Brad Weber and Ollie Sapsford celebrate winning the Ranfurly Shield at Sky Stadium. Photo / Getty Images
A parade for the Ranfurly Shield looks unlikely for Hawke’s Bay this week despite their dramatic Ranfurly Shield challenge win over the Wellington Lions in the windy capital city on Saturday.
For one thing, a social media video seen by Hawke’s Bay Today on Sunday shows that the famous Log of Wood was broken into pieces in the 24 hours after the win.
And for another thing, they’ve got a quarter-final to prepare for.
Hawke’s Bay Rugby CEO Jay Campbell said on Sunday afternoon the damage was caused by a “genuine accident” on Sunday morning.
“Hawke’s Bay Rugby is aware of social media posts circulating showing a damaged Ranfurly Shield. Hawke’s Bay has a rich and proud history with the Log of Wood, and we are incredibly proud of our performance yesterday and to once again be Shield holders.
“Having taken some time to understand from those present what has happened, this was a genuine accident which occurred this morning when a player has unfortunately dropped the Shield on to a concrete kitchen floor.
“Hawke’s Bay Rugby and our players understand the significance of this special taonga and its unique place within NZ rugby including our own rich history.
“Everyone involved is incredibly upset and devastated by what has happened, especially as it was a genuine accident.
“Hawke’s Bay Rugby takes full responsibility for the damage and will immediately begin the process of repair.”
The 20-18 win at Sky Stadium was the fourth time Hawke’s Bay had won the nearly 120-year-old Shield in five challenges dating back to 2013.
Ten years ago, their one-point win over Otago in Dunedin ended their 44 years without the trophy since the Shield fever of three consecutive seasons at the end of the 1960s.
But, travelling the 322 kilometres home by bus on Saturday night, the Magpies were taking the day off on Sunday before getting back into it on Monday.
They’ll be preparing for a trip to Rotorua or Tauranga for a Bunnings National Provincial Championship quarter-final against Bay of Plenty next weekend, and there’s unlikely to be any time for parades and other celebrations until the rest of the business is complete.
Ironically, it was Bay of Plenty who blocked the Magpies’ chances of a home playoff, with both a 38-35 win over Hawke’s Bay in Napier on September 9 and a 41-12 win over Tasman in Tauranga on Sunday.
Campbell said the goal had always been to win the NPC, which they have never done in the 48 seasons of the competition.
While they are the third-most successful union in Ranfurly Shield history, Hawke’s Bay have never played a first-division final in the NPC, their best having been beaten semifinalists in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2021, three NPC championship division (bottom seven) titles and a series of lower division triumphs.
Hawke’s Bay’s recent Shield history started with a 20-19 win over Otago in 2013, but the glory ended with the loss of it to Counties Manukau in their first defence just six days later.
It was back in the Bay after Hawke’s Bay had a 27-21 revenge win over Counties Manukau in Pukekohe in 2014, with 11 successful defences before it was lost to Waikato in 2015.
The only unsuccessful Hawke’s Bay challenge in the last decade was against Waikato in 2018, but the Shield again came back to the Bay after a 28-9 win over Holders Otago in Dunedin in 2020. There were 14 successful defences before Wellington came to McLean Park, Napier, in September last year to claim the Shield with a 19-12 win.
Despite the current regularity of successes, Campbell described being at Sky Stadium for the game on Saturday as “incredible” and “very special”.
“We are proud of the coaches and the team,” he said. “This time, we were up against the big guns - Wellington had won all nine games this season, and had won 19 in a row.”
Revealing before the game the travel plans for bussing home on Saturday night, he said: “The team knows more than most what the Shield means to our community.”
But he said the focus would now be on trying to win a quarter-final.
Hawke’s Bay have now had seven wins in Ranfurly Shield Challenges, although one, in 1927, was turned over on protest. Wellington had been the first victims, in 1922.
A social media post from the Hawke’s Bay Magpies as the ref blew his final whistle said it all: “Who said you can’t beat Wellington on a good day?”