Shute Shield

Initially, a competition was loosely arranged by the Union where the clubs were in charge of organising their own matches. This would result in clubs not playing the same teams or the same number of teams. A "Premier Club of the Colony" was declared by the Union at an end of year meeting. It was not necessarily given to the team that had the best results on the field. Results mattered, but other criteria may have also been used. What these were are not known.[3]

The year 1880 saw the Southern Rugby Football Union endure the first splintering of the football code in Australia. It was during this season that a newspaper "war" began. Discussions centred around the merits of Rugby Football, British Association Football (Soccer) and the Victorian game (Aussie Rules Football). As a result of these heated discussions, an association was formed under the Victorian rules with two strong clubs formed to play the game. No sooner than the dust had settled and another association was formed under the British Association rules. Despite this new competition, Rugby Football held sway as the premier code in Sydney.[4]

In 1883, the Gardiner Challenge Cup was introduced with a mixture of "senior" and "junior" clubs competing. Foundation clubs included Redfern, Sydney University, Wallaroo, Newtown, Burwood, Oriental, Glebe, Balmain, St. Leonards, Parramatta, Arfoma and Paddington. The first Cup was won by Redfern who were undefeated.[1] At the beginning of the season, a proposal was put to the Southern Rugby Union to change the rules determining how a game was decided. Prior to the 1883 season, a game was decided by the number of goals scored. The amendment that was successfully passed by the Union declared that games would be decided by number of points scored. A try was awarded 2 points, a conversion was 3 points and a goal kicked from the field of play 4 points.[5]

Within a few years of the Gardiner Cup beginning, the Premiership had developed to become a more structured competition with a centralised list of fixtures and rounds. An official ladder was produced and maintained with points given for wins, draws and byes. By the 1890s a finals system was introduced to assist in determining the premiership winner.

The Sydney Rugby Premiership came under the control of the Metropolitan Rugby Union, a branch of the New South Wales Rugby Football Union (formally the Southern Rugby Football Union), in 1897.

As early as 1893[6] it had been suggested to change the current structure of the premiership to a district-based formula. In early 1900, a meeting of the Metropolitan Rugby Union was held and a recommendation to establish district football in the coming season was made. Eight clubs competed in the inaugural season: Balmain, Glebe, Newtown, South Sydney, North Sydney, Western Suburbs, Eastern Suburbs and Sydney University.[7] The first district competition was won by Glebe who were successful in all three grade competitions.

It was during this period, in 1907, that the supremacy of the Sydney Rugby Premiership was threatened. The imminent arrival of a professional football team from New Zealand sparked heated discussion about professionalism and compensation pay for lost time at work. In August of that year, the New South Wales Rugby Football League was formed. During the following season, a professional league competition was begun. Over the next few years, players switched across to the professional competition resulting in crowd numbers falling at Union matches.

Despite this, the district competition continued to run, rebuilding its supporter base, until the outbreak of World War 1 with the last season held during 1914. With the outbreak of war, competition was suspended.

At the conclusion of the war, the Sydney Rugby Premiership was recommenced. With the competition returning under the control of the NSW Rugby Football Union, only six clubs competed: Cambridge, Eastern Suburbs, Glebe-Balmain, Manly, Sydney University and YMCA. The competition remained as a district-based premiership until approximately the 1940s.[1]

The Shute Memorial Shield was struck in honour of the late Robert Elliott Stewart Shute, who died on 6 June 1922 aged 23,[8] following a match at Manly Oval. Shute enlisted in April 1917 and served as a gunner in 30th Battery, Field Artillery A.I.F. during World War One.[9] On his return to Australia he took up his studies at the University of Sydney and joined the Sydney University rugby club as a front row forward in the first XV. The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 7 June 1922[10] reported:

As a result of injuries received while playing at Manly in the Rugby football match between the team which toured New Zealand and the Next 15, Robert Elliott Shute, a front row forward in the latter team, died at a private hospital at Manly yesterday morning. The accident occurred during the latter portion of the first spell of the match. Shute secured the ball and when tackled fell heavily. He was removed to a private hospital, where it was ascertained that he was suffering from cerebral hemorrhage. Without recovering consciousness he died at 6am. A former pupil of Sydney Grammar School, Shute, who was 23 years of age, was a third year student at Sydney University and he played for the University first fifteen. He served in the AIF for four years.

The University club had the shield made following his death and donated it in 1923 to the NSWRFU to be used as a perpetual trophy for the Sydney first grade competition.[11]

In 1966, the Sydney Rugby Union was formed to administer the running of Sydney rugby and the Shute Shield.

In late 1986, the Sydney Rugby Union (SRU) approved a new competition structure for the Shute Shield. The SRU were concerned about the falling number of clubs involved in the lower divisions. The new structure involved distributing all teams in the three competitions evenly across three new divisions with some teams earning the right to play for the premiership in the first division.

