Odds against southerners lifting shield
THE log o’ wood has a chance to come south in the next two weeks but it will be hard work to wrestle it off the Mooloo men.
Apart from the two heavyweights of the domestic game — Auckland and Canterbury — Waikato has a Ranfurly Shield record to be proud of.
Well, compared to Otago and Southland anyway.
Southland heads to Hamilton to take on Waikato today and hopes to land the shield for the third time in under 10 years.
The chances are pretty long for Southland. Waikato is in a hot run of form while Southland has not won a game for two seasons.
Should the home team prevail today, Otago has the final challenge of the year, on October 13, the last round of the Mitre 10 Cup.
Otago won its last challenge when it went to Hamilton more than five years ago but will also face a tough battle.
Waikato has won the Ranfurly Shield eight times since the national provincial championships began in 1976, while Otago and Southland combined have racked up just three successful challenges in that time.
Southland won the shield in 2009 and 2011 while Otago won it in 2013.
After winning it, Waikato has successfully defended it 47 times. Otago and Southland combined have had eight successful defences. Well, more accurately, Southland has had eight defences, while Otago lost its first defence, against Hawke’s Bay, in 2013.
Since 1976, Otago has had 20 unsuccessful challenges and Southland has had nine. Waikato has had 13 unsuccessful challenges in that time.
Waikato has an ability to rise to the challenge and win the shield. It did that famously in 1993 to end Auckland’s long reign and, going further back, in 1980 when an Arthur Stone intercept won the shield off Auckland.
Former Waikato player Matthew Cooper said Waikato had always been a province which had enjoyed the shield and prized the trophy.
‘‘I just think Waikato do really like the fact that it is a special trophy . . . it is obviously not as big as it used to be but it still gives people a bit of a buzz, being in shield country,’’ Cooper said.
He said the formula did not change for teams challenging for the shield — sides had to go out and attack and leave nothing in the tank.
‘‘You’ve got to be bold, show a bit of courage, take risks and attack. Need to put some doubt into the defender.’’
Waikato had picked itself off the canvas this year after losing its first three games. Cooper said former Otago player Fletcher Smith can take credit for much of that, with better goal kicking helping the Waikato cause.