With the Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos rivalry returning to Super League, rugby league fans have debated the competition’s biggest derby.
The Super League fixture list will be announced this coming week and fans of all clubs will be picking out the first time that Bradford Bulls travel to Headingley, as well as when Leeds make the trip to Odsal.
The Bulls’ absence from Super League has meant a steep drop in the frequency of that derby game being played, thus it’s lost its relevance somewhat but Super League has plenty of other derbies to savour.
St Helens versus Wigan Warriors is an obvious one, as is Hull KR versus Hull FC, while the Battle of the Borough between Wigan and Leigh has also gained notoriety due to the Leopards’ rise up the ranks.
Serious About Rugby League asked fans what the “biggest derby in rugby league” was, leading to over 500 comments and lots of debate with two clear trains of thought, and plenty of disagreement.
Check out the latest episode of The Serious About Rugby League Show on our YouTube channel here.
What is the biggest derby in Super League?
The answers were generally split between the Good Friday derby and the Hull derby and it came down to two differing viewpoints.
For some, Hull KR versus Hull FC was the bigger derby due to the fact both teams hail from the same city.
Others argued that St Helens and Wigan Warriors is the only true derby outside of the horse race, for which the term apparently takes it’s name.
Edward Stanley, the current and 19th Earl of Derby, previously told the BBC that the term derby was never taken from football and it in fact referred to rugby league, specifically St Helens and Wigan.
Stanley said: “On our family’s Knowsley Estate, you had St Helens at the southern end, and the town of Wigan at the northern end. At Easter, a game was arranged between the two sides which became known as the local derby.”
Though he admitted: “We may never have final categorical proof. But it does make sense, and has been talked about in the family. The last three Earls of Derby have all been presidents of the Rugby Football League, so the connection is there.”
Some fans used that argument but the debate was still split, as seen below where we’ve taken some of the most popular answers.
Dean Melia: The word “derby” comes from the Saints and Wigan rivalry, so end of chat.
Peter Lunt: A derby to me is defined by two teams from the same city, so there is only one. Hull v Hull KR. Easy.
Jamie Ratchford: Wigan and Saints, nothing else matters.
Barr Dearden: Only two derbys, the horse race which was first then the great man gave his name to the only team derby in the world, St Helens v Wigan. It’s in the history books.
Geoffrey Ross: Hull FC v Hull KR is the only real derby. Two teams in the same town divided by the bridges, west v east.
Paul Johnson: The only derby is Wigan and Saints.
John Hardy: There is only one genuine derby in rugby league, Hull KR and Hull FC. A derby means both teams come from the same city or town.
Lee Roby: One horse race and Wigan v St Helens are the only derbys. Nothing to do with same town, area etc. Derby is a family surname. It was copied and used in all other sports now.
Dave Johnson: It will be good to have Leeds v Bradford back this season.
