NRL Schoolboy Cup 2020 competition: How to watch, Daily Telegraph live stream
Some of the biggest names have launched their careers at the school level and the NRL Schoolboy Cup will continue in 2020 despite COVID-19 threatening it’s return. And now you can see it live and exclusive on The Daily Telegraph.
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The competition which launched the careers of Payne Haas, Greg Alexander, Nathan Cayless and Adam Reynolds will resume this week keeping 44-years of traditional schoolboy football intact.
The Daily and Sunday Telegraph have secured the exclusive rights to stream the prestigious Schoolboy Cup competition and will show the opening match of the tournament when Holy Cross Ryde play Hunter Sports at midday Tuesday August 4.
TUESDAY’S MATCH BETWEEN HOLY CROSS RYDE AND HUNTER SPORTS HAS BEEN POSTPONED. WE WILL HAVE MORE DETAILS WHEN THEY COME TO HAND.
COVID-19 restrictions means the competition will be a straight knockout tournament instead of the usual pool system format.
With the under-16 Harold Matthews and under-18 SG Ball competitions cancelled prematurely it will be the only avenue for some of the game’s best young players to showcase their skills this year.
The NRL’s head of football – participation, pathways and game development – Luke Ellis said it was important the students were able to play some level of competition this year.
“We are extremely pleased that the competition will run this year,” Ellis said.
“Interest in the Schoolboys Cup has growing been positively in recent years.
“Win, lose or draw, for the students, it creates memories and friendships that last a lifetime. For some players, it‘s one step in their pathway, for others it’s the highlight of their school rugby league experience.
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“This year’s preparations have obviously been challenged but to have so many schools and teachers constantly checking in with us to ensure the competition would progress was overwhelming”.
The competition is usually national-based but uncertainty around boarder restrictions means it will start as a statewide competition with Queensland also running a schools program.
“The safety of our participants is our priority and the possibility of crowning a national winner looks unlikely,” Ellis said. “Still if the opportunity arose to crown an overall champion, and health advice and restrictions determined it was safe to do so we’d look into it.”
Fifteen teams will compete in the tournament including nine time winners St Gregory’s. St Edwards, Gosford enter the tournament after winning last year’s lower-grade competition while Fairfield Patrician Brothers – the school which produced Alexander, Peter Sterling and Paul Langmack – are returning for a second straight year after a long break.
Westfield Sports High lost 16-10 to Queensland-based school Kirwan State High last year.
To watch the match log onto www.dailytelegraph.com.au on Tuesday August 4.