lancaster’s 9 made a very strong drive into York’s half, but York’s defence refuted their attempts to score a try. Within the last five minutes York’s attack was very strong, pushing through the defence and putting everything into their drives. The ball then went to York’s end, with Lancaster trying to power through in the last 30 seconds. In the last ten seconds, in an incredible effort from York’s attack they secured a final try. Though the clock had stopped, the game had not, and York managed to up the score to 3024 right at the end of the game. It was a brutal afternoon for men’s York Rugby with a fierce crowd and bitterly competitive game. Many players refused to comment to Vision at the end, but the referee said it was a “great game, both showed great ambition but the stronger team won.” He also felt it was a “fair game,” yet Tom, a member of the Rugby committee noted some “unfortunate” decisions from the referee but he “can’t fault their [Lancaster’s] effort”. It was a tough game for York’s Rugby, but the men pushed to the very end and their determination must be commended.

TIGHT COMPETITION FOR CHEERLEADING

BY EMILY SINCLAIR

AS ONE OF the last events of Roses 2022, competitive cheerleading took place in Lancaster’s newest sports hall. The event was flooded with supporters from both sides, with a row of judges assessing both the York Hornets and Lancaster Roses. After an incredibly tight competition, Lancaster took the win 3-2, yet the atmosphere was positive throughout and proved to be a great afternoon. First to the floor was York’s level three stunt group, Venom, cheered on by incredible team spirit from the rest of the Hornets: “lets go Hornets, let’s go”. Demonstrating some impressive skills from toe touch jumps to the flyer holding an arabesque, the team did themselves proud. Despite not securing a win, Venom remained smiling throughout and looked happy after the routine. After Lancaster’s level three group, York’s level two stunt group, ‘Sting’, took to the stage. Securing first position, the group did a spectacular job, remaining calm and confident throughout the routine. The teamwork and communication on and off the mat was superb. With a short break from competition for both Lancaster and York to showcase some routines purely for entertainment, supporters remained enthusiastic as large smiles and laughter filled the room. The atmosphere was electric as the teams demonstrated choreographed dance and stunts. Judged on skill level and performance execution, cheerleading is a sport with a lot more intensity and technicality than most would think, with supporters often commenting on how “stressful” routines were. York’s level two ‘Black’ team, ‘Pom’ team and ‘Pom Duo’ all pulled off grand routines, continuing to play to the crowd, demonstrating their confidence, and displaying the skills they’d been working on. The final big win for York was Hornets’ all girl level one team, ‘Gold’, who executed a high level routine with minimal mistakes, securing them first place. It was aesthetically pleasing and impressive to watch as the Hornets put everything they had into the routine. They deserved the win. Despite not taking an overall win, York Hornets gave the Lancaster Roses a tough competition and the positive friendly yet still competitive atmosphere within the sports hall was a highlight of the weekend.


12

ROSES 2022

INTERVIEWS

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH FRANKI RILEY BY KATIE PRESTON

AFTER THE THE SPORTING festivities ended for 2022, Vision interviewed York Sport Union President Franki Riley on her thoughts and feelings about the weekend of sport. So, if you can, what would you say is the highlight of Roses 2022? “I mean, playing this game was honestly incredible despite the result. In terms of probably my favourite win, it’s got to be Men’s Basketball on [Saturday] that was just insane. Because this crowd, like, was just ridiculous. “A personal highlight for me was actually catching that high kick right with that crowd there because they are so hard and I don’t normally do them so being able to get it was… oh gosh yeah, so tough.

“I’m just so proud of absolutely everyone who’s come here and faced this sea of red... hate almost, it’s a lot. I’m just so proud of them.” How was it to plan and organise the first in-person Roses in four years? “I mean, it was great. It was kind of nice to be able to go back to the drawing board slightly on some things, and kind of not have to do everything by the book strictly. “But also, I think there was quite a lot of panic, or not so much panic, but worry or concern that because so many people had never done this before and so so many people were looking to me and there were so many times where I had to be like “it’s okay, this is how it normally works, don’t stress about it, yeah the bus is at 6.45 pm but you will get back in time obviously so everyone

An elated York Sport Union President Franki Riley after a brilliant win for York at the Men’s Basketball 1s on Saturday.

chill, it’s all good!” “So there was quite a lot of that. But yeah it was just, I don’t know, there was a lot of pressure I think because of that actually like being the kind of ‘figurehead’ of it all and kind of planning it. But yeah, it was so good to be back.” This was a lot of players’ first and last Roses, how do you think that impacted them? “I mean that’s, you know we [York Women’s Rugby team] weren’t even crying so much about the loss, we were crying so much about it because there are so many incredible people on our team who won’t be here again. And that’s [York’s loss] not really the way we wanted that to end. “But it’s really tough because we had to set a standard with this so people knew what Roses really was about and when it is away that’s really difficult because peo-

ple see this and I don’t necessarily think they’ll translate it into “this will be us next year, we’ll have this advantage”. I think people just need to remember that next year this is going to be us but better.” Why do you think Roses is so important? “I mean, you can just look at the crowd and see it. Everyone, even people that came over that were like “I don’t play sport, I don’t really enjoy sport, I’m just here to support my flatmates and friends”, or whatever, and it’s just that everyone just gets behind one goal. And it’s not just about sport, there’s fundraising that’s involved, you’ve got the Roses are Green initiative, there’s so much and sport is just a vehicle for it. Sport is how we use that to just give it a platform and there are so many sports involved that are things you wouldn’t normally see like ballroom dancing, fencing,

canoe polo. All of these things that just don’t normally get that platform. It’s like the Olympics: sometimes something you watch at the Olympics is something you’ve never even heard of or seen before, so it’s essentially the exact same thing with Roses. It’s just absolutely fantastic.” Are there any non-sports related highlights from this year’s Roses? Any funny or special memories? “Handball singing on the coach on the way here. It was great. They were just so ready, it was lovely. It was just like “yay!”. That was the first moment of like “oh my God yeah it’s happening” Tanisha Jain, York Sport’s Equal Opportunities and Wellbeing Officer also spoke to Vision: “It really just shows how united our university actually is”.

