The history of the O’Callaghan Cup has been well documented – it is awarded to the winning team at an annual match between two great schools, Downlands College and Toowoomba Grammar School, to enhance friendly rivalry and school spirit and, most of all, for every student to enjoy the great game of Rugby.

In early 1950, the five O’Callaghan brothers - Jim (34-36), John (34-38), Frank (1938), Michael (1938) and Bryan (38-42) - who attended Downlands in the 1930s and early 1940s, instituted the O’Callaghan Cup for the two schools’ First XV teams, and donated the original cup.

Downlands won this inaugural 1950 encounter 15 to 6. The present O’Callaghan Cup is the second cup, first presented in 1970, and is now permanently housed in a glass case for care and preservation.

However, it should be noted that the actual Downlands College (DLC) - Toowoomba Grammar School (TGS) rugby connection dates right back to the founding of Downlands in 1931. Since then, this enthralling annual contest has been ongoing except for two years (1942-1943) during World War II when Downlands moved to Dalby and Rugby League was adopted; its school buildings in Toowoomba were used as a Military Hospital.

The First XV game will always remain the highlight, but it is fair to say, that it is a full-day event particularly for current students at both schools, affectionately known as Grammar Day at Downlands and Downlands Grammar Day at TGS, but I am informed that this gets shortened to Grammar Day as well at TGS. All games are contested with that fierce rivalry and school spirit envisaged by the O’Callaghan Brothers.

Following the 75th Anniversary game in 2024, both teams have won 36 games with 3 draws. No doubt in their 150th anniversary year, TGS will be looking to go ahead for the first time.

Some other statistics:

• For 39 of these games, the winning margin has been ten points or less.
• Overall points scored are TGS 1,210 and DLC 1158.Downlands had six successive wins from 1991-1996.  
• 2006 was a very controversial year - the third successive victory for TGS, 18-17. With time up according to the clock on the field, DLC led 17-15 and DLC supporters rushed on to the field in celebration only to be informed by the referee that there was still time to go according to his watch. DLC gave a penalty right in front of the uprights in the last few seconds of the game handing the win to TGS.
• 2014 saw the highest winning margin with TGS winning 69-0.
• TGS had five successive wins from 2014-2018.
• 2019 DLC captain and fullback, Mac Grealy (15-19), a current Reds player, scored the winning try in the dying minutes of play to snatch a 27-21 victory.
• In 2020, the match was not held at either school – the only time – and was instead held at the Toowoomba Sports Ground where it was played under lights with restricted crowd numbers – only 100 current students from each school attended due to COVID-19 restrictions.

THE TEAMS

TGS is a member of the Greater Public Schools Association (GPS) contesting its nine team competition each year in a variety of sports including rugby. Traditionally, DLC has played the GPS schools on their bye weekend. In prior times, the GPS teams showed DLC respect by facing off at full strength but in recent years, the timing of the games determining the potency of the opposition, apart from TGS who always field their full-strength teams. This has two implications:

1. With no competition to play for, DLC always has a point to prove no matter the opposition, but even if they win handsomely, it gives virtually no indication of the strength of its rugby program.
2. The importance of the O’Callaghan Cup is heightened by it being the only time that it is absolutely certain that DLC is playing a full-strength team.

Despite this, the interest and attendance levels at the O’Callaghan Cup have been so high that it has been annually regarded alongside Nudgee v Terrace as one of the pinnacle schoolboy games in Queensland not dependent on current form.

Fair to say that the two most famous players from either side have been Tim Horan (83-87) for Downlands and Jason Little, TGS. They opposed each other in the 6-all draw in 1987 and then went on to become Wallaby teammates and dual World Cup winners in 1991 and 1999.

STAKEHOLDERS
Each year, all GPS schools feature an Old Boys Day (known as Back to State High at Brisbane State High School) but this rotates to a different opposition each year. It is very different for both DLC and TGS with both schools deliberately hosting their past student reunions in Toowoomba on O’Callaghan Cup weekend. In other words, both bring dedicated spectators to this game who not only understand the importance of the fixture but want to be part of the day.

A further major factor is the fact that the fixture is the only traditional rivalry game that is played in a regional city. To further support this, traditionally there has been co-operation from the local rugby community with scheduled byes in their competitions enabling players and supporters to be part of this fixture.

In terms of refereeing, appointment to the O’Callaghan Cup has always been regarded as a pinnacle of many a referee’s career, including test referees rating this game as being on par with refereeing grand finals.

O’CALLAGHAN CUP TRIVIA

Current Wallaby and Reds player, Matt Faessler (11-14) is the only player to have played for both DLC (2014) and TGS (2015) in an O’Callaghan Cup game. He has super pedigree with grandfather, Vince Bermingham, a Wallaby, and uncles, John (Bull) Bermingham (71-75), and Peter Bermingham (73-77), representative players, all winners of the O’Callaghan Cup.

Both TGS and DLC can boast a rich refereeing history, with TGS having Scott Young as a test referee and DLC having Don Duffell (37-41) and Neill McCann (70-74) as Life Members of the Queensland Rugby Referees Association.

Due to his familial heritage, Patric O’Callaghan aka Keg (1971) has been the traditional presenter of the O’Callaghan Cup, although he is passing this responsibility to the next generation in 2025.

It should be noted that there were three other O’Callaghan brothers, however, they attended Gregory Terrace and Nudgee College. One of their descendants, Rod O'Callaghan, was the referee for the 75th Anniversary game in 2020, which was also the only game played at a neutral venue, and the 2021 game at TGS. Believe it or not, Rod met Keg for the first time at the 2024 game.