A varsity match is a fixture (especially of a sporting event or team) between two university teams, particularly Oxford and Cambridge. The Scottish Varsity rugby match between the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh at Murrayfield stadium is claimed to be the oldest recurring varsity match in the world, having been played since the 1860s. It is predated by the University Match in Cricket between Oxford and Cambridge, which was first played in 1827. The 139th Varsity Chess Match between Oxford and Cambridge took place at Pall Mall on Saturday 23 October 2021. The match normally held in March was caused by the Covid19 pandemic to move to October but kept its tradition of not missing a year and remains the longest running and continuous chess competition in the world. Varsity in England The country's longest-running series of varsity matches is played between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. In addition to the 1827 University Match in Cricket mentioned above, the first "Boat Race" in 1829 the first "Varsity Match" (in Rugby Union) in 1872, and the first "Varsity Game" (in Basketball) in 1921 were all contested between Oxford and Cambridge. Unusually for British university sporting events, both the Boat Race and Varsity Match are shown on broadcast television. Unlike many more recent varsity competitions, the Oxford–Cambridge matches stand alone rather than being part of a wider multi-sport varsity competition. British newspaper The Independent proposed in 2008 that Bath vs Loughborough was "the real varsity match" on the basis that these were the top two teams (at that time) in British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) competitions. Since 2015, British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), the successor to BUSA, has organised fixtures between Loughborough and Durham (the top two universities since 2011-12) to occur on the same day, in what has been termed the "BUCS Varsity". A number of city and regional sporting rivalries exist between universities, which are also dubbed varsity matches. The Roses Tournament between the universities of York and Lancaster is one of the oldest and largest of these, dating back to 1965. It is frequently referred to as the largest inter-university sports tournament in Europe. Interregional rivalries Anglia Ruskin University vs University of East London Challenge Cup Bath Spa University vs University of Winchester Varsity Bradford University vs King's College London The Tolstoy Cup Camborne School of Mines vs Royal School