The Great Welsh Varsity is an unparalleled staple of life at Swansea University. Ask any sportsman or sportswoman on campus about the significance of this day and I’m sure they will not hesitate to inform you of their pre-match training, and the anti-Cardiff chants that they have arguably spent just as long practicing.
A Beginners Guide to Varsity for the Casual Spectator
The Great Welsh Varsity is an unparalleled staple of life at Swansea University. Ask any sportsman or sportswoman on campus about the significance of this day and we're sure they will not hesitate to inform you of their pre-match training, and the anti-Cardiff chants that they have arguably spent just as long practicing.
But for every eager player and sports fan, there is another, far more oblivious, type of Varsity fanatic: the casual spectator. These are the same spectators you will witness during the Six Nations adopting their housemate’s spare Welsh jersey, poorly mouthing along to ‘Hymns and Arias’ and constantly watching the crowd to know when it’s appropriate to cheer, and when to throw cans at England fans. You see, for the casual spectator, the Great Welsh Varsity is not just a glorified sports day. The Great Welsh Varsity signifies two important factors of what it means to be a Swansea University student; it’s never too early for a Jager bomb, and a ‘we hate Cardiff’ related chant. It’s this passionate disdain for our counterparts along the M4 and our unfaltering love for this ugly, lovely town we call home that drives the casual spectator to the sports village to mindlessly cheer on our boys and girls in green.
So, let’s say you’re not as aware as you’d like to be regarding the difference between a ruck and a scrum, or the ins and outs of the offside rule but have a green fire burning in your belly that just has to be let out. How can you successfully integrate yourself into this cult of green without looking like a complete idiot?
Well, before I go on, allow me to ease your mind on such matters; you are not alone in these concerns. So, here is your definitive, beginner's guide to the Great Welsh Varsity for the casual spectator. Pens at the ready kids, you will need to take notes.
What to Wear (and how to wear it)
This one is simple; wear your green varsity T-shirts provided when you collect your tickets, and wear them with pride! These T-shirts not only act as an easy indicator between friend and foe, but they also make for excellent bed wear for years to come (washing the sweat and Coors lite out of them first is advised). I am sure there will be those amongst you that will feel the urge to ‘customise’ these T-shirts to show off a touch more collar bone or maybe to fashion a Rambo-esc headband out of a spare sleeve. While this is allowed, do be wary; once you go in with the scissors, there is no turning back. Make sure the Rambo look is for you by practicing on spare t-shirts lying around from freshers. I am certain you will agree that it is not. As for everything else, don’t let a bit of sunshine fool you, this is Wales after all. Prepare for rain, pray for blue skies.
Working the Crowds (If you’ve ever attempted to make your way to the bar at Tooters, feel free to skip this section)
Each year, Varsity draws in a crowd of over 15,000 students for the finale at the Swansea.com Stadium. It is therefore fair to assume that a large fraction of these supporters will be packing the sports village for the daytime events to cheer on their chosen side, sandwiches and beer in hand. With this in mind, if there are any specific events that have caught your eye, you have a housemate on the football team for instance; claim your spot as early as possible. Make sure you have a pee-buddy too; else you’ll spend the next half hour on your own trying to crawl under people's legs to find your friends. Trust me, I speak from experience here.
Why is Everyone Cheering?
This is a frequent issue the casual spectator must face in nearly all sporting arenas. The common answers are; somebody scored, somebody is close to scoring, a penalty was awarded or a fight has broken out. The easiest way to navigate this tricky area of support is to keep a close eye on your fellow spectator’s reactions (another benefit of the green t-shirt). Here is a selection of responses and how to read them:
Ecstatic Cheering = Goal/Try/Points awarded in some capacity
Progressively increasing cheers = Points potentially imminent
Sudden groans = potentially imminent points taken away at the last minute
Laughter = Fight has broken out
Steadily building murmur = penalty about to be taken
Cursing and Swearing = Ref has made a decision that the spectators disagree with (a simple “Come on Ref!” will cover you nicely for this situation)
Know Your Chants
Knowing a good chant is the easiest way to come across like you know exactly what’s going on. No doubt throughout the day you will pick up more and more of these Cardiff protest songs, most likely with an increasing number of profanities. However, to start off a chant yourself is an achievement that will solidify your position amongst the diehard Green and White army. So, here is a few of the Swansea chant greatest hits to start off your day:
Firstly, the simple yet effective:
We Love you Swansea, we do…
We Love you Swansea, we do…
We Love you Swanse, we dooooo…
Oh Swansea we love you!
