There has been almost unbroken competition for the rugby prize, except for 2006, with the Thames Valley, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and King Country sub-union representative sides engaging in Peace Cup battles.
The 105 year-old Peace Cup is on the line in Rotorua this Saturday. Photo / Ben Fraser
While the Central North Island rugby landscape has changed dramatically over the last century, the legend of the Peace Cup will be kept alive by a one-off game between the Central Bay of Plenty and Maniapoto rugby sub-unions this Saturday.
The match between the Rotorua hosts and the King Country visitors takes place at Marist St Michael’s Rugby & Sports Club.
The combined names of the Central Bay of Plenty sub-union, which was constituted from the Rotorua sub-union, have been engraved on the trophy at season’s end on 12 occasions.
Rotorua had an unshakeable grip on the Peace Cup after their first victory in 1951.
The side held on to the trophy until Matamata took it in a direct challenge in 1955.
Te Awamutu had held the Peace Cup for six seasons before Central Bay of Plenty came out on top with a 38-31 victory.
The Peace Cup visits a Rotorua school in 2004. Photo / NZME
Both sides scored five tries apiece with the difference being the Central Bay sharpshooter, who nailed all five conversions and added a penalty goal.
The first half had been a genuine arm wrestle with the home side holding a 10-7 advantage at the break in play.
Maniapoto have an even longer Peace Cup history than their rivals this weekend, having taken the cup into the summer break at the end of the 1943 rugby season.
The Te Kūiti-based sub-union were a dominant force in the Peace Cup stakes a half century later, after winning and holding the rugby prize between 1991 and 1995.
Last year’s holders, Hamilton, have not fielded a team for this year’s Peace Cup so Central Bay of Plenty will play Maniapoto for the trophy at Marist St Michaels Rugby & Sports Club at 2pm this Saturday.
On a permanent tilt, it looks like it has been taken to by a small hammer – and in some ways it has. It’s been dragged behind buses, battered, beaten, taped up and thrown out of hotel rooms, while it went missing for 12 years before it was found by a farmer.
Famously, the cup was stolen in 2004.
An excerpt from the New Zealand Rugby Museum website reads: “It was taken to a preliminary game between Hamilton and Te Awamutu to showcase, and subsequently disappeared without trace at the after-match function.
“A small storm of publicity followed and on the morning of the Peace Cup final, Kit Fawcett answered a knock on his front door.
“While no one was to be seen, a black rubbish bag sat on his doorstep. Inside was the Peace Cup, which was taken to the final.”
