Sunshine Coast Rugby Union

Australian rugby competition

Sunshine Coast Rugby Union
Official website


Sport	Rugby Union
Jurisdiction	Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Abbreviation	SCRU
Founded	1982
Affiliation	Queensland Rugby Union
Regional affiliation	Queensland Country Rugby Union
Headquarters	Stockland Park
scru.com.au

The Sunshine Coast Rugby Union is the local rugby union competition on Australia's Sunshine Coast. Through Sunshine Coast Rugby Union Limited it serves as the governing body for rugby on the Sunshine Coast.

History

The Sunshine Coast and District Rugby Union was established in 1982, the first time an organised rugby union competition existed on the Coast since 1919. Various junior competitions have been established since including a club competition and a schools comp.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The following clubs contested the 1982 season ^[4]

Maroochydore Swans
Nambour Toads
Caloundra Lighthouses
Gympie Hammers

Maroochydore and Noosa were the only two clubs to win the Sunshine Coast A-grade rugby union premiership from 1982 through 2006. University were the team to break this run — winning in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Noosa reclaimed the premiership in 2010, before University, Caboolture and Maroochydore won the next three respectively. Noosa claimed the title back in the 2014 season. In 2015 the grand final home ground advantage was awarded to USC for their win against Noosa in the A grade Major semi. The 2015 grand finals were contested by USC and Noosa in A grade and Caloundra and Noosa in reserve grade at University of the Sunshine Coast. USC and Caloundra were crowned champions.^[5]^[6]

Amalgamation of regional bodies

In response to the Queensland Rugby Union's efforts, four separate organizations amalgamated to form the Sunshine Coast Rugby Union Ltd in 2009.^[7] The four organizations were the Sunshine Coast and District Rugby Union, the Sunshine Coast and District Junior Rugby Union, Sunshine Coast Rugby Union Referees Association and Sunshine Coast Rugby Union Schools Association.^[7]

2020 – present

Eumundi and Maleny

2020 saw Eumundi enter its first adult side since the 1919 North Coast season. Their entry into reserve grade brought that grade to 10 teams. However, Maleny would withdraw its reserve grade side citing various reasons.^[8]

Effect of COVID-19

The 2020 season initially got underway on March 15. Two days later the season was suspended.

Under the draw in place at the start of the season, the Women's season was scheduled to kick off April 18 the A grade and Colts Under 19's seasons were scheduled to kick off on April 25. Reserve grade kicked off as scheduled on March 15 two days before the season was suspended.^[9]

Wikinews has related news:

Brothers Sunshine Coast pick up first win in senior rugby at Australia's University of the Sunshine Coast
Brothers Sunshine Coast to join A grade rugby union competition on Australia's Sunshine Coast

The season restarted on August 1.^[11]^[12] A grade, the women's 12 a side, and Colts Under 19's are all due to be a double round robin while

Reserve grade is due to be single round robin.^[13]

Season 2021 started as planned. Eumundi withdrew its only side after a few rounds.

Due to a lockdown imposed on all bar one of the local government area with an SCRU team – Gympie – the season was suspended with one home and away round to play.^[14]^[15]

Competitions

Noosa vs University in 2014

The Sunshine Coast Rugby Union senior club competitions include:^[16]

A grade
Reserve grade
Colts (not contested between 2013 and 2017) ^[16]^[17]
Women's 10s ^[17]

Clubs

University vs Maroochydore in 2014

Clubs that compete in the senior competitions, as of 2020,^[18]^[19] are:

Brothers Sunshine Coast
Caboolture Snakes ^[a]
Caloundra Lighthouses
Eumundi Dragons^[21]
Gympie Hammers
Maroochydore Swans
Nambour Toads
Noosa Dolphins
University of Sunshine Coast Barbarians
Wynnum

Representative teams

Stingrays colours

The SCRU selects representative teams each year which compete under the name "Stingrays". The senior men's Sunshine Coast Stingrays teams played in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition from 2005 to 2013 but after facing funding difficulties in the lead up to the 2014 season are now focused on the Queensland Country Championships.^[22]^[23] The women's Stingrays compete in rugby sevens tournaments such as the Nambour Sevens and the Ballymore Sevens.^[24]

Notes

^ Caboolture Snakes returned to the Sunshine Coast senior competition for the 2019 season after five seasons with the Queensland Suburban Rugby Union (QRSU). Caboolture played on the Sunshine Coast from 1998 to 2013,^[20] after a previous stint with QSRU subbies.

References

^ "Sevens". Sunshine Coast Rugby. 2014. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
^ "Haydn's Blog". Sunshine Coast Rugby. 7 June 2012. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
^ "Draw/Points Table SCRU Secondary School Rugby Union (SCSSRU)". Sunshine Coast Rugby. 2014. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
^ Wood, Tom (10 August 2017). "Rugby bounced back after a 60-year break". Sunshine Coast Daily. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
^ "Maroochydore win 2013 Sunshine Coast Rugby Union Grand Final". Wikinews. 1 September 2013.
^ Maroochydore win 2013 Sunshine Coast Rugby Union Grand Final
^ ^a ^b "Sunshine Coast rugby bodies unite under one banner" (PDF). Queensland Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
^ "The Bushranging". Around the Grounds. PattmanSport. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
^ "20.02.2020 Senior Competition 2020 Draw All Grades (008)". PattmanSport. Sunshine Coast Rugby Union. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
^ Gillett, Patrick (4 June 2020). "Interview with Sunshine Coast Rugby Union Competition Manager Mike Aronsten about the return to rugby on the Sunshine Coast". PattmanSport. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ Gillett, Patrick (12 June 2020). "Sunshine Coast Rugby Union draw". PattmanSport. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
^ "25.05.2020 Senior Competition 2020 Draw All Grades August 1 start". PattmanSport. Sunshine Coast Rugby Union. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
^ "Reigning premiers in Sunshine Coast Rugby return team training". 7NEWS Sunshine Coast. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
^ Gillett, Patrick (15 August 2021). "2021 Sunshine Coast Rugby season to continue from August 28". PattmanSport. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
^ "2021 rugby union season on Australia's Sunshine Coast to culminate with September 18 Grand Final". Wikinews. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
^ ^a ^b "2013 Palmwoods Hotel Cup: Draws, Results & Ladders". Sunshine Coast Rugby. 2013. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Sunshine Coast Rugby Union". RugbyLink. Australian Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 14 March 2018.
^ "Gympie in Rugby A Grade 2020, Coolum get first 2A win". Around the Grounds. Sunshine Coast. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
^ "Glasshouse just miss home semi, other games washed out, Dragons at home 1st up - Around the Grounds". Around the Grounds. Sunshine Coast. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
^ "Caboolture Rugby Union Club: History". Caboolture Rugby. 2014. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
^ "Eumundi back in senior rugby, Caloundra too good for Gympie, Reds rescheduled". Around the Gtounds. PattmanSport. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
^ "Country Championships are ON!". Sunshine Coast Rugby. 9 May 2014. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
^ Brand, Anthony (2 October 2014). "'Rays quit Premier Rugby Stingrays opt to call it quits". Sunshine Coast Daily. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
^ "Open women to contest the Queensland Sevens State Titles". Sunshine Coast Rugby. 24 January 2014. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.