The Official Shield Thread.

[Bring Back The Ruck]

So by Round 5 is what you're saying.

Fine. Its halfway through the season, but that is the price for having your name on it at the end of the year.

Oh, and the premiership, I suppose.

Pretty sure the fixtures were created so that Subbies had finished and you could be there for the Rams lifting the thing for the first time anyway!

 

[2bluesfan]

There are a couple of active G&GR posters from Levin - @Waiopehu Old Boy, and I think @Dan 54. They could be keen.

No wine in Wanganui, but there are some great craft brewers in Kapiti-Horowhenua and Wairapa is home to Brian Lochore and Pinot Noir country. They are both close to the Levin game.

Depending on the dates, I may be able to get to the games. The Mighty Two Blues played the Heartland XV back in November 2010 at the start of coach Glen Christini's tenure. I recall they were a fairly sharp team but I'd think a NRC selection could/should give them something to think about.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Wairapa is home to Brian Lochore and Pinot Noir country. They are both close to the Levin game.

"Wai Rapa is a current Chairman at Wamp Nga Holdings Ltd. He owns and runs a Security firm for over twelve years. He is also the Deputy Governor of Western Highlands and Mt. Hagen Council President....."

I'm guessing you mean WaiRArapa, the winery bits of which btw are a good two hours from Levin, road closures permitting Rumour has it they're now growing grapes West of the Tararuas but I have no idea whether they're yet producing anything drinkable, even by Palmy North standards.............

I'm scheduled to be NZ-side from last weekend in November to early January but have a few things on e.g wife's step-grandmother's unveiling in Matamata but keen if match dates & my commitments allow.

Wanganui's only an hour up the road too.

Levin is a bit close to Palmy North for my liking

In Shannon there's a signpost pointing to Palmy North one way, the local cemetery the other. People sit there for hours on end deciding which way to turn............ and I'm amazed you managed to find both a decent motel & good beaches in Wanganui (which these days is WHanganui, btw) well done

Well done also & especially to everyone who got this Shield from Internet forum talk to reality.

 

[Pfitzy]

and I'm amazed you managed to find both a decent motel & good beaches in Wanganui (which these days is WHanganui, btw) well done

Aotea Motor Lodge - great spot. Found it on booking.com while searching for somewhere to stop between Rotovegas and Welly, particularly as I wanted to get a closer look at Mt Doom.

Beaches were great because when I go to the beach in Sydney its too fucking hot and there are loads of dickheads there. Beaches in that part of the world are laid back, with people driving past and using commonsense instead of a thousand rules and angry shit to be wankers about it.

Gotta say, the drive alongside the Mangawhero was a bit wearing, but fun when the wife and/or kids weren't threatening to throw up

 

[Hugh Jarse]

@Sully is famous! Awesome News. First @WaratahJesus runs the pill on at Moore Park and now @Sully gets his time in the limelight. The Little People speak again.

From @Rugby Reg on the Blog Front Page:http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/nrc-2015-round-1-preview/

It is not wasted however and this Sunday the Rising will be presented with the Horan-Little Shield as the inaugural holders of the challenge shield, that the Green and Gold Rugby community has been so actively advocating for with the ARU for some time. Melbourne will hold Horan-Little for at least one week as they must face Brisbane City in the second round in the Sheild’s first challenge match. The Shield will be presented to the Melbourne Rising by its namesakes, Wallaby legends Tim Horan and Jason Little this weekend prior to their match against QLD Country on Sunday. However before Jason and Tim hand it over, our very own Shane “Sully” Sullivan will present it [to] the former Wallabies on behalf of the all Green and Gold Rugby supports and the wider grassroots rugby fan-base. The naming of the trophy was a process done with much consideration of everything the NRC represents. In the end it was decided that the symbolism of two best mates from country Queensland, who played with and against each other from the ages of 10 years old, all the way up to winning two World Cups was a fitting representation of what rugby should be about.

Whilst the trophy won’t be challenged for this weekend, Queensland Country will no doubt be ready to prove many doubters wrong in this first game. Country finished a highly disappointing second last. Injuries to the likes of Greg Holmes, Haydn Hirsimaki, Blake Enever, Beau Robinson, Lolo Fakaosilea, Scott Gale, Mike Harris and Ben Lucas really put them behind the 8-ball in terms of depth of talent. Some astute recruitment this season gives hope for improved results through the presence of the likes of in-form Chris Feauai-Sautia, Ed Quirk and Sef Fa’agase. A fit and healthy group of Gale and Lolo with some young stars in Sam Greene, Lukhan Tui and Taniela Tupou will provide some improved depth.

Is the H-L shield up for grabs this round or not?

There are varying reports. @RugbyReg in the blog article above says no, yet in this forum post (earlier in the week) he says yes vvvv.

