ARL Schoolboy Cup

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ARL Schoolboy Cup
Sport	Rugby league football
Instituted	1975
Country	Australia (NSWRL)
Holders	The Hills Sports High School (2011)
Most titles	St Gregory's (Campbelltown) (9 titles)
Website	NSWRL Schoolboy website
Broadcast partner	Channel 9

The ARL Schoolboy Cup (formerly the Arrive Alive Cup)^[1] is an Australian secondary school rugby league football competition which is held annually since 1975.^[2] The competition involves high school teams from across the country (although mainly from New South Wales) who compete in a series of Group and Knock-Out stages before two teams are left to fight it out in the Grand Final which is now held at the Sydney Football Stadium each year. The competition is now televised on the free-to-air channel, Channel 9. It is the premier Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League competition.

History

The Arrive Alive Cup Rugby League competition started in 1975 as the AMCO Shield.^[2] The most exciting highlight for schools is the opportunity for both the players and the schools to be featured in Televised matches. The profile of the competition has grown so much over the years, it is now the premier competition in Schoolboy Rugby League.^[2]

Nearly 450 schools compete in the knockout competition throughout New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. In the beginning, the Televised Matches were played and recorded as the early game to the mid-week knockout competition, the Amco Cup. Then the midweek Panasonic Cup died out and Friday Night Football was born on Channel 9. Arrive Alive Cup television matches are now played prior to the Friday Night Football match and are shown on Channel 9 in the weeks leading up to the NRL Finals Series.^[2]

The first commentator for the Cup was the current General Manager of Radio 2UE, Mr John Brennan. He was followed by several other major media personalities, including Bill Anderson, David Fordham, David Morrow, Graeme Hughes, Peter Sterling, Mark Warren, Steve Roach and the current team headed by Andrew Voss. Some fantastic young footballers have emerged from The Cup and thousands of other players have had the chance to both pump up and show off their skills on TV. The "Peter Sterling Medal" has been awarded annually to the Arrive alive Cup "Player of the Year" since 1996.^[2]

Recent history

In 2003 and the next three seasons that followed, Endeavour Sports High School became the first side to make four Grand Finals in succession and the second to win the competition three times consecutively. In the 2007 Arrive Alive Cup Grand Final, Teenage giant/sensation Anthony Cherrington came off the bench in the dying minutes of the Arrive Alive Cup Grand Final final intending to "charge up" Endeavour Sports High as well as gain some important metres to get Endeavor back in the match and ended up scoring two tries in the last five minutes to win the 2007 Arrive Alive Cup Grand Final.^[3]

Wearing Benji Marshall's No. 6 jersey, Keebra Park five-eighth Robert Lui looked like writing a gripping yarn to rival those of his namesake when he scored a try and kicked a 22-metre field goal to give the Gold Coast school a 7-6 lead with 13 minutes left in the final of the national schoolboys competition at the Sydney Football Stadium.^[3] But the Sydney Roosters signing Anthony Cherrington took care of that, taking an inside pass from fellow replacement Luke Letele to crash over with five to go and then planting the ball in the corner to make sure of a 16-7 victory with two minutes left thu giving Endeavor Sports High School the win, the 2007 Arrive Alive Cup, three successive Arrive Alive Cup equalling St Gregory's feat in the late 80s and early 90s as well as beating Keebra Park State High School for the second year running in the Grand Final.^[3]

In a Grand Final not to be forgotten, Palm Beach Currumbin claimed the 2008 Arrive Alive Cup by defeating Matraville Sports High in a thrilling contest between two of the top Rugby League school teams in the country.^[4] The match that promised so much lived up to all expectations and more. In a game that saw a number of lead changes and some miraculous rugby league tries, Palm Beach Currumbin ran out eventual winners and 2008 Premiers recording a 24-22 victory.^[4] It was the first time a Queensland school became premiers in the Arrive Alive Cup since 2002 (when Wavell SHS won their first Arrive Alive Cup title) and one to be remembered by all involved. Most notably when Man of the Match Brody Ollard stripped the ball, ran and scored himself the winning try and the game for Palm Beach Currumbin.^[4] Ryan James was sensational throughout the competition and was awarded the Peter Sterling Medal for the Player of the Year for 2008.^[4] The game also featured the third youngest player to ever play 1st Grade Jordan Rankin playing for Currumbin.^[5][6]

The current holders are The Hills Sports High School, who have won back to back titles in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, the Hills defeated Matraville Sports High, coming back from a 16-4 halftime deficit to win 22-20.^[7]

Champions

^[8]

Player of the Year Award

^[8]NOTE:The winner of 1996 onwards receives the Peter Sterling Medal

References

External links

• Arrive Alive Website
• NSWRL Website
• League Loaded