Queensland, Victoria prevail at Australian Police Rugby Union Championships in Wollongong

Collegians played host to the week-long event, with teams representing the state police forces and the Australian Federal Police battling it out for the title. 

Chief Inspector Vince Hole, vice-president of the Australian Police Rugby Union, said the tournament was played in positive spirit, with all officers enjoying their time in the Illawarra. 

“It was a great week of rugby,” Hole said. “It was a great opportunity for police across the country to catch up with each other. 

“Policing is a tough job, officers have to deal with a lot of difficult situations, and sport is a fantastic place to have a bit of an outlet and something positive to work on together with colleagues. It’s a great opportunity to meet police from other forces and share experiences.”  

The 2018 edition of the biennial competition was also a landmark occasion, with a women’s competition being contested for the first time. 

The NSW women fought hard throughout the entire week, however Victoria proved too good in the final, claiming the first women’s championship. 

The men’s final was played out by Queensland and the AFP, with the Queenslanders claiming a 20-0 victory to complete an undefeated competition. 

NSW finished the competition with two wins from four matches, with wins coming over Victoria and Western Australia. The two losses came at the hands of Queensland and the AFP.