Heavy Woollen Derby

Batley Bulldogs – Dewsbury Rams
The Heavy Woollen Derby
Location	Heavy Woollen District, West Yorkshire, England
Teams	Batley Bulldogs; Dewsbury Rams
First meeting	30 October 1909 (Batley 8–4 Dewsbury)
Latest meeting	29 March 2024 (Dewsbury Rams 24-4 Batley Bulldogs)
Next meeting	21 July 2024 (Mount Pleasant, Batley)
Stadiums	Mount Pleasant; Crown Flatt
Statistics
Meetings total	54
Most wins	Batley Bulldogs (30)

The Heavy Woollen Derby refers to the rivalry between Batley Bulldogs and Dewsbury Rams, both located in the Heavy Woollen district of West Yorkshire. The two sides compete an annual friendly on Boxing Day to celebrate their rivalry.

Head-to-head record

Statistics correct as of 19/5/21^[1]

In all competitions, competitive and uncompetitive:

Played	Batley	Drawn	Dewsbury
53	30	0	24

Meetings in major finals

The two sides have never met in a major final.

Collective Honours

Batley Bulldogs		Honour	Dewsbury Rams
Rank	No.	Honour	No.	Rank
17th	1	League (D1)	1	17th
—	0	League (D2)	2	4th
12th	3	Challenge Cup	2	16th
8th	2	Yorkshire League	0	—
13th	1	Yorkshire Cup	3	9th

Boxing Day Challenge

The Boxing Day Challenge is an annual Rugby league friendly match that takes place on 26 December in which the teams compete for the Roy Powell Trophy.^[2] The venue alternates between the two sides' home grounds: Crown Flatt (The Tetley's Stadium) and the Fox's Biscuits Stadium (Mount Pleasant) respectively. Before the move to the summer season from 1996, the teams would often meet for matches on Boxing Day and New Year's Day as part of their regular league schedule.^[3]^[4]

The trophy is named in honour of Roy Powell who died on 27 December 1998. Powell was born in Dewsbury, and in 1998 had been part of the Batley team that won the Trans-Pennine Cup.^[5]

Results

Year	Home Team	Result	Away Team	Attendance	Ref.
2009	Dewsbury	12–20	Batley	2,411	^[6]^[7]
2010^[a]	Batley	30–6	Dewsbury	2,027	^[6]
2011	Dewsbury	28–6	Batley		^[8]
2012	Batley	28–18	Dewsbury		^[9]
2013	Dewsbury	4–10	Batley		^[10]
2014	Batley	18–16	Dewsbury		^[11]
2015	Dewsbury	4–12	Batley	2,123	^[12]
2016	Batley	28–18	Dewsbury		^[13]
2017	Dewsbury	16–28	Batley		^[14]
2018	Batley	16–10	Dewsbury		^[15]
2019	Dewsbury	14–14	Batley		^[16]
2020	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021
2022	Batley	32–22	Dewsbury		^[17]
2023	Dewsbury	12–12	Batley	1,893	^[18]
2024	Batley	36–16	Dewsbury	1,883	^[19]

Notes

^ Postponed to 2 January 2011 due to poor weather

References

^ "Batley Bulldogs - Head to Head - Rugby League Project".
^ "Festive Friendlies Preview". RFL. 23 December 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
^ "Dewsbury, Batley and the most neighbourly of rugby league derbies". The Guardian. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
^ "How Boxing Day sport became a permanent fixture in our hearts". The Guardian. 25 December 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
^ "Heavy Woollen derby's a tribute to former Leeds Rhinos' 'Mr Reliable', Roy Powell". Yorkshire Evening Post. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Rams all covered for big derby date". Mirfield Reporter. 16 December 2011. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
^ "Dewsbury Rams 12 - 20 Batley Bulldogs". Dewsbury Rugby League Club. 26 December 2009. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
^ "Six-try Dewsbury Rams defeat Batley Bulldogs in Boxing Day derby". Batley & Birstall News. 27 December 2011. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
^ "Rams will build on derby defeat". Dewsbury Reporter. 28 December 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
^ Blake, Luke (27 December 2013). "Boixing Day match report: Dewsbury Rams 4 Batley Bulldogs 10". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
^ Hunt, Andrew (26 December 2014). "Bulldogs edge out Rams in Boxing Day thriller". Batley & Birstall News. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
^ "Fixtures & Results". Batley Bulldogs. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
^ "Batley down Dewsbury". Love Rugby League. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
^ Hunt, Andrew (26 December 2017). "Dewsbury Rams 16 Batley Bulldogs 28: Bulldogs overhaul 12-man Rams". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
^ "Highlights Batley Bulldogs vs Dewsbury Rams 26 December 2018". YouTube. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021.
^ "Highlights Dewsbury Rams vs Batley Bulldogs 26 December 2019". YouTube. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021.
^ "Batley Bulldogs edge Dewsbury Rams in festive derby". Dewsbury Reporter. 27 December 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
^ "Boxing Day round-up: Leeds Rhinos come from behind to beat Wakefield Trinity & Sean Long's perfect start at Oldham". Love Rugby League. 26 December 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
^ "Batley Bulldogs claim Boxing Day honours over Dewsbury Rams". Total Rugby League. Retrieved 7 April 2025.

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[8] Postponed to 2 January 2011 due to poor weather

[1] "Batley Bulldogs - Head to Head - Rugby League Project".

[2] "Festive Friendlies Preview". RFL. 23 December 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2024.

[3] "Dewsbury, Batley and the most neighbourly of rugby league derbies". The Guardian. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2024.

[4] "How Boxing Day sport became a permanent fixture in our hearts". The Guardian. 25 December 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2024.

[5] "Heavy Woollen derby's a tribute to former Leeds Rhinos' 'Mr Reliable', Roy Powell". Yorkshire Evening Post. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2024.

[MR16dec2011-6] "Rams all covered for big derby date". Mirfield Reporter. 16 December 2011. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.

[7] "Dewsbury Rams 12 - 20 Batley Bulldogs". Dewsbury Rugby League Club. 26 December 2009. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.

[9] "Six-try Dewsbury Rams defeat Batley Bulldogs in Boxing Day derby". Batley & Birstall News. 27 December 2011. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.

[10] "Rams will build on derby defeat". Dewsbury Reporter. 28 December 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2016.

[11] Blake, Luke (27 December 2013). "Boixing Day match report: Dewsbury Rams 4 Batley Bulldogs 10". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 27 October 2016.

[12] Hunt, Andrew (26 December 2014). "Bulldogs edge out Rams in Boxing Day thriller". Batley & Birstall News. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.

[13] "Fixtures & Results". Batley Bulldogs. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.

[14] "Batley down Dewsbury". Love Rugby League. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.

[15] Hunt, Andrew (26 December 2017). "Dewsbury Rams 16 Batley Bulldogs 28: Bulldogs overhaul 12-man Rams". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 31 December 2017.

[16] "Highlights Batley Bulldogs vs Dewsbury Rams 26 December 2018". YouTube. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021.

[17] "Highlights Dewsbury Rams vs Batley Bulldogs 26 December 2019". YouTube. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021.

[18] "Batley Bulldogs edge Dewsbury Rams in festive derby". Dewsbury Reporter. 27 December 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2024.

[19] "Boxing Day round-up: Leeds Rhinos come from behind to beat Wakefield Trinity & Sean Long's perfect start at Oldham". Love Rugby League. 26 December 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2024.

[20] "Batley Bulldogs claim Boxing Day honours over Dewsbury Rams". Total Rugby League. Retrieved 7 April 2025.

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Heavy Woollen Derby

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Heavy Woollen Derby

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