Varsity 2021: A Note from the Editor

Varsity 2021: Editor’s Preview

So, that didn’t really go to plan.

I mean, it could definitely be said for 2020 as a whole, but I’m specifically referring to the 2020 Varsity Series, both in its score and its ending. Another overall defeat for KCL in the Varsity Series was made worse by the fact that the Series wasn’t even allowed to be finished. The final Friday was curtailed due to impending Coronavirus restrictions coming in in that hazy mid-March period when no British – or global – citizen could quite believe what was happening.

Said cancellation was the punishing, penny-drop moment, for me, that all of us experienced at some point last March – that feeling of “Sh*t, this is real”. At the time, one couldn’t imagine the immensity of the impact this would on all our lives, not least on our long-term university experience. But I’m veering into the Spiel that we’ve become sick to death of to the point of cliché, so in this I’ll stick to what matters: Varsity 2021, finally, is here!

Yes, fine, it will be nowhere near the same quality of event given the rustiness of so many of our competitors, or an experience that all of us students can enjoy, given that this years’ series, despite the best efforts to avoid Covid restrictions, will be behind closed doors. However, some people (or, well, person, singular) will, miraculously, be allowed to attend – and we as student media will do our utmost to cover every inch possible of Varsity 2021 for you to feast on.

Our sports team this year may be reduced in numbers, but not in spirit. Many of our beloved sports writers who covered last year’s events have graduated (well done them), but there still remains a deeply committed team ready to provide the best coverage possible. The day-by-day previews will be ready for you to read on each day- check at all the usual places to find them, especially the sport page and Roar’s Facebook. “Big hitter” events such as KCL Rugby, KCL Football, and both Hockey events will be streamed live across Roar channels, with official streams and commentaries streamed on other channels, to be announced in due course (keep an eye on Roar’s socials for more), which will be broadcasted live at all of your student venues, including The Vault, so get booking those tables. What’s more, at the events we either can’t stream or can’t cover in person, live text updates will be provided through Roar’s social channels (all the more reason to give us a follow…), as well as write-ups of each event by midnight of the same day. In short, be sure to keep tabs on all Roar’s social channels over the course of this week – it will be big and busy (oxymoronic as those two adjectives may be).

Most of all, though, it will just be nice to cover and enjoy something that is a traditional part of our University calendar. It can permit us some optimism that we might just be on our way back.

Given what I’ve just said, it seems inappropriate to bring up the ‘years of hurt’ as King’s streak in losing the Series overall goes on, but given so much is up in the air with this Series, it may be King’s’ best chance for a while to take the title back to Strand. So up the GKT. Up the Strandies. Up the King’s. And remember, as that chant indeed goes, UCL is f***ing boring.

Enjoy the coverage.

Thanks to my amazing team, especially Sam, for helping with all the previews. Thanks too to the countless people I’ve contacted at various sports teams sourcing knowledge for the preview – you know who you are and I owe you drink.