Australian Club Championship

The Australian Club Championship is a rugby union challenge match between the Brisbane and Sydney club premiers. The fixture was played on a regular basis from 1982 to 1991 (inclusive) and again since 2007, and also on an ad hoc basis in various other years. The regular scheduling was initially abandoned in 1993 when the NSWRU insisted on playing each match at Concord Oval in Sydney, rather than on a rotating basis. The championship was revived when it was agreed that the winners of the 2006 premierships would play the challenge match as a curtain raiser to the following year's Queensland Reds and NSW Waratahs match in the Super 14 competition.[1] A women's match was first played in 2023.

Australian Club Championship
Founded1982; 44 years ago (1982)
RegionBrisbane
Sydney

Winners summary

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Men's results

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YearWinnerScoreRunner-upVenueRef.
1908 Glebe[a]
6–0
. BrothersBrisbane Cricket GroundReport[2]
1909 Newtown
16–10
ValleyBrisbane Exhibition GroundReport[3]
1974. Brothers
45–22
. RandwickBallymore
1982. Randwick
22–13
. BrothersBallymore
1983. Randwick
32–29
. BrothersCoogee Oval
1984. Brothers
24–15
. ManlyCrosby Park
1985. Brothers
10–6
. RandwickCoogee Oval
1986. Wests (Brisbane)
22–12
. ParramattaBallymore
1987. Souths (Brisbane)
13–10 (a.e.t.)[b]
. ParramattaTG Millner Field
1988. Randwick
27–9
. BrothersCrosby Park
1989. Randwick
30–15
. University of QueenslandCoogee Oval
1990. University of Queensland
29–22
. RandwickBallymore
1991. Randwick
35–12
. Souths (Brisbane)Concord Oval
1997. Randwick
18–6
. GPSCoffs Harbour [c]
2007. Sydney University
36–5
. Wests (Brisbane)Lang Park
2008. Sydney University
24–0
. SunnybankLang ParkReport[4]
2009. Easts (Brisbane)
38–31
. Sydney UniversitySydney Olympic StadiumReport[5]
2010. Brothers
36–26
. Sydney UniversityCrosby ParkReport[6]
2011. University of Queensland
42–26
. Sydney UniversityBallymoreReport[7]
2012
---Not contested--- [8]
2013. Sydney University
43–7
. University of QueenslandSydney Football StadiumReport[8]
2014. Sydney University
19–14
. Easts (Brisbane)Bottomley ParkReport[9]
2015. Eastwood
21–20
. University of QueenslandTG Millner FieldReport[10]
2016. Eastwood
34–17
. Souths (Brisbane)Chipsy Wood OvalReport[11][12]
2017. Northern Suburbs
27–5
. BrothersCrosby ParkReport[13]
2018. Warringah
41–28
. University of QueenslandPittwater Park

Report[14]

2019. GPS
37–31
. Sydney UniversityBallymoreReport[15]
2020. Sydney University
28–8
. University of QueenslandSydney UniversityReport[16]
2021. Easts (Brisbane)
14–13
GordonBottomley ParkReport[17]
2022
---Not contested---
2023. Sydney University
45–19
. Wests (Brisbane)Toowong Memorial Park[Report][18]
2024. Brothers
25–18
. RandwickCrosby ParkReport[19]
2025 Eastern Suburbs (Sydney)
28–26
. BrothersCrosby Park[Report][20]
2026. Warringah
34–19
. Bond UniversityPittwater Park[Report][21]

Women's results

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Year Winner Score Runner-up Venue Ref.
2023. Bond University
29–26
GordonToowong Memorial Park[Report][22]
2024
---Not contested due to fixturing issues surrounding the Wallaroos---
2025. Bond University
19–19
Sydney UniversityCrosby Park[Report][23]
2026. Bond University
24–0
. WarringahPittwater Park[Report][24]

Notes

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  1. The Glebe club is now defunct (merged to form Glebe-Balmain in 1919 which became Drummoyne in 1931).
  2. Score was tied 10–10 after normal time.
  3. This match was not officially sanctioned by the NSWRU and QRU.

References

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  1. Croker, Graham (2007). "Battle of the Club Champions". SUFC. Archived from the original on 17 August 2007. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  2. "Glebe team at Brisbane". Referee. 6 May 1908. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  3. "Rugby Football., Newtown v. Valley. Win for Newtown". The Telegraph. Brisbane. 22 July 1909. p. 3. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  4. Croker, Graham (19 May 2008). "Students Win National Title". SUFC. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  5. Croker, Graham (23 March 2009). "Students miss Australian title". SUFC. Archived from the original on 16 February 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  6. Bryant, Scott (14 March 2010). "Brothers vs Sydney Uni match report". Green and Gold Rugby. Archived from the original on 25 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  7. "University of QLD wins Australian Club Championship". Reds Rugby. 27 March 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Old rival universities provide additional thrill during Sunday afternoon Rugby". Australian Rugby. 28 March 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  9. Ayton, Jordan (23 March 2014). "Sydney Uni retain Australian Club Championship". Green and Gold Rugby. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  10. "Uni just one point away from third ACC win". UQ Rugby. 16 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 March 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  11. "History made as Eastwood wins second straight National Championship". Northern District Times. 1 March 2016. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023.
  12. Woodies go back to back Eastwood Rugby, 2016
  13. "Norths bash Brothers in Australian Club Championship". Australian Rugby. 25 February 2017. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017.
  14. "Rats muscle up and win Australian Club Championship". rugby.com.au. 17 March 2018. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  15. Decent, Tom (17 March 2019). "Sydney University fall short against GPS in Australian Club Championship". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 March 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  16. Lin, Bruce (15 March 2020). "Sydney Uni crowned Australian Club Champions". SUFC. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020.
  17. "Easts snatch the title away from Gordon". rugby.com.au. 20 March 2021. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  18. Tucker, Jim (4 March 2023). "Allen celebrates Sydney Uni's peak title with call for Expanded Australian Club Championship | Latest Rugby News | RUGBY.com.au". www.rugby.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  19. Tucker, Jim (16 March 2024). "Heroes new and old celebrate Brothers' win in Australian Club Championship". www.rugby.com.au. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  20. "ACC 2025". Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  21. "ACC 2026". Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  22. Tucker, Jim (4 March 2023). "Three-try stunner puts Bond Uni flyer on Aussie Sevens radar | Latest Rugby News | RUGBY.com.au". www.rugby.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  23. "ACC 2025". Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  24. "ACC 2026". Retrieved 30 March 2026.