Southland have recorded the shortest reign with the Ranfurly Shield after suffering a 54-14 defeat to Canterbury in Invercargill today.
Less than a week after an impressive performance to take the shield off Waikato, the Stags were simply outclassed by Canterbury.
Southland’ssix-day Ranfurly Shield reign is the briefest in the trophy’s 121-year history. There have been three reigns that lasted just six days. Due to variations in kick-off times, the Stags’ run is 30 minutes shorter than Hawke’s Bay’s time with the trophy in 2013. Waikato’s reign last week lasted six days and two and a half hours.
Canterbury are the fourth different union to hold the shield in 2025 and will defend it against Tasman next Sunday.
They last held the trophy in 2020 and this is their 17th tenure, passing Auckland on the all-time list.
It was also Canterbury’s sixth straight win of the season and moves them seven points clear of Otago in second place.
Four tries in the opening 25 minutes, including a double for Corey Kellow, propelled the challengers to a 28-0 lead, which they took into the halftime break. The Stags struck first in the second half when Jack Taylor crossed in the 44th minute – but that’s as close as they got to a miracle comeback.
Canterbury crossed for a fifth time two minutes later through Louie Chapman, his second try of the match, and continued their domination with three more tries in the second half, All Black Dallas McLeod also bagging a double.
