Shield challenge something to savour

The Ranfurly Shield.

Poverty Bay will end a 10-year drought when they play Taranaki in a Ranfurly Shield match at New Plymouth tomorrow.

The Bay’s last challenge was in 2008 when Auckland brought the Log o’ Wood to Rugby Park.

Playing that day for the home side was now Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union chief executive Josh Willoughby.

“It’s a special occasion. Not everyone, including professional players, get to play in a Shield challenge,” said Willoughby.

“It was great be part of a fantastic atmosphere in front of family, friends and the supporters.

“Maybe at the time I didn’t realise just how special it was but when I look back on it, I understand what it means and I know the players who wear the jersey tomorrow will feel the same.”

The 2008 Bay team defied predictions of a 100-point hiding by holding Auckland to 54-3.

“There was a period of about 25 to 30 minutes where we held them scoreless,” Willoughby said.

“The thing about that was the previous week I played for the Bay development team against Hawke’s Bay development and we lost by 100 points.

“Coming up from Otago I thought, ‘we’ve got Auckland next week, what’s going to happen’?

“We spent the next week working on defence and everyone played really well.

“Damian Macpherson, Michael Broadhurst and Sione Ngatu, our loosies, got stuck into them and Scotty (Leighton, first five-eighth and captain) played well.”