The Ranfurly Shield explained

(also published on Pink Rugby)

The Ranfurly Shield.  The Shield.  The Log o’ Wood.   Whatever you want to call it, the Ranfurly Shield is a HUGE deal in provincial rugby in New Zealand.

You may have heard of it, or this could be your first time hearing about it.  If you are in the latter group, chances are you are NOT a New Zealander, so I encourage you to read on and learn all about this magical wooden, shield shaped token of rugby awesomeness.

Waikato with the Ranfurly Shield

The Ranfurly Shield dates back to 1904 (making it 109 years old), and it was gifted to the NZRFU by the Governor of New Zealand – the Earl of Ranfurly – hence the name.  The Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system with the union who holds the Shield at the start of the season, facing a series of seven challenges during the ITM Cup/Heartland Championship season.  Each home game that the union holding the Shield (at the start of the season) has, is a Shield challenge – and each of those games is a winner takes all affair – the winner of course, taking the Shield.  The Ranfurly Shield can NOT be contested during the semi-finals or final.

Sounds confusing, kind of is, but here is the way things stand at the moment.

Waikato currently hold the Shield, after taking it off Taranaki in 2012
(In the ITM Cup pre-season, Waikato did have two shield defenses against Heartland Championship teams, but realistically, those games are never going to end any way but the Shield holder defending the shield by a huge margin, still it’s a great honour for those Heartland Championship (3^rd division) teams)
Considering Waikato don’t lose any of them, the following games will be Ranfurly Shield defences:

• 17 August – vs Northland
• 23 August  – vs Otago
• 14 September – vs Auckland
• 27 September – vs Wellington
• 12 October – vs Taranaki

HOWEVER, lets just say Northland beat Waikato on 17 August, Northland would become the Shield holders and their remaining home games would be Ranfurly Shield defenses:

• 24 August – vs Southland
• 8 September – vs Wellington
• 26 September – vs Tasman
• 9 October – vs Otago

Technically the Ranfurly Shield could be held by 6 teams in one season (8 if you include the pre-season games against Heartland Championship teams), but most seasons it only changes hands once, if at all.

Because I love statistics (when they relate to rugby anyway), here are some Ranfurly Shielstistics

Top 5 unions who held and defended the mighty Log o’ Wood?

• #1 – Auckland, held 16 times & 148 defenses
• #2 – Canterbury, held 14 times & 129 defenses
• #3 – Wellington, held 10 times & 40 defenses
• #4 – Waikato, held 9 times & 48 defenses
• #5 – Southland, held 7 times & 22 defenses

Last 5 unions to hold the Shield

• 22 October 2009 – Southland (won off Canterbury)
• 9 October 2010 – Canterbury
• 23 July 2011 – Southland
• 24 August 2011 – Taranaki
• 3 October 2012 – Waikato

Longest time in possession of the Shield

• Auckland, (8y4d) 14^th September 1985–18^th  September 1993

Shortest time in possession of the Shield

• Waikato, (8 days) 24^th August 2007-1^st September 2007

(won off North Harbour, lost to Canterbury)

First ever union to hold the Shield

• Wellington, 6^th August 1904-26^th August 1905

(lost to Auckland afer 4 defenses)

And finally, in the all important battle between the North Island and South Island…

• North Island – 11 unions from the North have won the Shield
• South Island – 5 unions from the South have won the Shield

There you have it.  Now when you hear mention of the Ranfurly Shield, you will know precisely what the commentators/reporters/men at the pub are talking about, and perhaps you can even impress them with your knowledge of Shieltistics!