Newcastle vs Northumbria: A rivalry breakdown

For decades, two universities have thrived under the same Tyne bridge. Just a few streets apart from each other, intertwined throughout Newcastle city centre, they are fated to collide. We will break down the long-standing tension and inevitable rivalry and stereotypes that exist between the ‘poly’ and ‘posh’ of the Northeast.

Newcastle university first occupied the city in 1834, specialising in science, medicine and engineering. This university became a member of the Russel group in 1994, building its redbrick reputation. Yet, in 1992, Northumbria university occupied the city and hence started this battle of the toon.  Northumbria are not to be dismissed as a top university. In the last couple of years, they have flown up the league tables, being ranked 37^th in the Complete University Guide 2026 and 27^th in the Uni compare rankings of 2026. Also, winning university of the year in 2022. Yet, Newcastle students still uphold this sense of superiority from the prestigious Russel group title that Newcastle university holds.

Not only is there an academic rivalry but also tensions in culture and nightlife with Osbourne Road divided by the unspoken rules of poly vs posh bars and pubs. With the ‘have I told you about my gap yahhh’ boys and skinny scarf Newcastle university girls, being bar Blanc warriors. We found that Osbournes is the place of the poly, being the birth place of £2 Tuesdays, and their infamous Brack burger. It is a Northumbria university students place to be.

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If this doesn’t differentiate the two enough, you can spot a ‘posh’ from a mile away. Wearing their tom trunks, Birkenstocks and dry robes, strolling to lectures. Their MacBook always in hand, as they have inevitably never heard of a laptop case. Most likely hanging from a long night at space Mondays, hobo or the Palace, the debrief will always be with a Local coffee in hand. Together with the Waitrose or M&S weekly food shop that’s on the way to help the recovery.

Stereotypically the university with better chat, Northumbria students are the more down-to-earth types. With their vintage style clothes and baggy jeans, they’re ready to take on their Mickey mouse degrees. However, all this in mind, they are still less bothered than the ‘posh’ about excepting their labels as they would ‘rather be a poly than a posh’. These are your howlers’ merchants, GDT fanatics and Tropiloco die hards. These wanna be DJs will inevitably be the last one in the club when the lights come on, ready for their Athena kebab for the walk home.

However, the actual showdown happened on Wednesday 3rd December on the rugby pitch with Northumbria taking on Newcastle in the ‘Big Clash’. Both universities pride themselves on the quality of sport, with Newcastle being ranked 8th currently in the 24/25 BUCs season and Northumbria ranked 23rd, but who can officially claim bragging rights. The game finished with a 40-3 win to Newcastle as they successfully ‘bashed the poly’. Wearing ‘your dad works for my dad’ t shirts and chanting ‘your poly till July’.

Ultimately, the ‘poly’ vs ‘posh’ clash is mainly at face value and both universities have the same love of the rivalry. They encourage competition academically and the highest standards of sport when varsity comes around. Whether it comes down to culture, class or academic prestige, they both cross paths in different ways and share the same love for the city of Newcastle.