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

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