The Waratah Shield is a rugby union knock-out competition for high school teams from New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, 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, until 2004, when the ACT was released due to their dominance.[1] The NSW Schools Rugby Union asked ACT schools to 'show cause' as to why they should stay in the competition.[2] The injustice of the exclusion was the subject of an adjourment statement from House of Representative Member for Canberra Annette Ellis in the Australian Parliament.

The Shield was not contested from 2018 until it was relaunched in 2022. Finals have been live streamed on NSW Rugby TV. Replays [3] and highlights from the 2023 Final [4] are also available.

Notable players

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Many notable rugby players, including Wallaby greats, took part in the Waratah Shield in their youth. Many came from St Edmund's College in Canberra, shield winners 14 times. They include Ricky Stuart in their first title win in 1984 at the Sydney Cricket Ground which brought him to the attention of the sporting public,[1] Matt Giteau, David Furner, George Gregan, Matt Henjak, Anthony Fainga'a and Saia Fainga'a. Other notable players include Joe Roff also from Canberra who played in Marist College, Canberra's 1992 and 1993 victories, George Smith, Gordon Bray, Mark Ella, Gary Ella, Glen Ella and Lloyd Walker among others.

Number of victories

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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, seven more than the next most successful schools, St Augustine's College, Brookvale, with eight 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 8 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
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
Hunter Valley Grammar School 1 2022
Central Coast Grammar School 1 2023
Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School 1 2024

Waratah Shield premiers

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The following table sets out winners and notable players over the history of the Waratah Shield.[5]

Year Champions Runners-up Score Notable players
1963 Randwick Boys High School
1964 Hurlstone Agricultural College[6]
1965[7] Homebush Boys' High School Oakhill College 8–3 Gordon Bray
1966 Manly Boys' High School
1967 Epping Boys' High School Normanhurst Boys High School 9 -6
1968[8] Epping Boys' High School Manly Boys' High School
1969[9] Epping Boys' High School Matraville Sports High School
1970 Manly Boys' High School
1971[10][11] North Sydney Boys' High School Randwick Boys High School
1972 Matraville Sports High School
1973[12] North Sydney Boys' High School Randwick Boy's High School 6–3
1974[13][14] St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst Lyneham High School, Canberra 16–10
1975[15] Randwick Boys' High School St Stanislaus' College, Bathust 17–13
1976[16] Matraville High School North Sydney High 12–3 Gary Ella, Mark Ella, Glen Ella[17] Lloyd Walker[18]
1977[19] Matraville High School Randwick Boys' High School 25–3 Mark Ella
1978[20] Randwick Boys' High School Chevalier College 7–0
1979[21] James Ruse Agricultural High School Birrong Boys High 15–7
1980[22] St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst North Sydney Boys High 26–15
1981[23] St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst Matraville High School James Grant
1982[24][25] Randwick Boys' High School St Edmund's College, Canberra 10–6
1983[26][27] Matraville High School St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst 13–9
1984[28][29] St Edmund's College, Canberra Cranbrook School, Sydney 14–4 Ricky Stuart
1985[30] St Edmund's College, Canberra Oakhill College 22–4
1986[31] St Edmund's College, Canberra Killarney Heights High School 38–0 David Furner, Matt Pini
1987[32][33] St Edmund's College, Canberra Randwick Boy's High 11–3
1988[34][35] Marist College, Canberra Oakhill College 13–3
1989[36][37] St Edmund's College, Canberra St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst 9–6 George Gregan
1990[38][39] The Scots College St Edmund's College, Canberra 6–0
1991[40][41] St Edmund's College, Canberra Scots College, Sydney 25–18
1992[42] Marist College, Canberra St Stanislaus College, Bathurst 38–8 Joe Roff
1993[43] Marist College, Canberra Oakhill College 29–14
1994[44][45] Oakhill College Marist College, Canberra 24–20
1995[46] St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst Daramalan College, Canberra 22–15
1996[47][48] St Patrick's College, Strathfield Marist College, Canberra 24–23
1997 St Edmund's College, Canberra St Patrick's College, Strathfield 50–7
1998[49] St Edmund's College, Canberra Cromer High School 45–22 George Smith
1999[50] St Edmund's College, Canberra St Patrick's College, Strathfield 27–15 Matt Giteau, Matt Henjak
2000 St Edmund's College, Canberra
2001 St Edmund's College, Canberra
2002[51][52] St Edmund's College, Canberra St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst 41–22
2003[53] St Edmund's College, Canberra Prairiewood High School 51–0 Anthony Fainga'a, Saia Fainga'a
2004[54][55] St Edmund's College, Canberra Rankwick Boys High School
2005[56][57] Westfields Sports High School Barker College
2006[58] Barker College
2007[59] Matraville Sports High School
2008[60] St. Augustine's College, Brookvale St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst 26–16
2009[61] St. Augustine's College, Brookvale St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst 18–13
2010[62] The Hills Sports High School St. Augustine's College, Brookvale 38–18
2011[63] St. Augustine's College, Brookvale The Hills Sports High School 20–13
2012[64][65] St. Augustine's College, Brookvale Oakhill College 27–17
2013[66] St. Augustine's College, Brookvale Oakhill College 64–21
2014[67] St. Augustine's College, Brookvale Oakhill College 20–13
2015[68] St. Augustine's College, Brookvale Hills Sport High School 26–16
2016[69] St. Augustine's College, Brookvale Oakhill College 13–10
2017[70] St. Augustine's College, Brookvale Hills Sport High School forfeit
2018 Not contested
2019 Not contested
2020 Not contested
2021 Not contested
2022 Hunter Valley Grammar School Randwick Boys High School 22-12
2023 Central Coast Grammar School Randwick Boys High School 25-18 (*18-18 at full time, match won in extra time)
2024 Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School Central Coast Grammar School 7-0

See also

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References

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