The NRL Under-20s (known commercially as the Holden Cup due to sponsorship from Holden) was the top league of professional rugby league for players aged 20 years or younger in Australasia. Contested by sixteen teams, the Under-20s competition commenced in 2008 and was originally known as the Toyota Cup. The competition runs parallel to Australasia's professional competition, the National Rugby League, with NYC matches played immediately prior to the NRL games. Similar to the NRL, the NYC enforces a salary cap and puts a heavy focus on life outside football for the players.

The New Zealand Warriors were the most successful club in the competition's short history, with three premierships from four Grand Final appearances; in 2010, 2011 and 2014. In 2018, the NRL Under-20s was replaced by state-based under-20s competitions in New South Wales and Queensland.

History

The NRL Under-20s succeeded the Jersey Flegg Cup in 2008, which existed from 1961 to 2007. The competition was administered by the New South Wales Rugby League as an under-19s competition, until it was changed to an under-20s competition in 1998. On October 28, 2016 it was announced that the 2017 season will be the last for the NRL Under-20s. It was to be replaced by stronger State-based competitions in NSW and QLD, these being the reformed Jersey Flegg Cup in NSW and the new Hastings Deering Colts in Queensland.

Teams

ClubCity2017 coachPremierships
Brisbane BroncosBrisbane, QueenslandScott Tronc0
Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsSydney, New South WalesBrad Henderson0
Canberra RaidersCanberra, Australian Capital TerritoryBrett White1
Cronulla-Sutherland SharksSydney, New South WalesJohn Morris0
Gold Coast TitansGold Coast, QueenslandBen Woolf0
Manly Warringah Sea EaglesSydney, New South WalesWayne Lambkin1
Melbourne StormMelbourne, VictoriaEric Smith1
Newcastle KnightsNewcastle, New South WalesTodd Lowrie0
New Zealand WarriorsAuckland, New ZealandGrant Pocklington3
North Queensland CowboysTownsville, QueenslandAaron Payne0
Parramatta EelsSydney, New South WalesLuke Burt0
Penrith PanthersSydney, New South WalesDavid Tangata-Toa2
South Sydney RabbitohsSydney, New South WalesRyan Carr0
St. George Illawarra DragonsWollongong, New South Wales Sydney, New South WalesWayne Collins0
Sydney RoostersSydney, New South WalesAnthony Barnes1
Wests TigersSydney, New South WalesChris Hutchinson1

Premiership winners

SeasonPremiersScoreRunners-upRefereeVenueDate
National Youth Competition
2008Canberra Raiders28 – 24Brisbane BroncosS. HayneANZ Stadium Sydney5 October 2008
2009Melbourne Storm24 – 22Wests TigersG. ReynoldsANZ Stadium Sydney4 October 2009
2010New Zealand Warriors42 – 28South Sydney RabbitohsG. ReynoldsANZ Stadium Sydney3 October 2010
2011New Zealand Warriors (2)31 – 30North Queensland CowboysD. MunroANZ Stadium Sydney2 October 2011
2012Wests Tigers46 – 6Canberra RaidersG. AtkinsANZ Stadium Sydney30 September 2012
2013Penrith Panthers42 – 30New Zealand WarriorsC. Butler D. MunroANZ Stadium Sydney6 October 2013
2014New Zealand Warriors (3)34 – 32Brisbane BroncosC. Butler C. SuttonANZ Stadium Sydney5 October 2014
2015Penrith Panthers (2)34 – 18Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesA. Gee P. GoughANZ Stadium Sydney4 October 2015
2016Sydney Roosters30 – 28Penrith PanthersZ Przeklasa-Adamski D. OultramANZ Stadium Sydney2 October 2016
2017Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles20 – 18Parramatta EelsP. Henderson A. CassidyANZ Stadium Sydney1 October 2017

Team performance

TeamPremiershipsRunners-upMinor premiershipsWooden spoons
TotalSeason(s)TotalSeason(s)TotalSeason(s)TotalSeason(s)
Brisbane Broncos0–22008, 20140–0–
Canberra Raiders120081201222008, 20130–
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs0–0–1201212014
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks0–0–1201712009
Gold Coast Titans0–0–0–12012
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles12017120151200932011, 2013, 2016
Melbourne Storm120090–0–0–
New Zealand Warriors32010, 2011, 2014120131201112017
Newcastle Knights0–0–120140–
North Queensland Cowboys0–120110–12008
Parramatta Eels0–120170–12011
Penrith Panthers22013, 20151201622015, 20160–
South Sydney Rabbitohs0–120101201112015
St. George Illawarra Dragons0–0–0–0–
Sydney Roosters120160–0–0–
Wests Tigers12012120090–0–

Comprehensive regular season results

Comprehensive regular season results of the National Youth Competition by club.

