KNOX Grammar’s First XV Rugby team take out CAS Rugby Premiership with Waverly College

KNOX Grammar’s First XV Rugby team are joint CAS Rugby Premiers after both the Wahroonga based school and arch rivals Waverley College easily won their last round games last Saturday.

Knox Grammar School 1st XV v St Aloysius' College 1st XV. Sport Rugby Union Schoolboys. Knox Oval. 13 August 2016. Photo by Jeremy Bowring/SPA Images

KNOX Grammar’s First XV Rugby team are joint CAS Rugby Premiers after both the Wahroonga based school and arch rivals Waverley College easily won their last round games last Saturday.

Knox completed their side of the premiership deal with an 86-nil rout of the winless St Aloysius at Knox Field Number 1 last Saturday.

Knox Grammar School 1st XV v St Aloysius' College 1st XV. Sport Rugby Union Schoolboys. Knox Oval. 13 August 2016. Photo by Jeremy Bowring/SPA Images

Taking advantage of the undermanned St Aloysius' to injury, Knox played expansive rugby in throwing the ball wide from the kick off in perfect conditions for fast, open football.

St Aloysius’ injuries during the match forced uncontested scrums in the closing stages — with Knox never in danger of defeat.

Across town, neighbouring rival school Barker College could not do their neighbours the favour dreamt Waverley College easily disposed of Barker 49-nil at Waverley College’s ‘death valley’ home ground to earn a share of the Premiership.

Knox Grammar School 1st XV v St Aloysius' College 1st XV. Sport Rugby Union Schoolboys. Knox Oval. 13 August 2016. Photo by Jeremy Bowring/SPA Images

Both Knox and Waverley scored nine wins and one loss for their season to finish equal top of the final table on 18 points each.

Each school’s one loss was to the other away from home in the split two matches played.

Under long standing CAS competition rules, there are no end of season finals and no countback

provisions such as for and against percentages used to separate teams finishing level on points at the end of the season.

Knox Grammar School 1st XV v St Aloysius' College 1st XV. Sport Rugby Union Schoolboys. Knox Oval. 13 August 2016. Photo by Jeremy Bowring/SPA Images

It is the first time since the first year of the full home and away CAS season in 2009 that the Henry Plume Shield — the symbol of CAS rugby supremacy — has been shared.

Ironically it was Knox and Waverley that also shared that title 7 years ago.