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A sign made by a York supporter seen at Women’s Rugby 1s on Sunday. Emphasising their support for the away team, and using York’s sports kit colour schemes, many fans brought homemade signs to the fixtures.


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ROSES 2022

LANCASTER FANS’ ANIMOSITY

LANCASTER FANS DISPLAY A LACK OF SPORTSMANSHIP AT THIS YEAR’S ROSES BY KATIE PRESTON BY KATIE PRESTON

AFTER YEARS OF NO IN-PERSON Roses, the atmosphere for York and Lancaster fans was bound to be filled with excitement, anguish and anger. Whilst traipsing around covering various sporting events across the weekend, however, Vision noticed a trend of Lancastrian fans acting particularly negatively towards their sporting rivals, ranging from intriguing anti-York chants to actual bullying. Deciding to shed a light on the issue, Vision has collated a few instances from less than civil Lancastrian fans, demonstrating that despite York and Lancastrian players appearing to remain friendly, that wasn’t necessarily the case for their supporters. Seen most predominantly at the rugby and football games, some Lancaster supporters IMAGE: LUKE SNELL were not particularly kind to their York rivals. As the York men’s rugby team entered the pitch during the final sporting event of the Roses weekend, Lancaster sup-

porters jeered and shouted as the players walked past, spraying beer at some of the players. Making matters worse by setting off red smoke bombs and blinding the Lancaster players and referees, some Lancaster supporters continued to yell at the York team, screaming insults such as “your boyfriend cheats on you” and “your parents f****** hate you” to put off the York players. Furthermore, following Lancaster’s 3 - 1 win at women’s football, the scoreboard was briefly changed to read “50 0” instead of displaying the final score, humiliating the York team who had played incredibly well during the fixture. Vision also witnessed a Lancaster fan harassing a York player by continuously following them around the Fan area with an anti-York sign. Occurring on Roses Saturday, the unnamed player repeatedly asked the fans to stop. Similarly, the Netball 3s player’s described the Lancaster energy as “[feeling] a bit like high school bullies” due to the excessive chanting from the home team’s supporters. This mentality was also seen at the Roses closing ceremony on Sunday.

YUSU President Patrick O’Donnell pictured at Roses 2022 Closing Ceremony, celebrating York’s various wins throughout the weekend and applauding Lancaster’s overall win.

When York Sport Union President Franki Riley took to the stage to present Lancaster Women’s Rugby team with their winning trophy, she was met with boos and jeers from Lancaster supporters, rather than with the respect she deserves for being pivotal in organising the sporting fixtures. This disrespect continued towards the end of Roses, with some Lancaster fans lining up outside and proceeding to swear as the York coaches boarded by players and supporters (and the Vision team) drove through campus after YUSU staff had vacated. However, despite the harshness of the Lancastrian fans, the atmosphere amongst players remained friendly, sociable and respectful throughout. At the cross country during the Roses build-up, the York and Lancaster teams cheered each other on and were more than willing to assist one another, with York applying red face paint to the Lancaster team for their squad pictures. After the women’s race, the Lancaster players cheered on the hugely outnumbered York team following a York injury, congratulating them on their placements in an act of

great sportsmanship. At the Cheerleading, Lancaster Roses thanked the York Hornets for coming to compete saying on Instagram that it was a “close competition with so many amazing routines’. Throughout the competition, Lancaster fans were supportive of York, often heard to be commenting on the technical skill and flair of York’s routines. Overall it was a great atmosphere within the Sports Hall. Similarly, many losing teams were quick to highlight the successes of their rivals, demonstrating brilliant sportsmanship, such as York’s Women’s basketball players who emphasised that the game was a great experience for both teams despite their loss. Vision has reached out to Lancaster’s Sports Vice President for comment, of which will be published online in our follow-up. Overall, Roses weekend was packed with fun, entertainment and brilliant sports etiquette from Lancaster and York alike, however the experience was slightly jarred by some unkind behaviour from avid Lancaster fans.

York Men’s Swimming team seen posing for the camera before competing against Lancaster. York went on to lose the fixture however morale and enthusiasm stayed high.


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ROSES STATISTICS


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With many sports at Roses 2022 played by both men and women, the successes of each gender were drastically different across the sporting fixtures. As seen in the graph, the York women’s teams consistently performed better than their male counterparts, with mixed gender teams performing worse than both men and women. However, across the weekend men’s, women’s, and mixed gender teams all gradually performed better, but despite York teams progressing all round, the performance of individual women’s teams remained unbeaten. SOURCE: ROSESLIVE.CO.UK/SPORTS

This year’s Roses saw a collossal defeat for York, with Lancaster’s 139 point advantage making Roses 2022 the biggest sporting defeat in history. As seen in the graph documenting the growing Lancaster advantage, York briefly beat their sporting rivals on points early on in the Roses build up, however were not able to close Lancaster’s formidable lead. Lancaster consistently played well during the various sports fixtures and despite York winning games such as Women’s Badminton 2s, York were unable to gain enough points to secure an away win. SOURCE: ROSESLIVE.CO.UK/SPORTS


ısıon VROSES YORK

ROSES IS BACK LANCASTER HOSTS FIRST IN PERSON TOURNAMENT SINCE COVID-19

IMAGE: EMILY SINCLAIR


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