War of Roses painting

JUNIOR rugby club Otley have understandable issues about the sport’s most famous painting,

The Roses Match , still hanging in the RFU presidents’s suite at Twickenham.

The painting by William Wollen of the 1893 match between Yorkshire and Lancashire at Park Avenue, Bradford has been valued by a Sotheby’s expert at £500,000 and is insured for at least that amount by the RFU.

It was supposed to have only been loaned to the RFU for their centenary in 1971 but has never been returned to the Yorkshire club where it used to hang above the fireplace in the clubhouse. It was bought for £25 by three Otley club members from a second-hand shop in Newcastle in 1957.

Otley, struggling financially like many lower level rugby clubs, investigated whether they had a case to challenge Twickenham for its return. But it was discovered that the Yorkshire Rugby Union are the official owners, having paid £30 in 1958 to the Otley purchasers, who were also county committee members.

Club chairman Nick Girling said: ‘It would be great if the RFU were still to make some contribution to the club in recognition of the painting’s history but the Yorkshire ownership complicates matters.’ The RFU say they have never been asked to return it.