And the stirring, yet over all more specific:
Swansea, oh Swansea, uni said I
Standing outside Fulton, until the day I die
Take me down to Sketty, oh way down by the sea
Where I will follow, Swansea… Swansea uni!
So, you are now armed with your essential chants, you’ve found yourself a pee buddy, and you’re ready to work the crowd dressed proudly in green. You are now prepared to face the Great Welsh Varsity, safely in the knowledge that while you may not know exactly what’s going on, the odds are that neither does the person standing next to you, and that’s okay as long as you shout louder than Cardiff.
Tickets 23/02/22 https://events.swansea.su/event/varsity-2022/70261
Arweinlyfr Dechreuwyr i Varsity ar gyfer Gwylwyr Achlysurol
Mae Varsity Cymru yn un o hanfodion bywyd heb ei hail ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe. Gofynna i unrhyw fabolgampwr ar y campws am arwyddocâd y diwrnod hwn ac rwy’n siwr na fyddant yn oedi cyn rhoi gwybod i ti am eu hyfforddiant cyn y gêm, a’r llafarganu gwrth-Caerdydd y gellir dadlau eu bod wedi treulio’r un mor hir yn ymarfer.
Ond ar gyfer pob chwaraewr a chefnogwr chwaraeon brwd mae yna fath arall, llawer mwy anghofus, o ffanatig Varsity: y gwyliwr achlysurol. Dyma’r un gwylwyr y byddet ti’n eu gweld yn ystod Gemau’r Chwe Gwlad yn mabwysiadu crys Cymreig sbâr eu cyd-letywr, yn canu ‘Hymns and Arias’ yn wael ac yn gwylio’r dorf yn gyson i wybod pryd mae’n briodol i weiddi’n hapus, a phryd i daflu caniau at gefnogwyr Lloegr. I'r gwyliwr achlysurol, nid mabolgampau gogoneddus yn unig yw Varsity Cymru. Mae Varsity Cymru yn dynodi dwy ffactor bwysig o'r hyn y mae'n ei olygu i fod yn fyfyriwr ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe; dyw hi byth yn rhy gynnar i yfed fom Jager, a chân sy’n ymwneud â chasáu Caerdydd. Y trallod brwdfrydig hwn i’n cymheiriaid ar hyd yr M4 a’n cariad di-baid at y dref hyll, hyfryd hon rydyn ni’n ei galw’n gartref sy’n gyrru’r gwyliwr achlysurol i’r pentref chwaraeon i glapio a bloeddi’n ddifeddwl ar ein bechgyn a’n merched mewn gwyrdd.
Felly, gad i ni ddweud nad wyt ti mor ymwybodol ag yr hoffet ti fod o'r gwahaniaeth rhwng ryc a sgrym, neu fanylion y rheol camsefyll ond bod gennyt ti dân gwyrdd yn llosgi yn dy fol sydd angen gael ei rhyddhau. Sut allet ti integreiddio dy hun yn llwyddiannus i'r cwlt gwyrdd hwn heb edrych fel idiot llwyr?
Wel, cyn i mi fynd ymlaen, caniata i mi leddfu dy feddwl; nid wyt ti ar dy ben dy hun yn y pryderon hyn. Felly, dyma dy ganllaw diffiniol i Varsity Cymru ar gyfer y gwyliwr achlysurol. Pennau’n barod, bydd angen i ti gymryd nodiadau.
Beth i’w Wisgo (a sut i’w wisgo)
Mae hwn yn syml; gwisga grys-T Varsity gwyrdd a ddarperir wrth i ti gasglu dy docyn, a gwisga fe â balchder! Mae'r crysau-T hyn yn ddangosydd hawdd rhwng ffrind a gelyn, ac hefyd yn gwneud dillad gwely rhagorol am flynyddoedd i ddod (rydyn ni’n argymell golchi'r chwys a Coors Lite allan yn gyntaf). Rwy’n siwr y bydd rhai yn teimlo’r ysfa i ‘addasu’ y crysau-T hyn i ddangos mwy o asgwrn coler neu efallai i wneud band pen Rambo-esc allan o lawes sbâr. Tra rydyn ni’n caniatau hyn, bydd yn wyliadwrus; unwaith i ti ddechrau torri, nid oes troi yn ôl. Gwna’n siwr bod edrych fel Rambo yn dy siwtio trwy ymarfer ar grysau-T sbâr sy’n gorwedd o gwmpas ers Wythnos y Glas. Rydw i’n sicr y byddet ti’n cytuno nad ydyw. O ran popeth arall, paid â gadael i dipyn o heulwen dy dwyllo, dyma Gymru wedi'r cyfan. Parato ar gyfer glaw, gweddïa am awyr las.
