Waratah Shield


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. The NSW Schools Rugby Union asked ACT schools to 'show cause' as to why they should stay in the competition. The injustice of the exclusion was the subject of an adjournment 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 and highlights from the 2023 Final are also available.

Notable players

Many notable rugby players, including Australia national [rugby union team|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, 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

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.
SchoolVictoriesYears won
St. Edmund's College, Canberra141984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
St Augustine's College, Brookvale82008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Matraville Sports High School51972, 1976, 1977, 1983, 2007
Randwick [Boys High School]41963, 1975, 1978, 1982
St Stanislaus' College41974, 1980, 1981, 1995
Epping Boys High School31967, 1968, 1969
Marist College, Canberra31988, 1992, 1993
Manly Boys High School21966, 1970
North [Sydney Boys High School]21971, 1973
Hurlstone Agricultural College11964
Homebush Boys High School11965
James Ruse Agricultural High School11979
The Scots College11990
Oakhill College11994
St Patrick's College, Strathfield11996
Westfields Sports High School12005
Barker College12006
The Hills Sports High School12010
Hunter Valley Grammar School12022
Central Coast Grammar School12023
Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School12024

Waratah Shield premiers

The following table sets out winners and notable players over the history of the Waratah Shield.
YearChampionsRunners-upScoreNotable players-
1963Randwick Boys High School-
1964Hurlstone Agricultural College-
1965Homebush Boys' High SchoolOakhill College8–3Gordon Bray-
1966Manly Boys' High School-
1967Epping Boys' High SchoolNormanhurst Boys High School9 -6-
1968Epping Boys' High SchoolManly Boys' High School-
1969Epping Boys' High SchoolMatraville Sports High School-
1970Manly Boys' High School-
1971North Sydney Boys' High SchoolRandwick Boys High School-
1972Matraville Sports High School-
1973North Sydney Boys' High SchoolRandwick Boy's High School6–3-
1974St Stanislaus' College, BathurstLyneham High School, Canberra16–10-
1975Randwick Boys' High SchoolSt Stanislaus' College, Bathust17–13-
1976Matraville High SchoolNorth Sydney High12–3Gary Ella, Mark Ella, Glen Ella Lloyd Walker-
1977Matraville High SchoolRandwick Boys' High School25–3Mark Ella-
1978Randwick Boys' High SchoolChevalier College7–0-
1979James Ruse Agricultural High SchoolBirrong Boys High15–7-
1980St Stanislaus' College, BathurstNorth Sydney Boys High26–15-
1981St Stanislaus' College, BathurstMatraville High SchoolJames Grant-
1982Randwick Boys' High SchoolSt Edmund's College, Canberra10–6-
1983Matraville High SchoolSt. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst13–9-
1984St Edmund's College, CanberraCranbrook School, Sydney14–4Ricky Stuart-
1985St Edmund's College, CanberraOakhill College22–4-
1986St Edmund's College, CanberraKillarney Heights High School38–0David Furner, Matt Pini-
1987St Edmund's College, CanberraRandwick Boy's High11–3-
1988Marist College, CanberraOakhill College13–3-
1989St Edmund's College, CanberraSt Stanislaus' College, Bathurst9–6George Gregan-
1990The Scots CollegeSt Edmund's College, Canberra6–0-
1991St Edmund's College, CanberraScots College, Sydney25–18-
1992Marist College, CanberraSt Stanislaus College, Bathurst38–8Joe Roff-
1993Marist College, CanberraOakhill College29–14-
1994Oakhill CollegeMarist College, Canberra24–20-
1995St Stanislaus' College, BathurstDaramalan College, Canberra22–15-
1996St Patrick's College, StrathfieldMarist College, Canberra24–23-
1997St Edmund's College, CanberraSt Patrick's College, Strathfield50–7-
1998St Edmund's College, CanberraCromer High School45–22George Smith-
1999St Edmund's College, CanberraSt Patrick's College, Strathfield27–15Matt Giteau, Matt Henjak-
2000St Edmund's College, Canberra-
2001St Edmund's College, Canberra-
2002St Edmund's College, CanberraSt. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst41–22-
2003St Edmund's College, CanberraPrairiewood High School51–0Anthony Fainga'a, Saia Fainga'a-
2004St Edmund's College, CanberraRankwick Boys High School-
2005Westfields Sports High SchoolBarker College-
2006Barker College-
2007Matraville Sports High School-
2008St. Augustine's College, BrookvaleSt. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst26–16-
2009St. Augustine's College, BrookvaleSt. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst18–13-
2010The Hills Sports High SchoolSt. Augustine's College, Brookvale38–18-
2011St. Augustine's College, BrookvaleThe Hills Sports High School20–13-
2012St. Augustine's College, BrookvaleOakhill College27–17-
2013St. Augustine's College, BrookvaleOakhill College64–21-
2014St. Augustine's College, BrookvaleOakhill College20–13-
2015St. Augustine's College, BrookvaleHills Sport High School26–16-
2016St. Augustine's College, BrookvaleOakhill College13–10-
2017St. Augustine's College, BrookvaleHills Sport High Schoolforfeit-
2018Not contested
2019Not contested
2020Not contested
2021Not contested
2022Hunter Valley Grammar SchoolRandwick Boys High School22-12--
2023Central Coast Grammar SchoolRandwick Boys High School25-18-
2024Farrer Memorial Agricultural High SchoolCentral Coast Grammar School7-0--