There are only two teams here that I’m really interested in so if you want a full in depth analysis of the state of the entire competition you’ve come to the wrong place. If however you’ve come to follow the only two teams that matter read on:
First up, the winner of the reverse Ranfurly Shield. This thing has had a wild ride since its inception, having been with 3 teams in 2 weeks! Hawke’s Bay hot potatoed the shield of shame like it was a live grenade and now Counties Manukau are hoping they can somehow put the pin back in. However, with no wins yet things are looking almost as bleak as their mascot.
Now Canterbury... Oh how this hurts. I’ve tried to avoid it all week but today’s our General’s birthday so I’m out of options. Only two weeks in we lost the real Ranfurly shield to Taranaki in a cracker of a game that ended with Jordie Barrett sinking a 50m penalty.
I need some lie to console myself so I’m just going to go out there and say it.
“We didn’t even want the Shield anyway.”
Sure it’s probably the most prestigious trophy in the Mitre 10 cup. Sure we may not get a chance to compete for it again but this is Canterbury. Our trophy is pretty loaded after dominating the past 20 years. The Ranfurly Shield is a pretty hefty piece of wood and given our recent history of Earthquakes it’s probably a health and safety hazard!
In the long term you could say this is even helpful for us. An early defeat stings and motivates you to get even to get better. Better to get it out early than in the final.
So thank you Taranaki! Thank you for taking the shield off us. Thanks’s, because… we didn’t even want it in the first place!
*quietly sobs in the corner*
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