Hanan Shield
Encyclopedia
The Hanan Shield is one of the most prestigious trophies in New Zealand
's domestic rugby union
competition. First played for in 1946 after being presented by the Mayor of Timaru, A.E.S. Hanan. The Hanan Shield is based on a challenge system played between North Otago
, South Canterbury
and Mid Canterbury
. The holding union must defend the Shield in challenge matches, and if a challenger defeats them, they become the new holder of the Shield.
The Hanan Shield is currently held by Mid Canterbury
, who beat North Otago
25-22 on 6 October 2007, to reclaim the Shield for the first time since 1998.
make their first Hanan Shield defence of 2008 when they ran out onto the Ashburton Showgrounds to play South Canterbury
. It was to be the first Hanan Shield match contested under the new Experimental Law Variations
(ELVs), and it was South Canterbury
who put on the early pressure with prop Timaru Tafa crossing in the 6th minute. Mid Canterbury’s reply was simply a piece of brilliance as 19-year-old wing Brenton Connell sliced through a midfield gap on his own 10 metre line, broke a tackle and sprinted away down the left-hand flank to score in the corner. In the 29th minute, loose forward Jon Dampney showed his strength in shrugging off a tackler to score in the corner. Connell made it two for the afternoon when Dampney took a quick throw, which saw the ball spread to the opposite sideline into the hands of Connell who crossed the line and scored. South Canterbury
started the second half strong, and scored two tries in the first 10 minutes, to loose forward Eric Smith and Tafa got his second. Mid Canterbury
were trailing 19-18 but were not about to give up. A try to second five-eighth Richard Fridd pulled them back into the game, while two more tries were scored by first five-eighth Dan Maw and Dampney who scored his second. Mid Canterbury
37 (Brenton Connell 2, Jon Dampney 2, Richard Fridd, Dan Maw tries; Dan Maw pen, two con) South Canterbury
19 (Timaru Tafa 2, Eric Smith tries; Luke Reihana two con), HT: 18-5.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's domestic rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
competition. First played for in 1946 after being presented by the Mayor of Timaru, A.E.S. Hanan. The Hanan Shield is based on a challenge system played between North Otago
North Otago Rugby Football Union
The North Otago Rugby Football Union is a New Zealand rugby union province based in Oamaru and current holders of the Meads cup, the top trophy in the Heartland Championship. They are one of the strongest teams in The Heartland Championship, winning the Meads Cup section of the competition in its...
, South Canterbury
South Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play from Alpine Energy Stadium located in Timaru.-History:...
and Mid Canterbury
Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province in the South Island of New Zealand.-History:The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1904 as Ashburton Country when it broke away from the Canterbury Rugby Football Union...
. The holding union must defend the Shield in challenge matches, and if a challenger defeats them, they become the new holder of the Shield.
The Hanan Shield is currently held by Mid Canterbury
Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province in the South Island of New Zealand.-History:The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1904 as Ashburton Country when it broke away from the Canterbury Rugby Football Union...
, who beat North Otago
North Otago Rugby Football Union
The North Otago Rugby Football Union is a New Zealand rugby union province based in Oamaru and current holders of the Meads cup, the top trophy in the Heartland Championship. They are one of the strongest teams in The Heartland Championship, winning the Meads Cup section of the competition in its...
25-22 on 6 October 2007, to reclaim the Shield for the first time since 1998.
Hanan Shield Overall Record (1946-2006)
| Union | Played | Won | Loss |
| South Canterbury South Canterbury Rugby Football Union The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play from Alpine Energy Stadium located in Timaru.-History:... |
128 | 87 | 41 |
| Mid Canterbury Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province in the South Island of New Zealand.-History:The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1904 as Ashburton Country when it broke away from the Canterbury Rugby Football Union... |
109 | 47 | 62 |
| North Otago North Otago Rugby Football Union The North Otago Rugby Football Union is a New Zealand rugby union province based in Oamaru and current holders of the Meads cup, the top trophy in the Heartland Championship. They are one of the strongest teams in The Heartland Championship, winning the Meads Cup section of the competition in its... |
83 | 26 | 57 |
- Draw goes down as a win to the holders
2007
In a fiercely-contested clash in front of a record crowd at Oamaru's Centennial Park, Mid Canterbury played themselves into a Shield winning position. Mid Canterbury made the decisive break thanks to two stunning solo tries to young winger Brenton Connell, then hung on grimly in the final 20 minutes despite losing star midfielder Jack Umaga to a broken jaw. The match is generally considered to be among the most memorable clashes in the history of New Zealand domestic rugby.Hanan Shield 2008
August 9 saw Mid CanterburyMid Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province in the South Island of New Zealand.-History:The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1904 as Ashburton Country when it broke away from the Canterbury Rugby Football Union...
make their first Hanan Shield defence of 2008 when they ran out onto the Ashburton Showgrounds to play South Canterbury
South Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play from Alpine Energy Stadium located in Timaru.-History:...
. It was to be the first Hanan Shield match contested under the new Experimental Law Variations
Experimental law variations
The experimental law variations were a proposed set of amendments to the laws of rugby union. They were propsed by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and trialled games at Stellenbosch University in 2006...
(ELVs), and it was South Canterbury
South Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play from Alpine Energy Stadium located in Timaru.-History:...
who put on the early pressure with prop Timaru Tafa crossing in the 6th minute. Mid Canterbury’s reply was simply a piece of brilliance as 19-year-old wing Brenton Connell sliced through a midfield gap on his own 10 metre line, broke a tackle and sprinted away down the left-hand flank to score in the corner. In the 29th minute, loose forward Jon Dampney showed his strength in shrugging off a tackler to score in the corner. Connell made it two for the afternoon when Dampney took a quick throw, which saw the ball spread to the opposite sideline into the hands of Connell who crossed the line and scored. South Canterbury
South Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play from Alpine Energy Stadium located in Timaru.-History:...
started the second half strong, and scored two tries in the first 10 minutes, to loose forward Eric Smith and Tafa got his second. Mid Canterbury
Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province in the South Island of New Zealand.-History:The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1904 as Ashburton Country when it broke away from the Canterbury Rugby Football Union...
were trailing 19-18 but were not about to give up. A try to second five-eighth Richard Fridd pulled them back into the game, while two more tries were scored by first five-eighth Dan Maw and Dampney who scored his second. Mid Canterbury
Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province in the South Island of New Zealand.-History:The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1904 as Ashburton Country when it broke away from the Canterbury Rugby Football Union...
37 (Brenton Connell 2, Jon Dampney 2, Richard Fridd, Dan Maw tries; Dan Maw pen, two con) South Canterbury
South Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play from Alpine Energy Stadium located in Timaru.-History:...
19 (Timaru Tafa 2, Eric Smith tries; Luke Reihana two con), HT: 18-5.