The 1889 Southern Rugby Football Union season was the 16th season of the Sydney Rugby Premiership. This was the seventh competition for the Gardiner Challenge Cup which was awarded to the winners of the premiership. The football season lasted from May to August. Sydney University Football Club successfully defended the premiership, completing the season undefeated for the third time. During the season a number of representative matches were played. In June players were selected to represent New South Wales against a visiting intercolonial team known as the New Zealand Natives. A representative team from Victoria visited Sydney in July, while a New South Wales team visited Queensland in August. Teams The Gardiner Challenge Cup was open to all clubs who were part of the Union upon payment of an entry fee. After being rejected by the clubs last season, a Junior Cup was held for all Junior Clubs to enter. In addition to this, a Union Cup was also held for all second fifteens of senior or junior clubs, or those clubs who did not enter either of the other cups. When entries closed for the different competitions on the 10th May there were 14 entries into the Gardiner Challenge Cup, 11 entries into the Junior Cup and 16 entries for the Union Cup. Of the senior clubs, three did not survive to the new season. Both Burwood and Balmain Wellington folded during the previous season's play, while Balmain did not survive into the new year. Five junior clubs entered into the Senior Cup: Strathfield, Elvira, Randwick, Double Bay and Cammeray. Three new clubs were formed and entered the senior ranks: Zealandia, Parramatta and Strathfield Rovers. Zealandia was a club made up of players from New Zealand, similar to the old Gordon club. Parramatta was an amalgamation of the Nomad and Union clubs. The Union also allowed Sydney University to enter a second team into the competition. Unfortunately, the Strathfield Rovers did not see out the season, lasting only one match before being disbanded. Rule Changes The 1889 Sydney Rugby Premiership returned to its usual starting slot of mid-May. For the third season, entries for the senior cup were open to all member clubs of the Union for a fee. Prior to the season beginning, a meeting of the Southern Rugby Football Union saw much debate concerning the allocation of points during a match. It was proposed that the points