Last week Provincial Rugby kicked off again and it’s been great. Grassroots footy and all its terrifying mascots are back on TV screens across the country.
Because 2020 and COVID it also happens to be an unexpected golden age in terms of quality. Never before have so many All Blacks and Super Rugby players been around to represent their province and it has lead to some cracking games of rugby.
In this great era however, there needs to be balance. With such abundance of talent the trash teams in the country simply don't get the attention they deserve. So, to to even things up around here I’ve decided to invent a new trophy which I call “The Reverse Ranfurly Shield”.
In the glorious traditions of Yammer House, the Reverse Ranfurly Shield is designed to shine the spotlight on the worst rugby team in New Zealand and make fun of them for being bad.
This year, the inaugural holders of the Reverse Ranfurly Shield were Southland, who until recently, hadn’t won a game since 2017. This tragic achievement is even more impressive due to the fact that there’s no draft process in rugby so they weren’t even tanking. They were deserving holders of this trophy and in my eyes are still favourites to hold it at the end of the season.
They’re going to have to work for it though because apparently there’s a new challenger out there. Hawkes Bay, who somehow ended the longest losing streak in New Zealand rugby history by letting Southland beat them, have stolen the shield in week 1!
This is far more drama than I expected this early in the season but it seems you just can't put good losers down. Congratulations Hawkes Bay, new holders of the Reverse Ranfurly Shield and possibly the worst team in the country.
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