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.

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]

See also

• Rugby union trophies and awards

References

Easternal links

• Australian Schools Rugby Union
• NSW Schools Rugby Union