The clubs that made up first division were opposed to the new structure and sought the opportunity to form a breakaway competition affiliated directly with the NSWRFU. This resulted in the formation of a 10 club competition called the NSW Championship, while the remaining lower division clubs remained with the SRU Championship. Both competitions ran during the 1987 and 1988 seasons.

For the 1989 season, the NSW Championship clubs returned to the SRU and the Shute Shield.[3]

In 1992, the NSW Rugby Union again took over the administration of the Shute Shield competition.

From 2002 through 2006 the Toohey's New Cup was run to fill the void between Grade Rugby and Super Rugby in Australia. This became the Sydney Premiership competition, with the Shute Shield becoming the First Grade pre-season competition. However, in 2004 the Shute Shield was awarded to the Second Grade competition.

In 2007 the Toohey's New Cup was merged into the Shute Shield to become the Toohey's New Shute Shield when an attempt at an Australian wide domestic rugby competition, the Australian Rugby Championship, was started. The Australian Rugby Championship only lasted the one season.

• After Eastwood joined the premiership in 1947, the following 11 clubs competed in the Sydney rugby premiership:

Drummoyne, Eastern Suburbs, Eastwood, Gordon, Manly, Northern Suburbs, Parramatta, Randwick, St George, Sydney University, Western Suburbs.

• After the 1951 season, Western Suburbs were relegated to the Sydney Sub-Districts competition.
• The premiership became the 1st division when a 2nd division was created in 1962.

• In 1966, Western Suburbs and University of NSW were promoted to 1st division from the 2nd division.

• In 1971, Warringah and Port Hacking were promoted to 1st division from the 2nd division.

• In 1976, Hornsby and Macquarie University were promoted to 1st division from the 2nd division.

• After the 1978 season, the Sydney Rugby Union reduced the 1st division to 10 teams, but introduced automatic annual promotion and relegation between the 1st and 2nd divisions.

• The following changes occurred for the following seasons.

1979 Relegated clubs – Hornsby, Macquarie University, Port Hacking, St George, Drummoyne, Sydney University.

1980 Promoted clubs – Sydney University, St George. Relegated clubs – University of NSW, Western Suburbs.

1981 Promoted clubs – Western Suburbs, Hornsby. Relegated clubs – Eastern Suburbs, Eastwood.

1982 Promoted clubs – Eastern Suburbs, Eastwood. Relegated clubs – Hornsby, Northern Suburbs.

1983 Promoted club – Port Hacking. Relegated club – Sydney University.

1984 Promoted club – Sydney University. Relegated club – Eastern Suburbs.

1985 Promoted club – Eastern Suburbs. Relegated club – St George.

1986 Promoted club – St George. Relegated club – Port Hacking

• Automatic promotion and relegation ended after the 1986 season.

• In 1989, Southern Districts took the place of St George (who had merged with Port Hacking to form the new club).

• In 1990 Northern Suburbs were promoted to 1st division.

• In 1991 Drummoyne were promoted to 1st division.

• Before the 1992 season, Hornsby took legal action against the Sydney Rugby Union seeking promotion in place of Drummoyne but failed, at least partly because the NSWRU had taken over the running of the Sydney rugby premiership for the 1992 season.

• The 2nd division ended after the 1992 season, with the NSWRU merging the 2nd division into the NSW Suburban RU competition.

• In 1995 Drummoyne were dropped from the Sydney (now NSWRU) premiership and Canberra, Newcastle and Penrith were added.

• In 2000 Newcastle were dropped from the NSWRU premiership.

• In 2001 Canberra were dropped from the NSWRU premiership.

• In 2004 Canberra were re-admitted to the NSWRU premiership.

• In 2006 Canberra were dropped from the NSWRU premiership.

• In 2007 Illawarra were admitted to the NSWRU premiership, but played only that season.

• In 2018, a few rounds into the season, Penrith were dropped from the (again) Sydney rugby premiership.

• In 2020, Penrith and Hunter (formerly Newcastle) Wildfires were re-admitted to the Sydney rugby premiership.

Below is a list of some of the clubs that have once competed in the Sydney rugby premiership.

