NSW junior rugby state championships: winners, results, Two Blues, Manly top clubs

Only two clubs had multiple wins at the NSW junior rugby championships. Stars, standouts, top clubs and results of every age division at the 2022 event.

The winning Manly girls team at state championships. Pic: Supplied.

After three days of action, hundreds of games and tournaments spread across the state only two clubs tasted success in more than one age division at the NSW junior rugby championships.

Manly junior rugby union and the Two Blues juniors went home winners in two state championship age groups after the annual event - this year boasting record numbers and almost 200 teams - concluded.

And while country teams tasted success at various stages of the event hone were able to take a state title off their city rivals.

The Sydney Cup winning Manly junior side at state championships. Pic: Supplied.

In an extraordinary result, Manly juniors and the Two Blues drew the state championship decider 28-28 in the U12 boys comp played at Camden after being locked at 14-14 at halftime.

The northern beaches club also won the U14 girls state title and the young guns from the Two Blues claimed the U14s boys final played at Orange against Eastwood.

“Gordon, who won the Sydney Cup and Central Coast, who won the country champs, didn’t make the U14 final,’’ said NSW Rugby Juniors Ben Gregory.

“In the U14 girls, the Two Blues won the Sydney Cup but it was Manly and Perth in the final.’’

The winning Two Blues and Manly captains at the state championships. Pic: Supplied.

There was plenty at stake in the U14s final between the Two Blues and Eastwood with players from these teams regularly playing with and against each other and also schoolmates.

“There was a lot of emotion,” said Two Blues Juniors president Tim Shand of his clubs 15-12 win. “There are a lot of good mates in both teams.’’

Shand, who had sons Cooper playing in the U12s and Harrison in the U14s, said the coaches awarded a match ball to young flanker Thomas Pinder for his efforts at the event.

Manly junior president Pete Gibson was delighted with the results at his club.

Harrison and Tim Shand at the championships.

U12 winner Cooper Shand, whose brother Harrison, also played at the state titles.

“We had the wins in 14 girls and the U12s were joint premiers and the U16 boys won the Sydney Cup and were runners up in the state championships and the U18 boys were runners-up (in the state championships),’’ he said.

Gibson said girls rugby is a major growth area of the club.

“I’ve made an effort to drive the girls program. We have had so many sisters sitting on the sideline but not having opportunity in the past,’’ he said.

“It’s a big untapped area I think.

“This is the second year we put girls into the 15 sides program and for one of them to win the state champ is an outstanding effort.’’

Manly U14 awards went to Coco Marsters as MVP, Mia Tonga as best forward and Talia Berryman as best back.

Happy Manly junior players at state championships. Pic: Supplied.

WINNERS OF THE 2022 NSW RUGBY JUNIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

U14 GIRLS: NSW State Championship ‘Phil Warner Trophy’ was won by Manly who defeated Perth.

U16 GIRLS: NSW State Championship ‘Kerry Brady Shield’ was won by Coomera Gold Coast who defeated the Two Blues 20-5. 🏆

U18 GIRLS: NSW State Championship ‘J.B.Carroll Shield’ was won by Sydney University who defeated Randwick 28-15.??􁠼/p>

U12 BOYS: NSW State Championship ‘J.C.Degotadi Shield’ was won jointly by Manly & Two Blues who drew 28-28.

U13 BOYS: NSW State Championship ‘B.J.Gregory Shield’ was won by Warringah who defeated the Central Coast 22-7.

U14 BOYS: NSW State Championship ‘Hawton Trophy’ was won by the Two Blues who defeated Eastwood 15-12.

U15 BOYS: NSW State Championship ‘John Goddard Shield’ was won by Gordon who defeated Penrith 15-0.

U16 BOYS: NSW State Championship ‘Chas Hansen Trophy’ was won by Randwick who defeated Manly 10-0.

U18 BOYS: NSW State Championship ‘N.S. W. J. R. U Shield’ was won by Eastwood who defeated Manly 12-10.

The winning Two Blues junior side at state championships. Pic: Supplied.

EARLIER: The Western Sydney Two Blues, Sydney University, Penrith, Gordon and Manly juniors have all been early standouts at the NSW junior rugby championships in the battle for the coveted title of Sydney Cup champions.

