Ranfurly Shield 1940–1949

The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is perhaps the most prestigious trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies. The holding union must defend the Shield in challenge matches, and if a challenger defeats them, they become the new holder of the Shield.

Holders

Two different unions held the Ranfurly Shield between 1940 and 1949. Due to the outbreak of World War 2, however, no matches were played between 1940 and 1945.

Union	Won	Successful defences
Southland	Held at beginning of decade	5
Otago	2 August 1947	17

Fixtures

1946

3 August 1946

Southland	3–0	Otago
Pen: Tom Webster

Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill Referee: E.J. Barron (Southland)

24 August 1946

Southland	11–3	Canterbury
Try: E.D. Calder Con: Tom Webster Pen: Tom Webster (2)		Try: W.P. McHugh

Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill Referee: E.J. Barron (Southland)

31 August 1946

Southland	35–9	South Canterbury
Try: A.S. Chandler (4), Alexander Sutherland (2), R.H. Hazlett, N.J. Bennett, R.F. Waldron Con: Tom Webster (2) Drop: R.F. Waldron		Try: P.G. Fitzgerald Con: R.G. Prattley Drop: G.W. Pratt

Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill Attendance: 7,000 Referee: R. Ferguson (Southland)

7 September 1946

Southland	12–3	Wairarapa
Try: R.H. Hazlett Pen: Tom Webster (2), R.J. Campbell		Pen: M.P. Hurley

Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill Referee: E.J. Barron (Southland)

28 September 1946

Southland	15–3	North Otago
Try: Alexander Sutherland (2), J.J. Prendiville, R.H. Hazlett Pen: Tom Webster		Pen: E.V. Wright

Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill Referee: J.J. North (Southland)

1947

2 August 1947

Southland	11–17	Otago
Try: G.S. Kennedy, G.H. Spittle Con: L.F. Ward Pen: L.F. Ward		Try: Ron Elvidge (2), Ian Botting, John Tanner Con: Rex Orr Pen: Rex Orr

Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill Attendance: 21,000 Referee: R. Ferguson (Southland)

9 August 1947

Otago	31–12	North Auckland
Try: John Tanner, L.S. Woodhouse, Graham Moore, Jim Kearney Con: Rex Orr (3) Pen: Rex Orr (3) Drop: Jim Kearney		Try: Doc Paewai Pen: Nau Cherrington (3)

Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 25,000 Referee: J.J. North (Southland)

20 August 1947

Otago	18–12	Auckland
Try: John Tanner, Ron Elvidge Con: Laurie Haig Pen: Laurie Haig (2) Drop: Jim Kearney		Try: Les Deas (2) Con: Bob Scott Drop: D.J. Ewert

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: Leslie Walsh (Canterbury)

13 September 1947

Otago	8–0	Southland
Try: Kevin O'Connor Con: Jim Kearney Pen: Jim Kearney

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: J.G.G. Fitzpatrick (Wellington)

27 September 1947

Otago	42–3	North Otago
Try: Ron Elvidge (2), Kevin O'Connor (2), John Tanner, Ian Botting, Graham Moore, D.H. Hamilton, Jim Kearney, Jack McNab, L.S. Woodhouse Con: Rex Orr Pen: Rex Orr Drop: Jim Kearney		Try: M.D. Fountain

Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 12,300 Referee: L.K. Murray (South Canterbury)

1948

31 July 1948

Otago	25–0	Southland
Try: Bill Meates (3), Ian Botting (2), Ray Dalton, Ron Elvidge Con: Laurie Haig, Graham Moore

Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Arthur Fong (West Coast)

18 August 1948

Otago	31–0	Canterbury
Try: Jim Kearney (2), Bill Meates, L.S. Woodhouse, Ian Botting Laurie Haig, Ron Elvidge Con: Jim Kearney, Laurie Haig Pen: Laurie Haig (2)

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: R. Ferguson (Southland)

21 August 1948

Otago	20–3	Wanganui
Try: Bill Meates (3), L.S. Woodhouse, Laurie Haig Con: Laurie Haig Drop: Jim Kearney		Try: Don Beard

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: L.K. Murray (South Canterbury)

28 August 1948

Otago	12–6	Hawke's Bay
Try: Ian Botting Pen: Laurie Haig (2), Graham Moore		Pen: Barney Wishnowsky (2)

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: Bill Firmin (Wellington)

4 September 1948

Otago	40–0	Poverty Bay
Try: Jim Kearney (3), Kevin O'Connor (2), Ian Botting (2), Bill Meates, Laurie Haig L.S. Woodhouse, Ron Elvidge Con: Laurie Haig (2) Pen: Graham Moore

Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Robert Pratt (Buller)

8 September 1948

Otago	36–6	South Canterbury
Try: Bill Meates (5), Laurie Haig, Ron Elvidge, Jim Kearney Con: Laurie Haig (3) Pen: Laurie Haig (2)		Try: J.L. Taylor Pen: R.G. Prattley

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: J.G.G. Fitzpatrick (Wellington)

25 September 1948

Otago	11–0	Wellington
Try: Ian Botting, Peter Johnstone Con: Laurie Haig Drop: Jim Kearney

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: George Sullivan (Taranaki)

1949

30 July 1949

Otago	6–6	Buller
Try: N.M. McKenzie Pen: Graham Moore		Try: R.P. Hawes, W.M. Cunniffe

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: Leslie Walsh (Canterbury)

6 August 1949

Otago	22–3	Manawatu
Try: Bert Lunn, Kevin O'Connor, Ray Bell, C.J. MacDonald Con: Ray Bell, Willis Perriam Pen: Ray Bell, Willis Perriam		Pen: H.D. Harkness

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: T.V. Cahill (North Otago)

13 August 1949

Otago	6–3	Southland
Pen: Ray Bell Drop: L.S. Woodhouse		Pen: Tom Webster

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: Bill Firmin (Wellington)

17 August 1949

Otago	27–5	Waikato
Try: Graham Moore (2), Willis Perriam, R.F. Waldron, Bert Lunn Con: Willis Perriam (2), Ray Bell Pen: Willis Perriam, Ray Bell		Try: B.A.C. Cowley Con: G.R. Brunskill

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: W. Bruce Mitchell (Southland)

17 September 1949

Otago	6–5	Taranaki
Try: N.M. McKenzie Pen: Ray Bell		Try: Roy Roper Con: M.S. Cockerill

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: C.G. Wallace (Waikato)

28 September 1949

Otago	16–5	Auckland
Try: C.R. Moore, Ray Bell, Ross Wightman, L.S. Woodhouse Con: Ray Bell (2)		Try: Ivan Versalko Con: R.G. Sorenson

Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: George Sullivan (Taranaki)

Sources

• "Ranfurly Shield". Rugby Redefined. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
• Knight, Lindsay (1980). Shield Fever. Rugby Press. ISBN 0-9597553-8-1.
• Chester, Rod; McMillan, Neville; Palenski, Ron (1987). The Encyclopedia of New Zealand Rugby. Moa Publications. ISBN 0-908570-16-3.

External links

• Results at Scrum.co.nz