Queensland Rugby Union is set to launch a brand-new schools Rugby competition within the Moreton Bay Region.
The Moreton Bay Super 6 Cup will see six local high schools compete in 15-a-side Rugby over six weeks, with students from years seven and eight taking part.
The inaugural competition - which will launch this afternoon, Tuesday 28 August - will see six non-traditional Rugby schools compete: Caboolture State High School, Clontarf Beach State High School, Deception Bay State High School, Tullawong State High School, Murrumba State College and Southern Cross Catholic College.
The top two teams will then go head-to-head for the Moreton Bay Super 6 Cup.
Moreton Bay has rapidly expanding population in the north of Brisbane with significant potential for successful Rugby development and growth.
Caboolture Rugby Club, who will host the tournament, is at the forefront of Rugby development in the area, alongside the Redcliffe Sea Snakes, North Lakes Lepoards and Pine Rivers Pumas Rugby clubs.
This brand-new competition forms part of the Queensland Schools Strategy - a well mapped-out strategy put together by Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) working closely with Rugby Australia to align to its National Schools Stratgey (NSS), to assist the reinvigoration of the game and to support new competitions in the school landscape with a fun and enjoyable Rugby experience for players, teachers and schools involved.
The competition has funding support from the Paul Ramsay Foundation, which has been crucial in seeing the new Super 6 competition come to fruition. In collaboration with the Australian Rugby Foundation, Rugby Australia have entered an agreement to deliver a national plan for Australian Rugby at school level.
This agreement recognises, supports, grows and capitalises on the significant impact schools’ Rugby has on the Australian Rugby landscape, while recognising and appreciating the independence of schools within the Australian Rugby system.
Queensland Rugby Union interim CEO David Hanham said: “The Moreton Bay Super 6 Cup is a step forward for the game and is just the first part of a wider strategy that will see Queensland Rugby Union providing opportunities for school students and teachers to participate in Rugby.
“Our development staff are working to introduce more Super 6 format tournaments around the state with an aim to have over 15 running throughout regional areas within the next five years.
“The short season format played after-school, provides an easier opportunity for non-traditional schools to get involved.”
The competition will underpin and support the Queensland-wide Student Horizons Ballymore Cup, traditionally played during the Easter holidays each year with all schools participating in the Student Horizons Ballymore Cup competition eligible to participate in U13, U15 & open age groups.
The first round of matches to be played on Tuesday, 28 August, are as follows:
Game 1: Southern Cross Catholic College v Clontarf Beach SHS – 4:00pm, Caboolture Rugby Club Field 1
Game 2: Tullawong SHS v Caboolture SHS – 4:00pm, Caboolture Rugby Club Field 2
Game 3: Murrumba State College v Deception Bay SHS – 4:00pm, Caboolture Rugby Club Field 3
