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Queensland Premier Rugby

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Queensland Premier Rugby
SportRugby union
Founded1887; 137 years ago (1887)
No. of teams9
CountryAustralia
Most recent
champion(s)
Brothers (2024)
Most titlesUniversity of Queensland (33 titles)
TV partner(s)Stan Sport
Nine Network

Queensland Premier Rugby is a semi professional club rugby union competition in Queensland, Australia. Nine clubs play in the competition, eight clubs are from Brisbane, and one club is from Gold Coast.
The premiership has been contested in its present form since 1929.[1]

History

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Queensland Premier Rugby (QPR) evolved out of the Brisbane club competition that had been running since 1887. It was created by players, administrators, referees and coaches to expand and improve the top level of Queensland non-professional rugby. QPR provides Queensland rugby players a stepping stone for selection into the Queensland Reds and other teams in Super Rugby or other professional rugby competitions.

Previous to 1920, the Hospitals Challenge Cup was established as a fund-raising exercise for the Brisbane General Hospital. After the devastation of World War I the competition was suspended until the Hospitals Cup was established. The Brisbane Club competition recommenced in 1929.

The 1975 Grand Final was played between the Brothers club and GPS and Brothers won the match. Teachers-Norths, Wests and again Brothers won the next seasons. In 1979, the first ever draw in a final occurred with a 24-all draw between rivals University and Brothers, a reply of the final was held, which saw University defeat Brothers by a mere 3 points. Brothers dominated the next few seasons, winning the 1980 to 1984 premierships. Souths won their first title in 1986, and University won a number of titles at the end of the decade.

Souths came to major prominence during the 1990s, winning the competition five times in a row from 1991 through to 1995, and then again in 1998 and 2000. They also featured in the 1996 season final which GPS won, and the 1997 final which Easts won. Canberra also competed in the competition, and found major success, winning three titles in a row from 2001 to 2003. The Gold Coast Breakers also began to become a force in the competition, featuring in five finals from 2001 to 2007, although they were on the receiving end of the competitions largest ever grand final score being thrashed 85-19 by the Sunnybank Dragons in the 2007 Grand Final.

In future, teams from other Rugby regions in Queensland may also join the competition, thus encouraging the pursuit of Rugby excellence across the state, not just confining it Queensland's south-east corner. However at a meeting of the Sunshine Coast Rugby Union in October 2013, it was decided by the members not to compete in the 2014 QRU’s Premier Rugby Competition, but will instead focus its energy on becoming the leading force in regional rugby.[2]

Other trophies

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Thomas Welsby Memorial Cup: The top two first grade teams at the end of the first full round of home and away matches contest the Welsby Cup in their second round meeting. The cup was originally donated by Thomas Welsby.

Keith Horsley Memorial Trophy: Now presented to First Grade Minor Premiers, since 1978. The trophy donated by the Family of Sgt Keith Thornton Horsley who was Killed in Action during WW2.

Doughty Challenge Shield: Named for businessman Hector Randall Doughty,[3] a former marine engineer with the Queensland Harbours and Rivers Department and lightweight champion boxer,[4] the Doughty Shield is awarded annually to the champion Brisbane club, based on competition points won across all participating grades.

Queensland Premier Rugby Teams

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Current Teams

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Queensland Premier Rugby Club Colours Moniker City/Region/Town Suburb/s Est. Premiership/s Most recent
Brothers Filth Brisbane Albion 1905 30[a] 2024; 0 years ago (2024)
University of Queensland Students Brisbane St Lucia 1911 33[b] 2021; 3 years ago (2021)
GPS Brisbane Gallopers Brisbane Ashgrove 1931 6 2018; 6 years ago (2018)
South Brisbane Magpies Brisbane Annerley 1948 10 2015; 9 years ago (2015)
East Brisbane Tigers Brisbane Norman Park 1947 5 2020; 4 years ago (2020)
West Brisbane Bulldogs Brisbane Toowong 1951 4 2022; 2 years ago (2022)
Sunnybank Dragons Brisbane MacGregor 1969 3 2011; 13 years ago (2011)
North Brisbane Eagles Brisbane Wooloowin 1991 2[c] 1976; 48 years ago (1976)
Bond University* Bullsharks Gold Coast Robina 2014 1[d] 2004; 20 years ago (2004)

Former Teams

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Queensland Premier Rugby Club Colours Moniker City/Region/Town Suburb/s Est. Premiership/s Most recent
Gold Coast* Breakers Gold Coast Robina 1996 1[e] 2004; 20 years ago (2004)
Sunshine Coast Stingrays Sunshine Coast K. Waters 2005
Canberra Vikings Canberra Canberra 1994 3 2003; 21 years ago (2003)

Grand Final results, Hospital Cup winners (since 1946)

