The Australian Rugby Shield is once again up for grabs with 12 teams set to do battle on Queensland's Sunshine Coast next week.
The Australian Rugby Shield (ARS) is the country's top amateur prize with state and regional representative sides fighting through pool play and placing rounds to determine a national champion.
The 2024 ARS runs from Wednesday October 2 to Sunday October 6 and will be livestreamed from Caloundra Rugby Club via rugby.com.au/videos.
Here’s everything you need to know about next week's tournament:
Founded in 2000, the ARS is a round-robin tournament for member unions outside the Brisbane and Sydney heartlands.
NSW Country Cockatoos boast most men’s titles (four) with ACT & SNSW Griffins (three), Perth Gold (two), QLD Country Heelers (one) and Victoria's Axemen (one) among past winners.
Victoria won the inaugural women’s event in 2022 before NSW Country Corellas clinched last year's title in Brisbane.
This year's tournament will be contested by QLD Country Heelers, NSW Country Cockatoos, SA Black Falcons, Queensland Suburban, TAS Jack Jumpers (men's), ACT & SNSW Kestrels (women's) and the Australian Defence Rugby Union.
QLD Country are the host union for this year's event, which will see teams play four games over five days at Caloundra Rugby Union on the Sunshine Coast.
Teams will each play three seeding games to determine overall rank (1-6) and their finals opponent (e.g. 1 v 2, 3 v 4, 5 v 6).
The 2024 ARS is being delivered in partnership with Queensland's Sunshine Coast, which is fast becoming one of Australia's top rugby destinations.
Having hosted successfully this year's U20 TRC and Australian Schools Rugby tournaments, Sunshine Coast Council are eager to host another showpiece event.
Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli is a key driver of the region's burgeoning rugby partnership.
In a statement, Mayor Natoli said: "We have a long-term strategy to attract elite sports, athletes and national teams to train, stay and play here on our Sunshine Coast in the lead up to key events like the British & Irish Lions Tour in 2025, two Rugby World Cups - men’s in 2027 and women’s in 2029 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games Brisbane 2032."
Day 1 - Wednesday October 2
QLD Country Orchids v QSRU Kelpies (09:15am - Field 2)
ACT & SNSW Kestrels v SA Black Falcons Women (11:00am - Field 2)
NSW Country Corellas v ADRU Women (12:45pm - Field 2)
SA Black Falcons Men v ADRU Men (09:15am - Field 1)
NSW Country Cockatoos v QSRU Subbies (11:00am - Field 1)
QLD Country Heelers v TAS Jack Jumpers (12:45pm - Field 1)
Day 2 - Thursday October 3
SA Black Falcons Women v NSW Country Corellas (12:45pm - Field 1)
ACT & SNSW Kestrels v QSRU Kelpies (02:30pm - Field 1)
ADRU Women v QLD Country Orchids (04:15pm - Field 1)
ADRU Men v QLD Country Heelers (12:45pm - Field 2)
TAS Jack Jumpers v NSW Country Cockatoos (02:30pm - Field 2)
SA Black Falcons Men v QSRU Subbies (04:15pm - Field 2)
Day 3 - Saturday October 5
QSRU Kelpies v ADRU Women (09:15am - Field 2)
NSW Country Corellas v ACT & SNSW Kestrels (11:00am - Field 2)
SA Black Falcons Women v QLD Country Orchids (12:45pm - Field 2)
QLD Country Heelers v SA Black Falcons Men (09:15am - Field 1)
QSRU Subbies v TAS Jack Jumpers (11:00am - Field 1)
ARDU Men v NSW Country Cockatoos (12:45pm - Field 1)
Day 4 Fixtures TBC
