Shield fever, winners,

Another Mitre 10 Cup season has flown by and the national provincial competition wraps up this weekend with the Premiership and Championship finals in Auckland and Hamilton respectively.

Stuff reviews the 2018 season, reflecting on who was hot, who was not, Ranfurly Shield fever and one especially brave Otago player, who returned to the heat of battle with a ‘‘smashed testicle’’.

Taranaki’s season

A condemned stadium. Poor crowds. The Ranfurly Shield was lost. And relegation from the Premiership was duly confirmed with defeat to Wellington in the final round after seven defeats on the bounce.

Taranaki’s season lurched from one difficulty to another after their home ground, New Plymouth’s Yarrow Stadium, was condemned because of safety issues and the two main seated stands along the touchlines were not open to fans because both were deemed earthquake risks.

The closure of those stands heavily impacted crowd numbers and the team struggled on the field, losing the Log o’ Wood to Waikato before finishing bottom and dropping down to the Championship for next season.

Jono Gibbes revives Waikato

Waikato’s Premiership slump finally led to relegation in 2017 but, with former stalwart Jono Gibbes installed as coach for one season before departing for France, the Mooloos returned to winning ways following a record losing streak.

A Ranfurly Shield raid in Taranaki was a massive boost of confidence and Waikato finished top of the Championship after a six-match winning streak run that included Jono’s Mooloos overcoming elder brother Chris’ Wellington.

Waikato would lose the log to Otago but can avenge that defeat when hosting the same opponents in tonight’s final in Hamilton.

All Blacks on the comeback trail

Sighting All Blacks in provincial colours has become increasingly rare over the years, but the Mitre 10 Cup provides some of New Zealand’s top players with a chance to return to their roots on the way back from injury.

All Blacks captain Kieran Read made his first appearance for Counties Manukau in a pre-season friendly against Tasman and hooker Dane Coles was back for Wellington towards the end of their season after almost a year sidelined with a knee injury.

Shield fever lives on

For all the gripes about the waning significance of provincial rugby, the Ranfurly Shield still carries a certain mystique.

Otago finished the season with the old log tucked away for summer after a staunch defensive effort in claiming it from Waikato, who had earlier snatched it from Taranaki.

This season was the first time at least three provincial sides have been holders since 2013.

BOP’s bizarre pop

Speaking of burst balls, one of the stranger things to occur during Bay of Plenty’s underwhelming Championship campaign was first-five Jason Robertson literally kicking the bladder out of a ball.

In the second half of their 32-20 loss to North Harbour in Albany in September, Robertson attempted a clearing kick from near his own line, striking the ball when its internal, inflatable bladder partially came out. The exploding ball oddly flapped into the sky like a wounded duck and was caught by Harbour’s Tevita Li, who was left asking the referee for some fresh leather.

Auckland return to the top

First-year coach Alama Ieremia has inspired an almighty return to the top.

First, Ieremia recruited an impressive coaching team – including former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry – to tap