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2024 . Brothers Brisbane 29-27 . West Brisbane
2023 . Brothers Brisbane 26–24 . West Brisbane
2022 . West Brisbane 44–27 . University of Queensland
2021 . University of Queensland 29–12 . GPS Brisbane
2020 . East Brisbane 33–18 . University of Queensland
2019 . University of Queensland 31–26 . Brothers Brisbane
2018 . GPS Brisbane 23–16 . University of Queensland
2017 . University of Queensland 23–14 . GPS Brisbane
2016 . Brothers Brisbane 31–28 . University of Queensland
2015 . South Brisbane 39–12 . East Brisbane
2014 . University of Queensland 20–18 . Sunnybank
2013 . East Brisbane 27–22 . GPS Brisbane
2012 . University of Queensland 46–20 . Sunnybank
2011 . Sunnybank 35–24 . Brothers Brisbane
2010 . University of Queensland 19–11 . Sunshine Coast
2009 . Brothers Brisbane 26–19 . South Brisbane
2008 . East Brisbane 22–21 . Brothers Brisbane
2007 . Sunnybank 85–19 . Gold Coast
2006 . West Brisbane 23–22 . Brothers Brisbane
2005 . Sunnybank 41–17 . Gold Coast
2004 . Gold Coast 24–18 . University of Queensland
2003 . Canberra 29–16 . Gold Coast
2002 . Canberra 45–3 . East Brisbane
2001 . Canberra 32–10 . Gold Coast
2000 . South Brisbane 34–30 . West Brisbane
1999 . East Brisbane 16–15 . West Brisbane
1998 . South Brisbane 34–18 . West Brisbane
1997 . East Brisbane 18–16 . South Brisbane
1996 . GPS Brisbane 12–6 . South Brisbane
1995 . South Brisbane 27–11 . East Brisbane
1994 . South Brisbane 19–8 . Sunnybank
1993 . South Brisbane 27–8 . Sunnybank
1992 . South Brisbane 44–10 . University of Queensland
1991 . South Brisbane 22–15 . West Brisbane
1990 . University of Queensland 19–10 . Brothers Brisbane
1989 . University of Queensland 34–9 . South Brisbane
1988 . University of Queensland 18–10 . South Brisbane
1987 . Brothers Brisbane 20–19 . South Brisbane
1986 . South Brisbane 31–13 . Brothers Brisbane
1985 . West Brisbane 10–7 . University of Queensland
1984 . Brothers Brisbane 18–3 . East Brisbane
1983 . Brothers Brisbane 30–15 . University of Queensland
1982 . Brothers Brisbane 25–16 . University of Queensland
1981 . Brothers Brisbane 36–13 . Teachers-North Brisbane
1980 . Brothers Brisbane 19–0 . South Brisbane
1979 . University of Queensland 16–13 . Brothers Brisbane
1978 . Brothers Brisbane 19–15 . University of Queensland
1977 . West Brisbane 15–10 . Brothers Brisbane
1976 . Teachers-North Brisbane 16–4 . GPS Brisbane
1975 . Brothers Brisbane 23–6 . GPS Brisbane
1974 . Brothers Brisbane 27–19 . GPS Brisbane
1973 . Brothers Brisbane 20–10 . GPS Brisbane
1972 . GPS Brisbane 23–18 . University of Queensland
1971 . Brothers Brisbane 17–3 . East Brisbane
1970 . University of Queensland 24–6 . GPS Brisbane
1969 . University of Queensland 22–14 . Brothers Brisbane
1968 . Brothers Brisbane 17–6 . University of Queensland
1967 . University of Queensland 17–15 . GPS Brisbane
1966 . Brothers Brisbane 36–9 . University of Queensland
1965 . University of Queensland 17–15 . GPS Brisbane
1964 . University of Queensland 29–9 . Teachers-North Brisbane
1963 . Teachers-North Brisbane 28–6 . University of Queensland
1962 . University of Queensland 18–12 . South Brisbane
1961 . GPS Brisbane 19–13 . University of Queensland
1960 . University of Queensland 11–6 . Brothers Brisbane
1959 . Brothers Brisbane 13–11 . University of Queensland
1958 . South Brisbane 9–5 . University of Queensland
1957 . University of Queensland 23–18 . South Brisbane
1956 . University of Queensland 19–6 . GPS Brisbane
1955 . University of Queensland 18–16 . South Brisbane
1954 . University of Queensland 19–3 . GPS Brisbane
1953 . Brothers Brisbane 11–9 . University of Queensland
1952 . University of Queensland 11–3 . Brothers Brisbane
1951 . Brothers Brisbane 17–6 . GPS Brisbane
1950 . Brothers Brisbane 21–10 . University of Queensland
1949 . Brothers Brisbane 13–8 . University of Queensland
1948 . University of Queensland 21–18 . GPS Brisbane
1947 . University of Queensland 8–6 . Brothers Brisbane
1946 . Brothers Brisbane 11–6 . GPS Brisbane

Total Premierships (since 1946)

Team Premiers (Hospitals Challenge Cup) Runners-up (Vince Nicholls Memorial Shield)
University of Queensland 24 20
Brothers 23 12
Souths 10 10
Easts 5 5
GPS 4 15
Wests 4 6
Sunnybank 3 4
Norths 0 0
Bond University 0 0
Canberra 3 0
Gold Coast 1 4
Teachers-Norths 1 1
Teachers 1 1
Sunshine Coast Stingrays 0 1

Former clubs (since 1929)

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ 27 QRU, 1 BRL.
  2. ^ 31 QRU, 2 BRL.
  3. ^ Both Premierships were as Teachers / Teachers–Norths.
  4. ^ As Gold Coast Breakers.
  5. ^ As Gold Coast Breakers.

References

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  1. ^ Queensland qru | Hospital Cup Winners Archived August 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "SCRU to Consolidate its Position | Sunshine Coast Rugby Union". www.scru.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Eagle Junction's good season". The Courier-Mail. 13 February 1937. Retrieved 17 November 2014 – via Trove.
  4. ^ "New manager and referee Mr. Doughty and Major Craig". The Referee. 5 July 1922. Retrieved 17 November 2014 – via Trove.
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