Team2008200920102011201220132014
Brisbane Broncos2nd5th10th9th12th8th
Canberra Raiders1st8th6th13th3rd1st
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs7th11th3rd6th1st4th
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks14th16th14th3rd10th13th
Gold Coast Titans8th14th8th14th16th15th
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles11th1st7th16th14th16th
Melbourne Storm13th3rd13th4th9th9th
Newcastle Knights12th10th12th8th11th12th
New Zealand Warriors3rd7th2nd1st2nd6th
North Queensland Cowboys16th9th4th2nd13th10th
Parramatta Eels5th12th16th12th15th14th
Penrith Panthers4th13th15th10th5th2nd
St. George Illawarra Dragons6th2nd11th11th8th11th
South Sydney Rabbitohs10th6th1st15th6th7th
Sydney Roosters15th15th5th5th7th3rd
Wests Tigers9th4th9th7th4th5th

Awards

Player of the Year

The National Youth Competition Player of the Year award is the premier individual award in the National Youth Competition. The voting for the award is similar to the Dally M Medal voting, where after each National Youth Competition game 3 points are awarded to the best player on ground, 2 points to the second and 1 point to the third. As of 2017, every winner of the award has gone on to play first grade in the NRL. The inaugural winner was Ben Hunt from the Brisbane Broncos in 2008. Hunt is also the youngest player to win the award, at age 18 years, 5 months and 13 days.

YearWinnerPositionTeam
2008Ben HuntHalfbackBrisbane Broncos
2009Beau HenryHalfbackSt. George Illawarra Dragons
2010Tariq SimsPropBrisbane Broncos
2011Jack De BelinSecond-rowSt. George Illawarra Dragons
2012David KlemmerPropCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
2013Bryce CartwrightSecond-rowPenrith Panthers
2014Kane ElgeyHalfbackGold Coast Titans
2015Ashley TaylorHalfbackBrisbane Broncos
2016Jayden BraileyHookerCronulla-Sutherland Sharks
2017Jake CliffordHalfbackNorth Queensland Cowboys

Jack Gibson Medal

The Jack Gibson Medal is awarded to the man of the match of the Toyota Cup grand final. The award is named after legendary rugby league coach, Jack Gibson. Gibson, who guided Eastern Suburbs to premierships in 1974 and 1975, the Parramatta Eels to three successive premierships from 1981 to 1983 and was named coach of the Team of the Century, died in 2008.

YearWinnerPositionTeam
2008Josh DuganFullbackCanberra Raiders
2009Luke KellyHalfbackMelbourne Storm
2010Carlos TuimavaveFive-eighthNew Zealand Warriors
2011Jordan MeadsHalfbackNew Zealand Warriors
2012Matt MulcahyFive-eighthWests Tigers
2013James RobertsCentrePenrith Panthers
2014Solomone KataCentreNew Zealand Warriors
2015Soni LukeHookerPenrith Panthers
2016Nat ButcherLockSydney Roosters
2017Cade CustHalfbackManly Warringah Sea Eagles

Television coverage

Australia

  • Free to air: Channel 9 showed the Grand Final as part of the Grand Final Coverage.
  • Subscription television: FOX Sports show 2 games live every weekend, live coverage of the Toyota Cup precede Fox Sports' Super Saturday and Sunday live NRL coverage.

New Zealand

  • All New Zealand Warriors home games in the U20's competition are shown live by Sky NZ. Māori Television also broadcasts Ngāti NRL, a series that focuses on young Māori and Pacific Islanders who travel to Australia and play in the Toyota Cup.

See also

External links