Barker held off a fast finishing and resilient Knox outfit to claim a 21-19 victory and win the school’s 21st Henry Plume Shield, awarded each year to the CAS first XV premiers. 

Barker led for the majority of the afternoon in front of a packed house at Hornsby but struggled to put Knox away, with the visitor’s defence outstanding in their biggest match of the season. 

Barker opened the scoring in the 8th minute through third-year first XV fullback Charlie Poynton who beat his defender with speed after the Barker forwards battered Knox’s line. 

Knox hit back with a try to outside back Max Roach, following a clever inside ball from flyhalf Tye Jecks, but allowed Barker straight back into their red zone. 

Knox defended their line brilliantly all afternoon, but eventually Barker found a way through with prop Nick Hill scoring to give the home side a 12-7 lead at the break. 

Knox’s goal line defence kept them in the match and Barker were forced to kick two penalty goals to extend their lead to 11 points. 

But with 10 minutes remaining, Knox finally attacked on the back of some front foot ball and outside backs Reilly Caswell and Ben Askew combined soon after to score and reduce the deficit to just six points. 

Barker flyhalf Harrison Dene kicked a third pressure penalty goal in the 65th minute to edge his side further ahead but Knox weren’t done with yet. 

After the Knox forwards drove a maul for close to 25 metres, the visitors spread the ball wide and Caswell again proved illusive, scoring to set up a grandstand finish. Askew nailed the conversion from near the sideline to reduce the deficit to just two points. 

Trailing 21-19 with 90 seconds remaining, Knox attacked and worked play into Barker territory. 

But Barker defended patiently and eventually earned a penalty following some clever breakdown work from flanker Hugo Wilson. 

Barker kicked the ball into touch, sealing victory and the school’s fourth CAS premiership in six seasons.

In the round’s other matches, Cranbrook claimed a big win over Aloys and Waverley were too good for Trinity. 

Barker were undefeated through five competition matches, ahead of Knox (four wins), Waverley (three wins), Cranbrook (two wins), Trinity (one win) and Aloys.