Australian Rugby Shield
The Australian Rugby Shield is a rugby union competition in Australia. It was launched in 2000 by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), now Rugby Australia (RA). The competition was intended to unearth new talent outside of the existing rugby strongholds of Sydney and Brisbane. The competition was suspended after the 2008 season, but has since been revived.
| Sport | Rugby Union football |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 2000 |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Country | Australia |
| Holders | ACT/Southern New South Wales Griffins (2022) |
| Most titles | NSW Country Cockatoos (4 titles) |
| Broadcast partner | ABC (former) |
| Related competition |
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The tournament was an important step in the development of rugby union in Australia, and provided an opportunity for Rugby Australia to identify and unearth talented players nationally. It provided regional teams and developing unions with a regular schedule to compete against each other at a higher level than would normally be possible within their individual states or territories.
Conducted under rules and regulations similar to the Super Rugby, the competition aimed to assist players, coaches, managers and referees in their professional development. It provided a pathway to full representative level including education in coaching, selecting and refereeing.