Hawke's Bay snatch Ranfurly Shield
New Zealand rugby's premier challenge trophy, the Ranfurly Shield, changed hands on Sunday for the second time this season – passed from a team that won it for the first time in 56 years then held it for only nine days to another that last claimed it in 1969.
Otago province ended decades of heartbreak when it took the Shield from Waikato on August 23, returning to their Dunedin headquarters for the first time since 1957.
But at their first defence, Otago lost 19-20 to Hawke's Bay on Sunday and allowed the team to begin their first Shield tenure in 44 years.
Hawke's Bay will now defend the Shield, which is played for only in the holder's home games, against Counties Manukau at Napier on Saturday.
All the weekend's scores and scorers:
Otago 19-20 Hawke’s Bay
The scorers:
For Otago:
Tries: Spence, Popoali'i
Pens: Parker 3
For Hawke's Bay:
Try: Veainu
Con: West
Pens: West 2
Wellington 42-15 Manawatu
The scorers:
For Wellington:
Tries: Filipo 2, J. Hill, Bateman, Fa'atau
Cons: Sopoaga 4
Pens: Sopoaga 3
For Manawatu:
Tries: Stirzaker 2
Con: George
Pens: George 2
Southland 14-15 Taranaki
The scorers:
For Southland:
Try: Cornforth
Pens: Eade 2, McKenzie
For Taranaki:
Tries: Ormond, Tuifua
Con: Taylor
Pen: Taylor
North Harbour 33-33 Northland
The scorers:
For North Harbour:
Tries: Tuitavake, Pleasants-Tate, Parsons, Manihera
Cons: Rei, Elrick
Pens: Rei, Elrick 2
For Northland:
Tries: Caucaunibuca 2, Meltzer, Pryor
Cons: Seymour 2
Pens: Seymour 3
Auckland 32-17 Bay of Plenty
The scorers:
For Auckland:
Tries: Parkes, Moala, Fekitoa, Braid
Cons: Hickey 3
Pens: Hickey 2
For Bay of Plenty:
Try: Sitauti
Pens: Ripia 4
SAPA
