# 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 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 and highlights from the 2023 Final are also available.

## Notable players

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, 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.
| 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

The following table sets out winners and notable players over the history of the Waratah Shield.
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score | Notable players |
| 1963 | Randwick Boys High School | | | |
| 1964 | Hurlstone Agricultural College | | | |
| 1965 | 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 | Epping Boys' High School | Manly Boys' High School | | |
| 1969 | Epping Boys' High School | Matraville Sports High School | | |
| 1970 | Manly Boys' High School | | | |
| 1971 | North Sydney Boys' High School | Randwick Boys High School | | |
| 1972 | Matraville Sports High School | | | |
| 1973 | North Sydney Boys' High School | Randwick Boy's High School | 6–3 | |
| 1974 | St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst | Lyneham High School, Canberra | 16–10 | |
| 1975 | Randwick Boys' High School | St Stanislaus' College, Bathust | 17–13 | |
| 1976 | Matraville High School | North Sydney High | 12–3 | Gary Ella, Mark Ella, Glen Ella Lloyd Walker |
| 1977 | Matraville High School | Randwick Boys' High School | 25–3 | Mark Ella |
| 1978 | Randwick Boys' High School | Chevalier College | 7–0 | |
| 1979 | James Ruse Agricultural High School | Birrong Boys High | 15–7 | |
| 1980 | St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst | North Sydney Boys High | 26–15 | |
| 1981 | St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst | Matraville High School | | James Grant |
| 1982 | Randwick Boys' High School | St Edmund's College, Canberra | 10–6 | |
| 1983 | Matraville High School | St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst | 13–9 | |
| 1984 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | Cranbrook School, Sydney | 14–4 | Ricky Stuart |
| 1985 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | Oakhill College | 22–4 | |
| 1986 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | Killarney Heights High School | 38–0 | David Furner, Matt Pini |
| 1987 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | Randwick Boy's High | 11–3 | |
| 1988 | Marist College, Canberra | Oakhill College | 13–3 | |
| 1989 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst | 9–6 | George Gregan |
| 1990 | The Scots College | St Edmund's College, Canberra | 6–0 | |
| 1991 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | Scots College, Sydney | 25–18 | |
| 1992 | Marist College, Canberra | St Stanislaus College, Bathurst | 38–8 | Joe Roff |
| 1993 | Marist College, Canberra | Oakhill College | 29–14 | |
| 1994 | Oakhill College | Marist College, Canberra | 24–20 | |
| 1995 | St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst | Daramalan College, Canberra | 22–15 | |
| 1996 | St Patrick's College, Strathfield | Marist College, Canberra | 24–23 | |
| 1997 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | St Patrick's College, Strathfield | 50–7 | |
| 1998 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | Cromer High School | 45–22 | George Smith |
| 1999 | 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 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst | 41–22 | |
| 2003 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | Prairiewood High School | 51–0 | Anthony Fainga'a, Saia Fainga'a |
| 2004 | St Edmund's College, Canberra | Rankwick Boys High School | | |
| 2005 | Westfields Sports High School | Barker College | | |
| 2006 | Barker College | | | |
| 2007 | Matraville Sports High School | | | |
| 2008 | St. Augustine's College, Brookvale | St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst | 26–16 | |
| 2009 | St. Augustine's College, Brookvale | 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 | The Hills Sports High School | 20–13 | |
| 2012 | St. Augustine's College, Brookvale | Oakhill College | 27–17 | |
| 2013 | St. Augustine's College, Brookvale | Oakhill College | 64–21 | |
| 2014 | St. Augustine's College, Brookvale | Oakhill College | 20–13 | |
| 2015 | St. Augustine's College, Brookvale | Hills Sport High School | 26–16 | |
| 2016 | St. Augustine's College, Brookvale | Oakhill College | 13–10 | |
| 2017 | 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 |