Two weeks after being crowned state rugby league champions, Westfields Sports High School has won the Australian crown. Glenn Cullen reports.
13 September 2023
Image:Westfields Sports High defeated Palm Beach Currumbin to secure the National Cup rugby league title.
Westfields Sports High has cemented its reputation as the premier school for boys’ rugby league in Australia with a blistering 38-4 National Cup win over Palm Beach Currumbin.
The best two sides from NSW and Queensland in the under 18 competition went head-to-head at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday, but it was largely one way traffic at the Sydney venue.
After a run of slow starts in the competition - including the state decider against Patrician Brothers Blacktown where Westfields needed a 78th minute converted try to grab the win - the Sydney side started the match with real purpose.
Bustling five-eighth Lachlan Galvin scored a first half double, and when halves partner Dion Williams darted over in the 20th minute, the home side already looked to have a match-winning lead.
An early second half try to Palm Beach kept the Queensland side in with a sniff, but the home team extended their advantage with two more four-pointers to claim the title.
Westfields Sports High principal Andrew Rogers said it was a complete team performance.
“It was a great achievement by the boys and a credit to their determination to succeed,” he said.
“The coaches have really instilled a sense of pride and humility in the players.
“A special congratulations to Lachie Galvin, who won the Peter Stirling Medal for player of the tournament and was also player of the final.”
The news wasn’t quite so good for the Hills Sports High Girls team. The side lost the first ever national girls’ final to Mabel Park, 26-8.
The Queensland side skipped out to an 14-0 lead before Hills roared back into the contest.
However, two further tries to Mabel Park sealed the result.
Hills Sports High defeated the highly fancied Westfields ports High team in the state semi-final before claiming the NSW crown against Erindale College.
13 September 2023
Westfields Sports High has cemented its reputation as the premier school for boys’ rugby league in Australia with a blistering 38-4 National Cup win over Palm Beach Currumbin.
The best two sides from NSW and Queensland in the under 18 competition went head-to-head at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday, but it was largely one way traffic at the Sydney venue.
After a run of slow starts in the competition - including the state decider against Patrician Brothers Blacktown where Westfields needed a 78th minute converted try to grab the win - the Sydney side started the match with real purpose.
Bustling five-eighth Lachlan Galvin scored a first half double, and when halves partner Dion Williams darted over in the 20th minute, the home side already looked to have a match-winning lead.
An early second half try to Palm Beach kept the Queensland side in with a sniff, but the home team extended their advantage with two more four-pointers to claim the title.
Westfields Sports High principal Andrew Rogers said it was a complete team performance.
“It was a great achievement by the boys and a credit to their determination to succeed,” he said.
“The coaches have really instilled a sense of pride and humility in the players.
“A special congratulations to Lachie Galvin, who won the Peter Stirling Medal for player of the tournament and was also player of the final.”
The news wasn’t quite so good for the Hills Sports High Girls team. The side lost the first ever national girls’ final to Mabel Park, 26-8.
The Queensland side skipped out to an 14-0 lead before Hills roared back into the contest.
However, two further tries to Mabel Park sealed the result.
Hills Sports High defeated the highly fancied Westfields ports High team in the state semi-final before claiming the NSW crown against Erindale College.