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.
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 Nine Network 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.
History 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.
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 1977, Ashcroft High became the first Co-ed school to win the title playing against Parramatta Marist High School. Playing at Leichhardt Oval, the game was televised on Channel 10, compared by John Brennan and replayed after the Amco Cup Final. Ashcroft took the double by winning the University Shield for the second year in a row.Players playing in the game.
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.
In 2003, St Dominic's College, Penrith, brought the Cup back to New South Wales, winning their only title, coincidentally in the same year the Penrith Panthers won the NRL Grand Final. They beat Endeavour Sports High School 28-0.
The following year, Endeavour Sports High School returned to the final and won the competition, winning it 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.
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.
In 2025, Keebra Park State High School defeated Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown extending the Blacktown side’s run of heartbreak with an eighth finals defeat and only one victory to show for it.
Naming rights 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)GIO becomes a proud sponsor of NSW Rugby League Suncorp 16 April 2012 NRL Schoolboy Cup (2018–present)
Format 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, Fairfield16–8 Blacktown Boys High School 1976 Blacktown Boys High School16–7 Ashcroft High School 1977 Ashcroft High School16–3 Parramatta Marist High School 1978 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield19–3 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, Ryde15–11 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield 1982 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield18–15 Holy Cross College, Ryde 1983 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield14–2 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 1984 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 16–10 Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham 1985 Ashcroft High School13–6 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield 1986 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 26–0 Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham 1987 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield21–0 Keebra Park State High School 1988 Parramatta Marist High School14–6 Holy Cross College, Ryde 1989 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 12–10 Holy Cross College, Ryde1990 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 18–4 St John's College, Woodlawn1991 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 28–12 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield1992 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield17–16 Harristown State High School1993 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 27–6 Wavell State High School1994 John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong34–4 Eagle Vale High School1995 Parramatta Marist High School24–0 McCarthy Catholic Senior High School1996 John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong12–6 Erindale College, Canberra1997 Erindale College, Canberra26–12 Parramatta Marist High School1998 Erindale College, Canberra27–14 Parramatta Marist High School1999 Terra Sancta College16–14 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School2000 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 16–0 St Francis Xavier's College, Hamilton2001 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School16–4 St Gregory's College, Campbelltown 2002 Wavell State High School22–20 Terra Sancta College2003 St Dominic's College, Penrith28–0 Endeavour Sports High School2004 Endeavour Sports High School16–7 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown2005 Endeavour Sports High School20–10 Keebra Park State High School2006 Endeavour Sports High School16–7 Keebra Park State High School2007 Matraville Sports High School32–10 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown2008 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School24–22 Matraville Sports High School2009 Keebra Park State High School18–12 Matraville Sports High School2010 The Hills Sports High School18–14 Keebra Park State High School2011 The Hills Sports High School22–20 Matraville Sports High School2012 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown32–6 Endeavour Sports High School2013 Keebra Park State High School28–4 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown2014 Endeavour Sports High School22–12 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown2015 Kirwan State High School28–10 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown2016 Westfields Sports High School 26–24 Keebra Park State High School2017 Keebra Park State High School25–12 Westfields Sports High School 2018 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School20–12 Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown2019 Kirwan State High School16–10 Westfields Sports High School 2022 Ipswich State High School32–6 Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield2023 Westfields Sports High School38–4 Palm Beach Currumbin State High School2024Palm Beach Currumbin State High School18–16Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown2025Keebra Park State High School20-12Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown2026 Wavell State High School20-12 Endeavour Sports High School
Titles No. School Location Titles Runners-up1St Gregory's CollegeGregory Hills, New South Wales1979, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2000 (9)1983, 2001 (2)2Patrician Brothers' College (Fairfield)Fairfield, New South Wales1975, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1992 (6)1981, 1985, 1991, 2022 (4)3Endeavour Sports High SchoolCaringbah, New South Wales2004, 2005, 2006, 2014 (4)2003, 2012, 2026 (3)Keebra Park State High SchoolSouthport, Queensland2009, 2013, 2017, 2025 (4)1987, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2016 (5)Palm Beach Currumbin State High SchoolCurrumbin, Queensland2001, 2008, 2018, 2024 (4) 1999, 2023 (2)5Parramatta Marist High SchoolWestmead, New South Wales1988, 1995 (2)1977, 1997, 1998 (3)Ashcroft High SchoolAshcroft, New South Wales1977, 1985 (2)1976 (1)Erindale CollegeWanniassa, Australian Capital Territory1997, 1998 (2)1996 (1)Kirwan State High SchoolKirwan, Queensland2015, 2019 (2)—St Andrews CollegeMarayong, New South Wales1994, 1996 (2)—The Hills Sports High SchoolSeven Hills, New South Wales2010, 2011 (2)—Wavell State High SchoolWavell Heights, Queensland2002, 2026 (2)1993 (1)Westfields Sports High SchoolFairfield West, New South Wales2016, 2023 (2)2017, 2019 (2)12Patrician Brothers' College (Blacktown)Blacktown, New South Wales2012 (1)2004, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2024, 2025 (8)Holy Cross CollegeRyde, New South Wales1981 (1)1979, 1980, 1982, 1988, 1989 (5)Matraville Sports High SchoolChifley, New South Wales2007 (1)2008, 2009, 2011 (3)St John Paul II Catholic CollegeNirimba Fields, New South Wales1999 (1)2002 (1)Blacktown Boys High SchoolBlacktown, New South Wales1976 (1)1975 (1)Ipswich State High SchoolBrassall, Queensland2022 (1)—St Dominic's CollegePenrith, New South Wales2003 (1)—
Peter Sterling Medal 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.