Ranfurly Shield

Ranfurly Shield

The Ranfurly Shield , also known as the Log of Wood , is the most prestigious trophy in New Zealand in the sport of rugby union . The first game for the Ranfurly Shield was played in 1904. The competition is still based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout system . The shield holder must defend the trophy in challenge games. If the challenger wins, he becomes the new holder of the shield.

Although the professionalization of rugby has spawned tournaments like the ITM Cup and Super Rugby , the Ranfurly Shield is still considered the most important award in New Zealand rugby. This is mainly thanks to its long history and the fact that every challenge has the character of an endgame to defend the shield.

The current shield holder is the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union . She won it against the Counties of Manukau Rugby Union on August 30, 2014.

history

In 1901, the then Governor General of New Zealand , Uchter Knox, 5th Earl of Ranfurly , declared that he would donate a trophy to the national rugby federation New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU). When the trophy (actually a cup) was presented to her, the NZRU decided that it should be awarded to the best provincial team of 1902, which then has to defend it in every home game.

The shield was originally intended as a football trophy, not a rugby trophy. A football player was shown on the engraving in the center. The illustration was modified by adding painting poles on the soccer goal so that it looks like a rugby game scene.

The Auckland RFU team , undefeated in 1902, became the first team to be awarded the Shield. In 1903 Auckland toured and did not play any home games for this reason. So it didn't have to defend the Shield that year. The first defense took place in 1904 against the Wellington RFU . It was unsuccessful as Auckland lost 6-3.

Since the introduction of the New Zealand National Provincial Championship (NPC) rugby championship in 1976, all home games the Shield holder plays in the NPC are automatic challenges.

When Canterbury RFU won the Shield against Waikato RU in 1994 , it was in poor shape. It had large cracks and lots of dents. Almost a century of use had left its mark. Canterbury player Chris England, a trained carpenter, restored the shield and brought it back to its former beauty.

regulate

The shield holder at the end of each season is required to accept at least seven challenges for the next year. In addition to all home games during the championship (except in the knockout phase), the shield holder must also accept challenges from provinces from the other division before each season.

The shield holder cannot be compelled to defend the shield in an away game unless he has explicitly chosen to do so. Auckland, for example, did so in a number of games during their record defenses from 1985 to 1993.

If a challenger wins the shield, he is the defender for all remaining home games of the season.

Shield holder

Status: September 2017

province Won successfully defended Auckland 1902 00 Wellington August 6, 1904 04th Auckland August 26, 1905 23 Taranaki August 16, 1913 06th Wellington September 10, 1914 15th Southland September 15, 1920 01 Wellington September 10, 1921 02 Hawke's Bay August 9, 1922 24 Wairarapa June 3, 1927 02 Manawatu August 6, 1927 02 Canterbury September 7, 1927 01 Wairarapa July 18, 1928 08th Southland August 31, 1929 03 Wellington September 3, 1930 01 Canterbury August 22, 1931 15th Hawke's Bay August 16, 1934 02 Auckland September 8, 1934 01 Canterbury August 10, 1935 04th Otago September 21, 1935 08th Southland July 31, 1937 00 Otago July 30, 1938 05 Southland September 10, 1938 11 Otago August 2, 1947 18th Canterbury August 16, 1950 00 Wairarapa 2nd September 1950 00 South Canterbury September 16, 1950 00 North Auckland September 30, 1950 02 Waikato August 18, 1951 06th Auckland August 9, 1952 00 Waikato 23rd August 1952 06th Wellington August 1, 1953 05 Canterbury September 19, 1953 23 Wellington September 22, 1956 04th Otago August 24, 1957 01 Taranaki September 28, 1957 13 Southland 5th September 1959 00 Auckland September 23, 1959 02 North Auckland 20th August 1960 01 Auckland August 31, 1960 25th Wellington August 31, 1963 00 Taranaki September 7, 1963 15th Auckland September 11, 1965 03 Waikato August 27, 1966 00 Hawke's Bay September 24, 1966 21st

province Won successfully defended Canterbury September 27, 1969 09 Auckland August 28, 1971 01 North Auckland 18th September 1971 06th Auckland August 26, 1972 00 Canterbury 5th September 1972 02 Marlborough July 28, 1973 06th South Canterbury 17th August 1974 01 Wellington 3rd September 1974 01 Auckland September 21, 1974 10 Manawatu August 21, 1976 13 North Auckland September 12, 1978 05 Auckland September 21, 1979 06th Waikato September 7, 1980 08th Wellington August 1, 1981 04th Canterbury September 18, 1982 25th Auckland September 14, 1985 61 Waikato September 18, 1993 05 Canterbury 3rd September 1994 08th Auckland September 23, 1995 03 Taranaki August 24, 1996 01 Waikato September 8, 1996 01 Auckland 4th October 1996 06th Waikato October 5, 1997 21st Canterbury September 23, 2000 23 Auckland October 11, 2003 02 Bay of Plenty August 15, 2004 01 Canterbury September 5, 2004 14th North Harbor September 24, 2006 03 Waikato August 25, 2007 00 Canterbury September 1, 2007 01 Auckland September 29, 2007 05 Wellington September 20, 2008 04th Canterbury August 29, 2009 04th Southland October 22, 2009 06th Canterbury October 9, 2010 01 Southland July 23, 2011 02 Taranaki August 24, 2011 07th Waikato 3rd October 2012 04th Otago 23rd August 2013 00 Hawke's Bay September 1st 2013 00 Counties of Manukau September 7, 2013 06th Hawke's Bay August 30, 2014 04th Waikato October 9, 2015 06th Canterbury September 28, 2016 01

See also

• List of major rugby union competitions
• ITM Cup
• Hanan Shield

Web links

• The Ranfurly Shield . Scrum - New Zealand Rugby Resource, archived from the original onFebruary 27, 2009; accessed on September 7, 2014(English, original website no longer available).