Ranfurly Shield: Canterbury end Southland’s short reign with Log o’ Wood

NZ Herald

6 Sep, 2025 05:54 AM2 mins to read

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Canterbury celebrate winning the Ranfurly Shield. Photo / Photosport

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A 14-year wait and gone in six days.

Southland have recorded the shortest reign with the Ranfurly Shield after suffering a 54-14 defeat to Canterbury in Invercargill today.

Less than a week after an impressive performance to take the shield off Waikato, the Stags were simply outclassed by Canterbury.

Southland’s
six-day Ranfurly Shield reign is the briefest in the trophy’s 121-year history. There have been three reigns that lasted just six days. Due to variations in kick-off times, the Stags’ run is 30 minutes shorter than Hawke’s Bay’s time with the trophy in 2013. Waikato’s reign last week lasted six days and two and a half hours.

Canterbury are the fourth different union to hold the shield in 2025 and will defend it against Tasman next Sunday.