Both clubs are the most decorated in their respective counties and have 33 league championships between them to date (beaten only by the collective hall of St Helens and Wigan Warriors at 38).

The rivalry has been described as the most underrated rivalry in British rugby league, and having the grounds to be placed with the aforementioned Good Friday Derby between St Helens and Wigan and the Hull Derby.

From then, the competitive rivalry started to intensify, but it wasn't until Wigan's period of dominance in the late 80s and 90s then Leeds's dominance in the late 00s and early 10s which saw both teams win the treble in their respective periods and the rivalry become what it is today.

[2] Since the discontinuation of the county origin series War of the Roses in 2003, the Leeds-Wigan rivalry has seemingly inherited the name in the years since only adding to the rivalry's intensity.

[1] As representatives of the largest city in their respective counties (Leeds and Manchester), the term "Roses Derby" is often used to describe derby matches from theses cities.