The Dewar Shield is a

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

competition in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. It is the professional and semi-professional premier grade for rugby in Victoria. A total of nine teams from the

Victorian Rugby Union Rugby Victoria, formerly the Victorian Rugby Union, is a member and founding union of Rugby Australia. Within the state of Victoria, it is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. Rugby Victoria manages competitions for males and femal ...

compete for the trophy. Local TV Channel 31 broadcasts one game a week on Wednesday evenings. The Rebel Army periodically have online text-based commentary of matches.

History

The Victorian Rugby Union senior competition was established in 1909 with five teams, namely East Melbourne, Melbourne, South Melbourne, St Kilda and University. The Melbourne Rugby Club of that time won the first year of the five-team competition for the new trophy the Dewar Shield (donated by the Scotch Whisky Distillery John Dewar and Sons). One hundred years later in 2009 the current Melbourne Rugby Club is the reigning premiers, defeating Box Hill in the Grand Final for the same Dewar Shield. The Premier competition is contested by nine clubs with each club fielding three teams (Premier 1, Premier 2, and Premier 3). Other senior competitions offered are Metro 2nd Division with an A, B & C Grade, Colts (U20), Country, Women and Masters (over 35s). During this time, a number of clubs have dominated the 1st Grade results. Melbourne Rugby Club has the most number of Premierships with 17. Moorabbin holds the record for consecutive Premierships, winning six in a row from 1981 to 1986. Other prominent clubs during this 100-year period include Melbourne University, Power House and Navy. Footscray and

Endeavour Hills Endeavour Hills is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Casey local government area. Endeavour Hills recorded a population of 24,455 at the . Endeavour Hil ...

were promoted to the Premier division for the 2011 season.

Premier Division clubs

Dewar Shield winners

Victorian Rugby Union Premiership winners (from 1946 onwards):

Former Premier Division clubs

(list may not be complete) * East Melbourne * South Melbourne * St Kilda * Hawthorn * Kiwi * Navy * R.A.A.F * Boroondara/Kiwi-Hawthorn^a * South Melbourne * Southern Districts RUC * Geelong * Northcote/Northern ^a Kiwi-Hawthorn now play in the Second Division A competition.

References

External links

Dewar Shield webpage
on Melbourne Rebels official site

Club websites

Box Hill RUFCEndeavour Hills RUFCFootscray RUCHarlequin RUCMelbourne RUFC

Melbourne University RFCMoorabbin RUFCPower House RUFC
{{VRUclubs, state=expanded Rugby union competitions in Victoria Sports competitions in Melbourne Recurring sporting events established in 1909 1909 establishments in Australia Sports leagues established in 1909