Club	Location	Seasons played	Premier­ships	Notes
Balmain	Balmain	1874–1895	1	Won premiership (voted as premier club) in 1875. Currently playing in the NSWSRU First Division competition.
Waratah		1874–	1	Won premiership (voted as premier club) in 1874 (first Sydney rugby premiers). Were runners-up in 1876 and 1878.
Wallaroo	North Sydney	1874–1899	7	Won 7 premierships in period from 1876–1899, including the last premiership (1899) before the Sydney rugby premiership became a district competition in 1900. Also won 1 RAS Shield and 1 SCG Trophy. Combined with Pirates to form North Sydney (now Northern Suburbs) as a district club to enter the Sydney rugby premiership in 1900.
Redfern	Redfern	1883–1886	1	Won premiership (undefeated) in 1883
Burwood	Burwood	1883–1888	1	Won premiership in 1884
Gordon	Gordon	1886–1887	1	Won premiership in 1886. Not linked to Gordon club that entered Sydney rugby premiership in 1936 and still exists today.
Pirates	North Sydney	1893–1899	1	Won premiership in 1898, were runners-up in 1897, and won 3 RAS Shields from 1897–1899. Combined with Wallaroo to form North Sydney (now Northern Suburbs) as a district club to enter the Sydney rugby premiership in 1900.
Balmain (District)	Balmain	1900–1914	0	Merged with Glebe to form Glebe-Balmain in 1919.
Glebe	Glebe	1900–1914	7	Won 7 premierships from 1900–1914. Merged with Balmain to form Glebe-Balmain in 1919.
Newtown	Newtown	1900–1921	3	Won premierships in 1908 and 1910–11. Played every season in the Sydney rugby premiership from 1900–1921, except for 1919, when a team called Cambridge, based in Newtown, played instead.
South Sydney	Redfern	1900–1914	1	Won premiership in 1905.
Sydney District	Sydney	1905–1910	0	Runners-up in 1906.
St George	St George	1906–1988	1	Formed in 1906 and played in Sydney premiership from 1906-1914 and then again from 1928 onwards, except for when relegated to 2nd division in 1979 and 1985. Merged with Port Hacking to form Southern Districts before 1989 season.
Drummoyne	Drummoyne	1919–1994	2	Originally Glebe-Balmain and won 1 premiership under that name. Renamed in 1931 as Drummoyne and won 1 premiership under that name. Played every season in the Sydney rugby premiership from 1919–1978, until relegated to 2nd division, where it played from 1979–1990. Promoted to 1st division in 1991 and played in the premiership from 1991–1994, playing in 1994 as UTS-Drummoyne. Moved to NSWSRU in 1995 and remained there since, currently playing in the NSWSRU First Division competition.
University of NSW	Kensington	1966–1979	0	Formed in 1949 and joined the Sydney Sub-Districts competition (now the NSWSRU competition) in 1951. Joined the Sydney premiership 2nd division in 1963 and played in that division from 1963–65. Promoted to 1st division in 1966 and played in that division from 1966–1979. Relegated to 2nd division in 1980 and played in that division from 1980–1992, when 2nd division ended. Moved to NSWSRU in 1993 and remained there since, currently playing in the NSWSRU Second Division competition.
Port Hacking	The Shire	1971–1985	0	Formed in 1957 as North Cronulla SLSC rugby club. Joined 2nd division when it started in 1962 and played there from 1962–1970, then promoted to 1st division in 1971. Played in 1st division from 1971–1978, then relegated to 2nd division in 1979 and played in that division from 1979–1982. Promoted to 1st division in 1983 and played in that division from 1983–1985. Relegated in 1986 and played in 2nd division from 1986–1988. Merged with St George to form Southern Districts before 1989 season.
Hornsby	Hornsby	1976–1981	0	Established in 1962 when it joined the newly created 2nd division. Promoted to 1st division in 1976, and remained there until relegated to 2nd division after 1978. Promoted back to 1st division for 1981 season, but relegated after that season. Remained in 2nd division until it was dissolved after 1992, although Hornsby unsuccessfully took legal action against the Sydney Rugby Union before the 1992 season seeking promotion at Drummoyne's expense. After the 1992 season, Drummoyne beat Hornsby in playoffs involving all grade teams and a colts' team to remain in 1st division. Hornsby joined the NSWSRU competition in 1993 and remained there until it left to join the Central Coast RU competition in 2015.
Macquarie University	Macquarie Park	1976–1978	0	Established in 1967 and played in the Sub-Districts competition until the club joined 2nd division in 1971, before being promoted to 1st division in 1976. Played in 1st division until relegated to 2nd division after 1978. Played in 2nd division in 1979 but then relegated to 3rd division for the 1980 season, and stayed there until that division was dissolved after 1986. Macquarie Uni then joined the NSWSRU competition in 1987, where it remains, now in the lower divisions.
Newcastle	Newcastle	1995–1999	0	Played in Sydney rugby premiership as 'Newcastle Wildfires'.
Canberra	Canberra	1995–2005	0	Played in Sydney rugby premiership as Canberra Kookaburras from 1995-1998 and Canberra Vikings from 1999-2000 and 2004–2005. Grand finalists in 1995. Didn't play in Sydney premiership in 2001–2003, when they instead played in and won the Brisbane club premiership all 3 years. Played in the National Rugby Championship from 2014–2019.

The following clubs also played in the Sydney premiership in the period after 1900:

• Cambridge (1919)
• YMCA (1919, 1923-1929)
• Mosman (1920)
• GPS Old Boys (1921-1924)
• Petersham (1922)
• Police (1929)
• Illawarra (2007)

Note: The Sydney premiership became the 1st division when a 2nd division was added for 30 seasons from 1962-1991.