The NRL Schoolboy Cup is the premier secondary schools rugby league competition in Australia, held annually since 1975. Formerly known under such names as the Amco Shield, Commonwealth Bank Cup, Arrive Alive Cup and GIO Schoolboy Cup nearly 450 schools from throughout Australia compete in the knock-out competition.[1]

NRL Schoolboy Cup
SportRugby league
Instituted1975
CountryAustralia (Australian Rugby League Commission)
HoldersPalm Beach Currumbin State High School (2024)
Most titlesSt Gregory's College, Campbelltown (9 titles)
WebsiteGIO Schoolboy Cup website
Broadcast partnerFox Sports

The player of the tournament is awarded the Peter Sterling Medal, renamed in 1996 after Peter Sterling, who won the medal in 1978, for Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield. The competition is televised on Fox Sports and The Daily Telegraph.

The most successful school is St Gregory's College, Campbelltown, with nine titles, followed by Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield with six. The most recent champions are Palm Beach Currumbin State High School, who won their fourth title in 2024.

History

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The competition was founded in 1975 as the Amco Shield. The inaugural winners were Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield who defeated Blacktown High School in the final, 16–8. The match was played at Leichhardt Oval as a curtain raiser to the 1975 Amco Cup final between Eastern Suburbs and Parramatta.[2]

Originally, the televised matches of the competition were played and recorded as the curtain raisers to mid week Amco Cup games. After the midweek competitions died out, the televised matches were played prior to Friday Night Football and were shown on Channel 9 in the weeks leading up to the NRL Grand Final. The games are currently played and recorded midweek and shown on Fox Sports, with commentary by Andrew Voss.

In 1978, Padua College, Brisbane were the first Queensland school and first school from outside of New South Wales to make the final. They lost 19–3 to Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield.

In 1980, St Gregory's College, Campbelltown became the first school to win back-to-back titles. They later became the first school to win three titles in a row from 1989 to 1991.

In 1982 Holy Cross College, Ryde became the first school to play in four consecutive finals from 1979. They lost three of their four finals, with their only victory coming against Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield in 1981.

In 1996, Erindale College, Canberra became the first school from the Australian Capital Territory to reach the final. A year later they became the first school from outside of New South Wales to win the competition. They won the competition again in 1998, beating Parramatta Marist High School in both years.

In 2001, Palm Beach Currumbin State High School became the first Queensland school to win the competition. Brisbane's Wavell State High School became the second a year later in 2002.

Endeavour Sports High School won the competition three years in a row from 2004 to 2006, becoming the first school to do so since 1991.

In 2015, Townsville's Kirwan State High School became the first school from North Queensland to win the competition, defeating Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown, who were in their fourth straight final, losing the last three in a row.

In 2016, Westfields Sports High School won the competition for the first time.

In 2017, Keebra Park State High School became first Queensland school to win the competition three times, becoming the most successful school in the state. A year later, Palm Beach Currumbin won their third title, drawing level with Keebra Park. In 2019, Kirwan State High School won the competition for the second time, making it three straight years a Queensland school has won.

In 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no national finals were held for the first time in the competition's history.[3]

In 2022, after a three year absence, the national final returned, with Ipswich State High School defeating Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield to win their first title.[4]

Naming rights

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Due to sponsorship, the Schoolboy Cup has gone under many different names since first being held in 1975. Originally known as the Amco Shield, it has been known as the NRL Schoolboy Cup since 2018.

  • Amco Shield (1975–1979)
  • Commonwealth Bank Cup (1980–1996)
  • Aussie Home Loans Cup (1997–1999)
  • Nutri-Grain Cup (2000–2002)
  • Arrive Alive Cup (2003–2009)
  • National Schoolboy Cup (2010–2011)
  • GIO Schoolboy Cup (2012–2017)[5]
  • NRL Schoolboy Cup (2018–present)

Format

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The competition is divided into two conferences. The Northern Conference, comprising schools from Queensland, is further divided into smaller competitions: the Aaron Payne Cup, the Allan Langer Trophy, and the Dolphin Cup. The winners of these cups compete against each other, with the victor being crowned the Queensland Schoolboy Cup Champion. The Southern Conference, known as the Peter Mulholland Cup, includes schools from New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. The winners of the Queensland Schoolboy Trophy and the Peter Mulholland Cup then face off in the National Schoolboy Final, with the winner being crowned the National Schoolboy Champion.

