The Shield could be bonkers this year

I'd been wondering about the likelihood of getting it back this season! Nice work

I'm hoping it ends up in Invercargill personally after they no doubt smash Tasman who will take it off Auckland after they take it off Taranaki! Go the Stags!

Still my favourite competition in Rugby.

@Corkscrew said in The Shield could be bonkers this year:

Putting aside genuine upsets there are four or five teams who could realistically have the Shield over the summer.

Taranaki ought to be able to repel Otago in their first defence but then face Auckland, with both sides with All Blacks out who knows who would win. If Taranaki get through, they look a cut above the remainder of the Championship teams they will face at home.

Auckland take the Shield and then immediately face Tasman. Tasman would be slight favourites to win their first stint. If Auckland get past that the biggest threat will be Waikato two weeks later.

If Tasman win then they go to a Crusaders derby on 7 November and would be favourites to retain it. However if Canterbury steals it back it is straight back with a last round challenge against Auckland.

@Duluth

Tried to push this to front page but less than 1000 characters. Suggest use of your super powers.

@booboo said in The Shield could be bonkers this year:

@Corkscrew said in The Shield could be bonkers this year:

Putting aside genuine upsets there are four or five teams who could realistically have the Shield over the summer.

Taranaki ought to be able to repel Otago in their first defence but then face Auckland, with both sides with All Blacks out who knows who would win. If Taranaki get through, they look a cut above the remainder of the Championship teams they will face at home.

Auckland take the Shield and then immediately face Tasman. Tasman would be slight favourites to win their first stint. If Auckland get past that the biggest threat will be Waikato two weeks later.

If Tasman win then they go to a Crusaders derby on 7 November and would be favourites to retain it. However if Canterbury steals it back it is straight back with a last round challenge against Auckland.

@Duluth

Tried to push this to front page but less than 1000 characters. Suggest use of your super powers.

Here’s a few characters to assist - We wuz robbed last night

@ACT-Crusader said in The Shield could be bonkers this year:

@booboo said in The Shield could be bonkers this year:

@Corkscrew said in The Shield could be bonkers this year:

Putting aside genuine upsets there are four or five teams who could realistically have the Shield over the summer.

Taranaki ought to be able to repel Otago in their first defence but then face Auckland, with both sides with All Blacks out who knows who would win. If Taranaki get through, they look a cut above the remainder of the Championship teams they will face at home.

Auckland take the Shield and then immediately face Tasman. Tasman would be slight favourites to win their first stint. If Auckland get past that the biggest threat will be Waikato two weeks later.

If Tasman win then they go to a Crusaders derby on 7 November and would be favourites to retain it. However if Canterbury steals it back it is straight back with a last round challenge against Auckland.

@Duluth

Tried to push this to front page but less than 1000 characters. Suggest use of your super powers.

Here’s a few characters to assist - We wuz robbed last night

Feel so sorry for you ...

I was wondering this myself.

There haven’t been five holders since 1950 (Otago, Canterbury, Wairarapa, South Canterbury and, coincidentally, the last were Northland, who were then North Auckland)

@Bovidae yep, if we won, we would have potentially 2 tough defences v NH then Waikato (in Kaikohe too) in the final round

If NH won, they would have a solitary defence v Counties, who if they won, would have a defence in final round v Southland

If HB defend it, they then have Manawatu who if they won woudl have Southland (who would then need to defend it against Otago, and if Otago won, well, lets not tal k about thier challenger) but if Manawatu won thier first defence, they would then face Taranaki, who if they won, woudl then put it up to HB for the final round, but if HB defend it v Manawatu, Wellington next, who if they won it, woudl have a sole defence vs Manawatu

The best record not to have is North Harbour's in 1996 - three unsuccessful challenges in 6 weeks (lost to Taranaki, Waikato and Auckland).

@taniwharugby Nope, if the Magpies retain the Shield tomorrow, they first have a defence v Manawatu and then Wellington.

@Stargazer see above

@taniwharugby Bleh, you edited your post after I posted my response.

@Stargazer I had just finished editing as you posted, so bleh to you too

@taniwharugby

@Stargazer moral of the story, if you gonna lose it, lose to either Northland or Wellington, def not Manawatu, as that opens a path up for Tasman to get a shot, and no one wants that

@taniwharugby said in The Shield could be bonkers this year:

@Stargazer moral of the story, if you gonna lose it, lose to either Northland or Wellington, def not Manawatu, as that opens a path up for Tasman to get a shot, and no one wants that

Wellington aren't great at winning it, and even worse at holding it

@taniwharugby said in The Shield could be bonkers this year:

@Stargazer moral of the story, if you gonna lose it, lose to either Northland or Wellington, def not Manawatu, as that opens a path up for Tasman to get a shot, and no one wants that

There's not one acceptable option on that list. We'll just have to take the not lose it option.

@Nepia thats the selfish option, we are looking at continuing the Shield-go-round, as we would very likely lose to one of NH or Waikato

Taniwha we believe in you. It’s your time. Ranger to have a blinder.

@taniwharugby said in The Shield could be bonkers this year:

@Nepia thats the selfish option, we are looking at continuing the Shield-go-round, as we would very likely lose to one of NH or Waikato

I'm very selfish.