Sports Editors Saoirse Byrne and Sam Lord detail the events of last year’s Varsity and what to expect going into Varsity 2025.
After a narrow 13-18 overall loss in the Varsity Series last year, KCL will be looking forward to finally bringing home the Jeremy George Cup (the official Varsity trophy).
With a record 45 fixtures in the series this year, new additions such as Futsal, Esports, Kendo, and Water Polo could prove crucial in turning the tide in King’s favour; other teams such as KCL Men’s Rugby will be looking to turn 2024’s last-minute losses into secure wins.
Varsity 2024
Last year’s Varsity started off rocky with a series of losses on days 1 and 2 including in Rowing (0-4), Badminton (4-7), but a win in Equestrian. Victory came thick and fast on day 3 with Barbell (132.1-131), GKT Men’s Hockey (1-4), and Ultimate Frisbee all securing the win. Frisbee in particular won big, with a 15-3 score that they’ll be hoping to replicate. KCL Tennis took an unfortunate loss (2-3) despite an otherwise successful year.
As the series continued, the competition heated up, with KCL quickly catching up to UCL’s early lead. Day 4 was all about the medics, with GKT teams setting aside intra-university rivalries to secure a confident Netball win (49-20), along with thrilling nail-biters in Rugby (35-32) and Football (winning 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw), ultimately leading to a victory in both.
Elsewhere, Athletics continued to dominate Varsity (137-89) for another year, marking their fourth win in a row; they’ll be eager this year for their fifth. However, there were disappointing losses for KCL Hockey (1-4 for the men’s and 2-3 for the women’s), Netball (32-60), Volleyball (1-3 for the men’s and 0-3 for the women’s) and Muay Thai (1-4).
Day 5 saw successes for the Lions in Swimming (158-129), Men’s Fencing (119-107) and Women’s Basketball (66-59). However, UCL took victories in Women’s Fencing (105-122), Men’s Basketball (55-71), Lacrosse (6-10 for the men and 8-10 for the women) and Pole (1-4).
KCL teams were playing for pride going into the final day, since the Varsity cup was by this point out of reach. Though they spent most of their game in the lead, KCL Men’s Rugby suffered a disappointing 7-10 loss – a similar story with the Table Tennis teams, who were decisively beaten 2-16. KCL Women’s Rugby provided some light at the end of the tunnel with their third Varsity win in a row – a definitive 20-5 victory that they’ll be hoping to replicate this year.
Looking to this year
This year’s Varsity will feature 7 new sports: Cycling, Esports, Futsul, Karting, Kendo, Squash and Water Polo. We will also see the return of KCL Football after last year’s controversies, so it really is all to play for. King’s teams have been performing well throughout the season, and many will be feeling confident heading into the series, with some looking to uphold last year’s successes, and others chasing redemption.
Ones to watch
If you’re looking for a thriller that could go either way:
KCL Tennis will be hoping to reflect a successful year with a Varsity win, but last year’s result proves that anything can happen – expect this year’s event to be a hard-fought battle between two clubs who both have something to prove. The Tennis Varsity will be opening the series on Friday 21st March at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in Stratford.
Both Basketball teams are expected to provide great entertainment, with the Men’s team eager for redemption after last year’s agonising defeat, whilst the Women’s team will be hoping to finish a successful season with a big win against an equally strong UCL side. The Basketball Varsity will take place on Wednesday 26th March at CitySport Sports Centre in Islington.
If you’d prefer something closer to home:
KCL Pole Fitness are promising a ‘fun and entertaining’ event, and with their Varsity taking place on Strand campus itself, there’s no excuse for missing out! The Pole Fitness Varsity will be taking place in the evening of Thursday 27th March on the 8th Floor of Bush House.
If a great atmosphere is important to you:
The KCL Rugby Varsity is the highest-attended sporting event in the King’s calendar, with this year’s fixture expecting to boast a crowd of over 2000 and food and drink available all evening. The atmosphere should be lively both off the pitch and on it, where the Women’s team will be chasing a third victory, and the men hoping to close out the series with something to celebrate after last year’s last-minute disappointment. The Rugby Varsity will be the final event of the series, taking place on Friday 28th March at Richmond Rugby Club.
Tickets for all Varsity events are available at KCLSU.org now, so get down and support your King’s teams in person if you can! The Esports, Football, and KCL Rugby matches will also be showing live at The Vault, so if you can’t make it pitchside, you can still keep up with the action. You can also keep an eye on Roar social media for all the latest updates.
