There is no national rugby union club competition in Australia. Instead, it's local leagues all over. Arguably those in Brisbane and Sydney are the strongest.
The state teams ACT Brumbies, New South Wales Waratahs and Queensland Reds, play for the National Ricoh Championship (or State of the Union) and Super 12.
Six other teams, four of them from non-traditional Rugby states, play for the Australian Rugby Shield.
As well as unearthing talent the Australian Rugby Shield plays an important role in rugby union development in the non-traditional Rugby states such as Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.
The tournament is played as a single round robin over five weekends with a first-past-the-post system in place for the first time in 2004.
Adelaide Black Falcons Darwin Mosquitoes Melbourne Axemen NSW Country Cockatoos QLD Country Heelers Perth Gold
2000 QLD Country Heelers
2001 NSW Country Cockatoos
2002 NSW Country Cockatoos
2003 Perth Gold