The Hanan Shield is one of the most prestigious trophies in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1946 after being presented by the Mayor of Timaru, A. E. S. Hanan. The Hanan Shield is based on a challenge system played between North Otago, South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge matches, and if a challenger defeats them, they become the new holder of the shield. A rules change at the end of the 2011 season meant that the shield is contested in all meetings between the holders and one of the other two teams.[1]
On 6 October 2007, Mid Canterbury won the Shield from North Otago, who had held the shield since 2000, with a 25–22 victory. In a fiercely contested clash in front of a record crowd at Oamaru's Centennial Park, Mid Canterbury played themselves into a Shield winning position. Mid Canterbury made the decisive break thanks to two stunning solo tries to young winger Brenton Connell, then hung on in the final 20 minutes despite losing star midfielder Jack Umaga to a broken jaw. This ended North Otago's Hanan Shield reign of 14 defences over seven years.[2]
On 9 August 2008 Mid Canterbury made their first Hanan Shield defence when they ran onto the Ashburton Showgrounds to play South Canterbury in the first Hanan Shield match contested under the new experimental law variations (ELVs). It was South Canterbury who put on the early pressure with prop Timaru Tafa crossing in the 6th minute. Mid Canterbury's 19-year-old wing Brenton Connell sliced through a midfield gap on his own 10-metre line, broke a tackle and sprinted away down the left-hand flank to score in the corner. In the 29th minute, loose forward Jon Dampney showed his strength in shrugging off a tackler to score in the corner. Connell made it two for the afternoon when Dampney took a quick throw, which saw the ball spread to the opposite sideline into the hands of Connell who crossed the line and scored. South Canterbury started the second half strong, and scored two tries in the first 10 minutes, to loose forward Eric Smith and Tafa got his second. Mid Canterbury were trailing 19–18 but were not about to give up. A try to second five-eighth Richard Fridd pulled them back into the game, while two more tries were scored by first five-eighth Dan Maw and Dampney who scored his second.
In the first Hanan Shield challenge of the 2011 Heartland Championship, North Otago uplifted the Shield from South Canterbury. North Otago retained the Shield for one challenge.
On 13 October 2012 South Canterbury claimed the shield by defeating Mid Canterbury 17–15 at Fraser Park in Timaru. South Canterbury outscored their opponents by three tries to two.
Mid Canterbury defended the shield by defeating North Otago 26–20 in the 2013 Meads Cup final on 26 October.[7] This was also Mid Canterbury's first time winning the Meads Cup.
On 11 October 2014, Mid Canterbury defended the shield against South Canterbury in Timaru, only one week after their match against North Otago.[8] They won 24–7.[11]
In the first match of the 2016 Heartland Championship season, Mid Canterbury defended the Shield for a sixth consecutive time.[13] Mid Canterbury successfully defended the shield in a high-scoring affair.[14]
Try: Shay Tucker Josh Casey Joe Pickett Simon Lilicama Con: Carey (2/4)
Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton
2016 South Canterbury
On 15 October 2016, South Canterbury, on their home ground, won the Shield from Mid Canterbury. South Canterbury defended the Shield on four occasions throughout 2017 and 2018.
On 24 August 2019, in an away fixture, North Otago ended the Shield reign of South Canterbury. North Otago defended the Shield in one challenge, against Mid Canterbury.