This match will be the first one in which the Horan-Little Shield is up for grabs. Good of the Rising to put it up for an away game, which they didn't have to do.
<snip>

While we are on the subject of grass roots recognition, it is good to see a few Gaggerlanders (including some of the commentariat) nominated for the Asteron Life Community Coach of the Year Award and letting their actions speak louder than their words. https://asteronlifesuperrugby.com/
Well done.

 

[RugbyReg]

thanks for pointing that out. I wrote that preview on Tuesday night. Wednesday morning it was announced that the Rising was putting it on the line for this weekend's game as well.

Horan is presenting it to the Rising on Saturday at their team dinner (as that is the only time he has available). We are still working through with the ARU as to the post-match presentation but it is the intention that a GAGR-ite will present the trophy post match of any successful challenge.

GAGR are also involved in the awarding of 3-2-1s for the NRC player of the year, as the attending 'journo' will submit votes to the ARU to be accumulated through the season.

 

[RugbyReg]

While we are on the subject of grass roots recognition, it is good to see a few Gaggerlanders (including some of the commentariat) nominated for the the Asteron Life Community Coach of the Year Award and letting their actions speak louder than their words. https://asteronlifesuperrugby.com/
Well done.

Wow. I didn't even realise. Hope I get a certificate!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

With the Australian Barbarians taking on a NZ Heartland XV in Wanganui and Levin, is it time to ramp up the people power and, in conjunction with The Silver Fern blog, propose, design and fund a trophy for that series?

Perhaps The Cosgrove - <insert name of NZ rugby playing Governor General> Trophy, or just The Cosgrove Cup

 

[TOCC]

Don't want to push for too much too soon in an increasingly crowded rugby calendar but in a few years I'd like to see the winners of the NRC take on the ITM Cup in some form of a Champions Cup.




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[WorkingClassRugger]

Don't want to push for too much too soon in an increasingly crowded rugby calendar but in a few years I'd like to see the winners of the NRC take on the ITM Cup in some form of a Champions Cup.




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Even better. You could look to add in the winner of the Currie Cup and Top League.

 

[RugbyFuture]

 

[Tangawizi]

And here is the shield. Well done to everyone that pushed to get it ready for tomorrow's match

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

With the Australian Barbarians taking on a NZ Heartland XV in Wanganui and Levin, is it time to ramp up the people power and, in conjunction with The Silver Fern blog, propose, design and fund a trophy for that series?

Perhaps The Cosgrove - <insert name of NZ rugby playing Governor General> Trophy, or just The Cosgrove Cup

I'd suggest Freyberg, mostly for the Cosgrove parallels: Military man then Governor General. Freyberg is generally credited with coming up with the idea for the NZ Army team that toured the UK in 1945-46 (they didn't have unpaid interns back then do the story may even be true ) & pretty much re-established rugby post-WWII.

 

[Sully]

Your design was lightyears ahead of this mate. Kind of sad it didn't pan out

 

[RugbyReg]

Agreed but the flip side is that we were never going to get the trophy made in time so to get something from the ARU archives was a good end result.

Not necessarily the end of t though....

 

[Hugh Jarse]

The Shield is achieving the desired effect of raising additional interest in games.

This from the North Harbour Rays.
http://www.raysrugby.com.au/rays-keen-for-shot-at-the-shield/

 

[TOCC]

The Shield is a great addition, it may take a little bit for some people to grasp the concept but it will only grow in importance and stature as the competition grows.


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[kiap]

The Shield is achieving the desired effect of raising additional interest in games.

This from the North Harbour Rays.
http://www.raysrugby.com.au/rays-keen-for-shot-at-the-shield/

Ultimately, that's what it's about.

Agreed but the flip side is that we were never going to get the trophy made in time so to get something from the ARU archives was a good end result.

Not necessarily the end of t though..

Yeah, it's a good outcome to be ready for the season.

On the HLS, the top ARFU scroll is a good touch and the fact that it's old is a bonus. The coat of arms is decent - looks liked it was nicked from the old parliament house gates - but I like that. Map a bit off-centre - industrial effect.

The main thing missing IMO is a fine timber back. On a different base, say RF's oval shield, it would be upgraded. A quick and dirty mockup:

The Horan-Little nameplate would be better if it matched the top scroll, but that's minor. On something like Scoey's burl:

It could also scrub up well. There are cost-effective alternatives for getting quality castings done, also.

 

[Brumby Runner]

According to the Rays article, only the team holding the shield at the end of each season will have their name engraved. Thought that had been clarified that all holders will be acknowledged on a small shield. Would seem to diminish its status if some holders don't get the acknowledgement.

 

[Scoey]

Yeah that's the rule. It seems a bit odd to me also. There's already a trophy to play for at the end of the season.