Symud o gwmps y Torfeydd (Os wyt ti erioed wedi ceisio mynd at y bar yn Tooters, gallet ti hepgor yr adran hon)
Bob blwyddyn, mae Varsity yn denu torf o dros 15,000 o fyfyrwyr ar gyfer y rownd derfynol yn Stadiwm Swansea.com. Mae’n deg tybio felly y bydd cyfran fawr o’r cefnogwyr hyn yn mynychu’r pentref chwaraeon ar gyfer digwyddiadau’r dydd i annog eu timoedd ymlaen, gyda brechdanau a chwrw wrth law. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, os oes unrhyw ddigwyddiadau penodol wedi dal dy lygad, er enghraifft os yw dy gyd-letywr ar y tîm pêl-droed; mae’n bwysig i hawlio dy le cyn gynted â phosibl. Gwna’n siwr bod gennyt ti ffrind i fynd i’r ty bach â nhw hefyd; neu byddet ti'n treulio'r hanner awr nesaf ar dy ben dy hun yn ceisio cropian o dan goesau pobl eraill i ddod o hyd i dy ffrindiau. Rwy'n siarad o brofiad yma.
Pam fod pawb yn bloeddio?
Pam fod pawb yn bloeddio? Mae hwn yn broblem aml y mae'n rhaid i wylwyr achlysurol ei hwynebu ym mron pob maes chwaraeon. Yr atebion cyffredin yw; fe sgoriodd rhywun, mae rhywun yn agos at sgorio, dyfarnwyd cic gosb neu mae gornest wedi torri allan. Y ffordd hawsaf o lywio’r maes cymorth dyrys hwn yw cadw llygad barcud ar ymateb dy gyd-wylwyr (mantais arall o’r crys-T gwyrdd). Dyma ddetholiad o ymatebion a sut i'w darllen:
Bloeddio Ecstatig = Gôl/Cais/Pwyntiau wedi'u dyfarnu mewn rhyw ffordd
Bloeddio cynyddol = Pwyntiau o bosibl ar fin digwydd
Griddfannau sydyn = pwyntiau a allai fod ar fin cael eu tynnu i ffwrdd ar y funud olaf
Chwerthin = Pobl yn ymladd
Murmur adeiladu cyson = cosb ar fin cael ei chymryd
Rhegi = Mae’r dyfarnwr wedi gwneud penderfyniad y mae'r gwylwyr yn anghytuno gyda (bydd “Come on Ref!” syml yn dy helpu yn y sefyllfa hon)
Gwybod Dy Ganeuon
Gwybod y caneuon yw’r ffordd hawsaf o ymddangos fel dy fod yn gwybod yn union beth sy’n digwydd. Mae'n siwr y byddet ti'n clywed mwy a mwy o'r caneuon protest Caerdydd trwy gydol y dydd, siwr o fod gyda nifer cynyddol o wallau. Fodd bynnag, mae dechrau caneuon dy hun yn gamp a fydd yn cadarnhau dy safle ymhlith y fyddin werdd a gwyn. Felly, dyma rai o ganeuon mwyaf poblogaidd Abertawe i ddechrau dy ddiwrnod:
Yn gyntaf, syml ond effeithiol:
We love you Swansea , we do…
We love you Swansea , we do…
We love you Swansea , we dooooo…
But Swansea we love you!
A'r un gynhyrfus, ond mwy penodol:
Swansea, oh Swansea, uni said I
Standing outside Fulton, until the day I die
Take me down to Sketty, oh way down by the sea
Where I will follow, Swansea… Swansea uni!
Felly, rwyt ti bellach wedi dy arfogi â'r caneuon hanfodol, rwyt ti wedi trefnu ffrind i fynd i’r ty bach â nhw, ac rwyt ti’n barod i weithio'r dorf gan wisgo gwyrdd yn falch. Rwyt ti nawr yn barod i wynebu Varsity Cymru, gan wybod, er efallai nad wyt ti'n gwybod yn union beth sy'n digwydd, mae'n debygol nad yw'r person sy'n sefyll nesaf atat ti yn deall chwaith, ac mae hynny'n iawn cyn belled â dy fod yn gweiddi'n uwch na Chaerdydd.
Tocynnau 23/02/22 https://events.swansea.su/event/varsity-2022/70261