Hunter, Central Coast, Central West and Illawarra juniors have also tasted early success at the event being played across multiple venues in NSW, snaring Country Champion titles.

Thousands of young girls and boys are contesting the titles which have undergone a growth spurt in recent years with close to 200 teams competing in 2022. SEE STORY BELOW

The event concludes on Monday with more titles to be decided across all age groups.

NSW JUNIOR RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP SYDNEY CUP, COUNTRY CHAMPION WINNERS 2022

U14 GIRLS: The Maqro ‘P.G.Taylor’ Sydney Cup was won by the Two Blues Juniors who defeated Penrith District Junior Rugby Union 20-17.

The NSW Country Championship was won by Hunter Junior Rugby Union who defeated Central West Junior Rugby Union 34-12.

U16 GIRLS: The Maqro ‘A.A.P. Cooper’ Sydney Cup was won by Penrith District Junior Rugby Union who defeated Two Blues Juniors Rugby Union 29-0.

The NSW Country Championship was won by Hunter Junior Rugby Union & Illawarra District Rugby Juniors after their 7-7 draw.

U18 GIRLS: The Maqro ‘SJRU’ SYDNEY CUP was won by Sydney University Football Club as the highest ranking Metro team after the poll stages.

The NSW Country Championship was won by Central North Junior Rugby Union as the highest ranking Country side after the pool stages.

U14 BOYS: The Maqro ‘B.O Killham’ Sydney Cup was won by Gordon Junior Rugby Club who defeated the Two Blues Juniors 29-12.

The NSW Country Championship was won by Central Coast Junior Rugby Union who defeated Hunter Junior Rugby Union 17-7.

U15 BOYS: The Maqro ‘G.I Ferris’’ Sydney Cup has been won by Gordon Junior Rugby Club who defeated Penrith District Junior Rugby Union 34-0.

The NSW Country Championship has been won by Central Coast Junior Rugby Union who defeated Hunter Junior Rugby Union 22-5.

U16 BOYS: The Maqro ‘A.E Fisher’ Sydney Cup was won by Manly Junior Rugby Union who defeated defeating Northern Suburbs Junior Rugby Union 18-10.

The NSW Country Championship has been won by Illawarra District Rugby Juniors who defeated Hunter Junior Rugby Union 27-7.

U18 BOYS: The Maqro ‘W. M.A Hunt’ Sydney Cup has been won by West Harbour Junior Rugby who defeated Manly Junior Rugby Union 14-13.

The NSW Country Championship has been won by Hunter Junior Rugby Union who defeated New England Junior Rugby Union 7-3.

CLEVER IDEA BOOSTING NUMBERS AT NSW JUNIOR RUGBY UNION TITLES

It’s one of the biggest games in town - and country - this holiday weekend with 190 teams from across the state - and the NSW/Queensland border - competing in the NSW rugby junior championships.

Numbers have soared from prior to the coronavirus pandemic and continued to grow from last year’s championships held annually over the June holiday weekend.

In the under 14s girls competition alone, player numbers have exploded with four teams in 2019 jumping to nine this year.

Fabulous action at the NSW junior championships. Pic: Supplied/DK Sportz Snaps

NSW Junior Rugby’s Ben Gregory said growth has been seen across every age divisions.

“In the under 18 boys in 2019 there were four teams, in 2021 when the pathway was formalise it was 11 and now we have 15,’’ he said.

The weekend’s event is being contested by 190 team - up from the 164 teams which competed a year ago.

Helping boost numbers was extraordinary support from The Rugby Club Foundation.

“They paid the rego of every team plus first aid and the majority of ref costs,’’ Gregory said.

There have been some great games played at Dubbo. Pic: Supplied/DK Sportz Snaps

Another growth trigger was the clever idea of creating an extra player pool for young gun’s who missed out on selection and for teams who couldn’t get the numbers without some outside assistance.

“The extra player pool means if a player misses out they can go and help a smaller district,’’ Gregory said.

“They can go into a pool and be picked up by a smaller group without enough players etc.

“It gives kids the experience of playing.

“We have had 150 kids placed into other teams and it has saved a number who might have fallen out.’’

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