A bit of Info about the Championships:
HISTORY (written by Hugh Jarse prior to 2016 nationals)
The National Schools Championships were first run in 1975 with Queensland beating ACT in the first ever Final. Queensland I (or Queensland) have won the tournament 14 times, with the Queensland II winning twice, the latest in 2010. NSW I have the best record with 20 previous victories and 12 silver medals.
NSW II have won the tournament twice, 1977 and 1979. ACT have taken the Gold Medal three times, mostly in the days when the fathers of the boys playing today were Schoolboys, (1978, 1986 and 1988). Breaking a seven-year run of Queensland victories in 2012, NSW I have won the last four championships, with the two of those four Grand Finals being all-NSW affairs (2013, 2014).
2016
In 2016 the two underdogs won both the top two Finals.
NSW II went on to defeat NSW I in the Final. The last time NSW II won it was in 1979 and the last time NSW II defeated NSW I in a Final was in 1977. NSW II won their Pool and made the Final ahead of Victoria by the skin of their teeth; by gaining a bonus point in losing to QLD I by less than 7 points.
Combined States defeated Victoria for 3rd spot.
2017
Last year the underdogs won it again, ACT defeated QLD II in the Final. QLD I defeated NSW I for 3rd spot. Combined States finished 5th defeating NSW II in their play off game.
Which just goes to show it’s an exciting week of competition and anything can happen.
The Bonus Point system in 2016 was as follows. I assume it’s still the same:
4 points for a win
2 points for a draw
1 point for a loss by 7 points or less
0 points for a loss by more than 7 points
1 point for scoring 4 or more tries
