Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield went through 10 challenges this season and changed hands twice, from Wellington to Canterbury in round 5, then from Canterbury to Southland in the last round of the round robin.
Wellington held off Wairarapa Bush 90 – 19 in a convincing first up match and 61 – 6 game against Wanganui. Wellington beat Otago 23 – 19 on 31 July in a match at Westpac Stadium, and then Auckland 16–15 on 22 August. Wellington lost the shield the next week though losing to Canterbury 36 – 14.
Canterbury won their first challenge against Otago on 12 September, when they won 36 points to 16. They won their next challenge against Taranaki on 18 September, 29 – 17. Their next challenge was against Northland on 26 September, which they won 31 points to 21. They successfully defended the shield for the fourth time against Manawatu winning 50 – 26. In their fifth and final challenge of the season, Canterbury lost the Ranfurly Shield to Southland on 22 October 9 points to 3. Southland will not have their first challenge until next season.
Read more about this topic: 2009 Air New Zealand Cup
Famous quotes containing the word shield:
“The lichen on the rocks is a rude and simple shield which beginning and imperfect Nature suspended there. Still hangs her wrinkled trophy.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)