Rugby: Shield changed hands on regular basis this year

Wanganui Rugby

Border's 65-14 thumping of Marist on Saturday was almost an anticlimactic end to the extraordinary journey the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield has been on in 2014.

Some of Tasman Tanning Premier's closest thrillers and most shocking upsets were fought out over the Shield this season, going back to Ratana's jaw-dropping 10-3 boilover against dominant holders Ruapehu in Ratana's opening game of the season in Ohakune on March 29.

Between then and last Saturday, the Shield changed hands eight times and spent at least a week in five different clubrooms.

This compared to 2013, where Border took the Shield off Pirates in the first game and then held it until meeting an unbeatable Ruapehu, who locked it away for the remainder of the year.

In 2014, thanks to a couple of one-week tenures, Border ended up with an unprecedented three separate reigns, while Ratana's second run was the longest single tenure, lasting from April 26 till May 31, although even here they barely scrapped by Kaierau, Marton and Utiku.

Marton's shock 17-16 win over Taihape on June 28 will rate as their season defining game, as the Shield spending time with two clubs who will finish outside championship semifinal contention speaks volumes of overall a much more competitive Premier grade.

Perhaps the most miffed side will be Pirates, who despite their strong campaign were the only leading club never to hold the Shield because it was always somewhere else in the region whenever they turned up to play. As they have the bye this coming weekend, Border will now pocket the $500 sponsors voucher and keep the Shield for the summer.

The Grand Hotel Challenge Shield games in 2014 were:

March 22: Ruapehu beat Kaierau 34-16.

March 29: Ruapehu lost to Ratana 10-3.

April 5: Ratana beat Marist 15-10.

April 12: Ratana lost to Taihape 17-0.

April 19: Taihape lost to Border 34-31.

April 26: Border lost to Ratana 25-19.

May 3: Ratana beat Kaierau 25-24.

May 10: Ratana beat Marton 23-19.

May 24: Ratana beat Utiku Old Boys 20-19.

May 31: Ratana lost to Ruapehu 20-15.

June 7: Ruapehu beat Utiku Old Boys 34-5.

June 14: Ruapehu lost to Border 18-13.

June 21: Border lost to Taihape 29-7.

June 28: Taihape lost to Marton 17-16.

July 5: Marton lost to Border 15-3.

July 12: Border beat Marist 65-14.