Counties Manukau and the Ranfurly Shield. There's a certain symmetry to it, even though no player from the province has ever clutched the log in triumph; never cuddled up at night beside it; never paraded it through the region for wide-eyed children to gaze at in awe.
If you want to
find a bittersweet story in New Zealand provincial rugby, you'll go a distance to find a better example.
The Counties union was formed in 1955. Since then, and with the Manukau part attached in 1996 - and to far from wholehearted support - they've gone to that particular well 23 times, lost 21 times and managed two draws.
They even had two cracks last year, losing first to Southland 13-9 in Invercargill, then 39-21 to Canterbury, who had lifted the shield off the southerners in the interim.
But the shield hurt runs deep down Bombay way.
Tonight there's another opportunity to put right what many feel is one of the injustices of domestic rugby when Counties head south to play Southland, who themselves are celebrating another glorious day after toppling Canterbury for the second time in just over two years last weekend.
You wonder as you glance down the list of Counties' shield challenges how, just once, the famous chunk of wood hasn't been won.
Look at the cast of players. They've not been short of quality.
Go way back to All Blacks Pat Walsh and Stan "Tiny" Hill - noted Cantabrian hard man who spent time in the army at Papakura - in the early years.
Think of the sublime centre Bruce Robertson, he of 100 All Black appearances; Andy Dalton, All Black captain; Alan Dawson, the outstanding flanker for whom the sobriquet "unluckiest bloke never to play a test" could have been invented; and more latterly Joeli Vidiri and Jonah Lomu, giant, free-scoring wings, Errol Brain and Jim Coe, proud men of the province, and a cast of top talent down the decades.
How have they not managed even once, even for a solitary defence, to win a challenge?
Scores from those games tell how close Counties have come.
That tone was set in the first challenge, in 1958, an 11-5 loss to Taranaki.
Then followed defeats by 11, five, nine and one point to Auckland from 1960-75.
Now consider this block of four games: 15-10 against Manawatu in 1977; 11-9 against Auckland in 1979; 20-20 against Waikato and 15-15 against Canterbury in 1981 and 1982. Call that little stretch heartbreak highway.APN
Counties Manukau and the Ranfurly Shield. There's a certain symmetry to it, even though no player from the province has ever clutched the log in triumph; never cuddled up at night beside it; never paraded it through the region for wide-eyed children to gaze at in awe.
If you want to
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