Champions by each Season
Season Champions Score Runners-up
1975 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield 16–8 Blacktown Boys High School
1976 Blacktown Boys High School 16–7 Ashcroft High School
1977 Ashcroft High School 16–3 Parramatta Marist High School
1978 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield 19–3 Padua College, Brisbane
1979 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 16–14 Holy Cross College, Ryde
1980 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 11–9 Holy Cross College, Ryde
1981 Holy Cross College, Ryde 15–11 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield
1982 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield 18–15 Holy Cross College, Ryde
1983 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield 14–2 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
1984 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 16–10 Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham
1985 Ashcroft High School 13–6 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield
1986 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 26–0 Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham
1987 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield 21–0 Keebra Park State High School
1988 Parramatta Marist High School 14–6 Holy Cross College, Ryde
1989 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 12–10 Holy Cross College, Ryde
1990 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 18–4 St John's College, Woodlawn
1991 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 28–12 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield
1992 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield 17–16 Harristown State High School
1993 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 27–6 Wavell State High School
1994 John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong 34–4 Eagle Vale High School
1995 Parramatta Marist High School 24–0 McCarthy Catholic Senior High School
1996 John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong 12–6 Erindale College, Canberra
1997 Erindale College, Canberra 26–12 Parramatta Marist High School
1998 Erindale College, Canberra 27–14 Parramatta Marist High School
1999 Terra Sancta College 16–14 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
2000 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 16–0 St Francis Xavier's College, Hamilton
2001 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 16–4 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
2002 Wavell State High School 22–20 Terra Sancta College
2003 St Dominic's College, Penrith 28–0 Endeavour Sports High School
2004 Endeavour Sports High School 16–7 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown
2005 Endeavour Sports High School 20–10 Keebra Park State High School
2006 Endeavour Sports High School 16–7 Keebra Park State High School
2007 Matraville Sports High School 32–10 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown
2008 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 24–22 Matraville Sports High School
2009 Keebra Park State High School 18–12 Matraville Sports High School
2010 The Hills Sports High School 18–14 Keebra Park State High School
2011 The Hills Sports High School 22–20 Matraville Sports High School
2012 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown 32–6 Endeavour Sports High School
2013 Keebra Park State High School 28–4 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown
2014 Endeavour Sports High School 22–12 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown
2015 Kirwan State High School 28–10 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown
2016 Westfields Sports High School 26–24 Keebra Park State High School
2017 Keebra Park State High School 25–12 Westfields Sports High School
2018 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 20–12 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown
2019 Kirwan State High School 16–10 Westfields Sports High School
2022 Ipswich State High School 32–6 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield
2023 Westfields Sports High School 38–4 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
2024 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 18–16 Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown

