Waratah Shield

The Waratah Shield is a rugby union knock-out competition for high school teams from New South Wales, Australia. First contested in 1963, it is organised by New South Wales Rugby Union in conjunction with NSW Schools' Rugby Union and NSW Combined High Schools and attracts around 100 entries each year. St Edmund's College, Canberra is the most successful school with fourteen victories. The competition is open to all high schools in NSW and, until 2004, the ACT.[1]

Notable players

Leading St Edmund's to victory in the Waratah Shield at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1984 brought Ricky Stuart to the attention of the sporting public.[1] Stuart went on to represent the Wallabies on their 1987 tour to Argentina before switching to an illustrious career in rugby league, winning three premierships with Canberra and representing the Blues and the Kangaroos. Other prominent footballers who have played in the Waratah Shield include: Matt Giteau, David Furner, George Gregan, Matt Henjak, Anthony Fainga'a and Saia Fainga'a – all, inclusive of Stuart, hail from St Edmund's College. Other notable players include Joe Roff who played in Marist College, Canberra's 1992 and 1993 victories and George Smith, who played for Cromer High School in their 1998 loss to St Edmunds.

Number of victories

A total of 18 schools have won the Waratah Shield since it began in 1963. St. Edmund's College, Canberra is the most successful school in the history of the Waratah Shield with a total of 14 victories, nine more than the next most successful schools, St Augustine's College, Brookvale, with five titles.

School Victories Years won
St. Edmund's College, Canberra 14 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
St Augustine's College, Brookvale 6 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Matraville Sports High School 5 1972, 1976, 1977, 1983, 2007
Randwick Boys High School 4 1963, 1975, 1978, 1982
St Stanislaus' College 4 1974, 1980, 1981, 1995
Epping Boys High School 3 1967, 1968, 1969
Marist College, Canberra 3 1988, 1992, 1993
Manly Boys High School 2 1966, 1970
North Sydney Boys High School 2 1971, 1973
Hurlstone Agricultural College 1 1964
Homebush Boys High School 1 1965
James Ruse Agricultural High School 1 1979
The Scots College 1 1990
Oakhill College 1 1994
St Patrick's College, Strathfield 1 1996
Westfields Sports High School 1 2005
Barker College 1 2006
The Hills Sports High School 1 2010

Waratah Shield premiers

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

The following table sets out winners and notable players over the history of the Waratah Shield.[2]

Year Champions Runners-up Score Notable players
1963 Randwick Boys High School
1964 Hurlstone Agricultural College
1965 Homebush Boys' High School
1966 Manly Boys' High School
1967 Epping Boys' High School
1968 Epping Boys' High School
1969 Epping Boys' High School
1970 Manly Boys' High School
1971 North Sydney Boys' High School
1972 Matraville High School
1973 North Sydney Boys' High School
1974 St Stanislaus' College
1975 Randwick Boys' High School
1976 Matraville High School
1977 Matraville High School
1978 Randwick Boys' High School
1979 James Ruse Agricultural High School
1980 St Stanislaus' College
1981 St Stanislaus' College James Grant: (1981–1982) - Rugby international
1982 Randwick Boys' High School
1983 Matraville High School St. Stanislaus' College 13-9
1984 St Edmund's College, Canberra Ricky Stuart
1985 St Edmund's College, Canberra
1986 St Edmund's College, Canberra Killarney Heights High School David Furner, Matt Pini
1987 St Edmund's College, Canberra David Furner
1988 Marist College, Canberra
1989 St Edmund's College, Canberra George Gregan
1990 The Scots College
1991 St Edmund's College, Canberra George Gregan
1992 Marist College, Canberra St Stanislaus College, Bathurst Joe Roff
1993 Marist College, Canberra Oakhill College Joe Roff
1994 Oakhill College Marist College, Canberra
1995 St Stanislaus' College Daramalan College, Canberra
1996 St Patrick's College, Strathfield Marist College, Canberra
1997 St Edmund's College, Canberra St Patrick's College, Strathfield50-7
1998 St Edmund's College, Canberra Cromer High School George Smith
1999 St Edmund's College, Canberra Matt Giteau, Matt Henjak
2000 St Edmund's College, Canberra
2001 St Edmund's College, Canberra
2002 St Edmund's College, Canberra
2003 St Edmund's College, Canberra Anthony Fainga'a, Saia Fainga'a
2004 St Edmund's College, Canberra Anthony Fainga'a, Saia Fainga'a
2005 Westfields Sports High School
2006 Barker College
2007 Matraville Sports High School
2008 St. Augustine's College, Brookvale[3] St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst 26–16
2009 St. Augustine's College, Brookvale[3] St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst 18–13
2010 The Hills Sports High School St. Augustine's College, Brookvale 38–18
2011 St. Augustine's College, Brookvale[4] The Hills Sports High School 20–13
2012 St. Augustine's College, Brookvale[5] Oakhill College 27-17
2013 St. Augustine's College, Brookvale[6] Oakhill College 64-21

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Paul (23 May 2005). "Boys' lesson in defeat, if not class". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  2. ↑ "Waratah Shield Premiers" (pdf). 2011 Waratah Shield & Cup Handbook. NSW Rugby Union. 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Saints win state-wide Waratah Shield". Peninsula Living. October 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  4. ↑ "Waratah Shield Final result". NSW Schools Rugby Union. 12 September 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  5. ↑ "Review: Waratah Shield Final". Green and Gold Rugby. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  6. ↑ "St. Augustine’s College win Waratah Shield for fifth time". Green and Gold Rugby. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2014.

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