Titles

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No. School Location Titles Runners-up
1 St Gregory's College Gregory Hills, New South Wales 1979, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1989,
1990, 1991, 1993, 2000 (9)
1983, 2001 (2)
2 Patrician Brothers' College (Fairfield) Fairfield, New South Wales 1975, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1987,
1992 (6)
1981, 1985, 1991, 2022 (4)
3 Endeavour Sports High School Caringbah, New South Wales 2004, 2005, 2006, 2014 (4) 2003, 2012 (2)
Palm Beach Currumbin State High School Currumbin, Queensland 2001, 2008, 2018, 2024 (4) 1999, 2023 (2)
4 Keebra Park State High School Southport, Queensland 2009, 2013, 2017 (3) 1987, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2016 (5)
5 Parramatta Marist High School Westmead, New South Wales 1988, 1995 (2) 1977, 1997, 1998 (3)
Ashcroft High School Ashcroft, New South Wales 1977, 1985 (2) 1976 (1)
Erindale College Wanniassa, Australian Capital Territory 1997, 1998 (2) 1996 (1)
Kirwan State High School Kirwan, Queensland 2015, 2019 (2)
St Andrews College Marayong, New South Wales 1994, 1996 (2)
The Hills Sports High School Seven Hills, New South Wales 2010, 2011 (2)
Westfields Sports High School Fairfield West, New South Wales 2016, 2023 (2) 2017, 2019 (2)
12 Patrician Brothers' College (Blacktown) Blacktown, New South Wales 2012 (1) 2004, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2024 (7)
Holy Cross College Ryde, New South Wales 1981 (1) 1979, 1980, 1982, 1988, 1989 (5)
Matraville Sports High School Chifley, New South Wales 2007 (1) 2008, 2009, 2011 (3)
St John Paul II Catholic College Nirimba Fields, New South Wales 1999 (1) 2002 (1)
Blacktown Boys High School Blacktown, New South Wales 1976 (1) 1975 (1)
Wavell State High School Wavell Heights, Queensland 2002 (1) 1993 (1)
Ipswich State High School Brassall, Queensland 2022 (1)
St Dominic's College Penrith, New South Wales 2003 (1)

Peter Sterling Medal

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The Peter Sterling Medal is awarded to the most outstanding player in the competition. Sterling, one of rugby league's most decorated players, won the award in 1978 while attending Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield. In 1996, the medal was renamed in his honour.

Season Player School
1976 Steve White Blacktown Boys High School
1977 Alan Emery Ashcroft High School
1978 Peter Sterling Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield
1979 Ivan Henjak St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
1980 Ben Elias Holy Cross College, Ryde
1981 Ben Elias Holy Cross College, Ryde
1982 Paul Langmack Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield
1983 Greg Alexander Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield
1984 Paul Osborne Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham
1985 David Rowles Ashcroft High School
1986 Damien Kenniff St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
1987 David Danes Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield
1988 David Bayssari Parramatta Marist High School
1989 Jason Taylor St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
1990 Troy Dicinoski St John's College, Woodlawn
1991 Damien Chapman St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
1992 Andrew Dunemann Harristown State High School
1993 Kris Flint St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
1994 Michael Withers John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong
1995 Nathan Cayless Parramatta Marist High School
1996 Chris Smith John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong
1997 Greg Keary Parramatta Marist High School
1998 Peter Rose Erindale College
1999 Christian Orsini Terra Sancta College
2000 Riley Mullins St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
2001 Mat Brown Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
2002 Aaron Lewis Wavell State High School
2003 Michael Carl St Dominic's College, Penrith
2004 Beau Champion Endeavour Sports High School
2005 Ben Te'o Keebra Park State High School
2006 Jack McGhee St John’s college
2007 Adam Reynolds Matraville Sports High School
2008 Ryan James Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
2009 Jordan Kahu Keebra Park State High School
2010 Gerard McCallum Hills Sports High School
2011 Kem Seru Matraville Sports High School
2012 Jaden Clarke Endeavour Sports High School
2013 Marion Seve Keebra Park State High School
2014 Joey Tramontana Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown
2015 Julian Christian Kirwan State High School
2016 Payne Haas Keebra Park State High School
2017 David Fifita Keebra Park State High School
2018 Tom Dearden Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
2019 Adrian Trevilyan Kirwan State High School
2022 Gabriel Satrick Ipswich State High School
2023 Lachlan Galvin Westfields Sports High School
2024 Zane Harrison Palm Beach Currumbin State High School

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2010 ARL Schoolboy Cup". New South Wales Rugby League. 25 May 2010. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Celebrating 40 years of Schoolboy Rugby League". 17 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Patrician Brothers Blacktown defeat Westfields Sports High". The Daily Telegraph. 11 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Watch Ipswich v Patrician Brothers in interstate derby". The Courier-Mail. 14 September 2022.
  5. ^ GIO becomes a proud sponsor of NSW Rugby League Suncorp 16 April 2012
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