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Records are made to be broken, and this year these damned statistics will be updated to include the BoP Steamers on the list of Ranfurly shield winners, even if the BOPMAFIA have to “borrow” the thing and I have to engrave BoP on it myself! (disclaimer: kids don’t try this, stealing is against the law and is something other provinces children do, not ours).
When it comes to Ranfurly Shield challenges we have had more than our fair share of heart break, brain explosions and dodgy refereeing decisions in our history. Bay of Plenty rugby supporters have notoriously thick skins, not just to reflect rain but also to deal with the damned lies and statistics that haunt our rugby past. To be able to understand the BoP supporter, you must be able to relate to their pain, so this is a summary of the BoP’s (pain) Ranfurly Shield history.
The Ranfurly Shield is historically the most prized trophy in New Zealand provincial rugby. The BoP has now challenged for the Shield 18 times for 18 defeats, which ties BoP with King Country for having the most defeats without winning the shield. Counties Manakau have the worst record, playing 20 without a win (including the 100 point thrashing last weekend), but they have had 2 draws as a challenger. 1920 saw the first challenge for the Bay of Plenty and unfortunately it wasn’t one of our more memorable games going down to Wellington 22-3, but a new union has to start somewhere. It was in 1922, where we established ourselves in shield folklore for the team that defines the words “all but”, with the first defence for Hawke's Bay. This was to be a Shield reign that would last until 1927, but one that could have lasted only one game. Hawkes Bay (more recently known to BoP supporters as the team we play at the end of the year) had the better of us this day according to the scoresheet, but in the last minute of this arm wrestle in Hastings, Bay of Plenty scored under the posts, making the score16-17, with the kick to come. Unfortunately a very jubilant BoP decided to break protocol and instead of the usual kicker, the captain was given the ball and he consequently missed the simple kick. Cleary the lesson learnt for future generations of rugby players...”its not over til its over” well either that or “the captain isn’t always right unless his name was Rowlands, Preston, Miller, Jackson etc”. Realising the immense strength of Bay of Plenty rugby at the time, other teams made the BoP wait 29 years before their next challenge, and then provided stern opposition for North Auckland, but again tasting defeat in a close fought 16-12. 1976 saw BoP win the inaugural National Provincial Championship and was clearly the most successful year for the union on record. Auckland had just survived close matches against Southland and Wanganui and was to play Manawatu and Bay of Plenty for their remaining matches. Unfortunately for the BoP, no one showed Manawatu the script and they usurped the shield from Auckland the week before BoP was meant to challenge! For the record BoP beat Auckland that year. The "Peter Kennedy try" that never was. That was the most memorable thing about this 1984 Canterbury victory over the BoP, although replays show he scored close to the posts, with the kick to come to beat Canterbury, the try was not given and yet another chance of victory escaped us, this time due to some “dodgy” refereeing. In 1996 there was a disaster of epic proportions, an event that shaped world history no less. Considering the world clearly revolves around BoP rugby, then this has to be true. On an overcast day where the BoP was written off as not even a chance, they marched on to the field and played the best 72 minute game, they had put together for some time. This supporter then witnessed first hand, that it is humanly possible to lead 29-11 with 8 minutes to go and......lose. To make things worse one of our own brethren, Matt Carrington scored in the corner for Auckland, after the BoP conceded a tighthead in injury time. Then in front of the remaining Auckland fans and the stunned BoP fans kicked the conversion from the touchline and sealed Bay of Plenty’s fate. (I have subsequently been told that Joe Tauiwi had the ball pinched from his hands while the referee wasn’t watching). Either way this was a game that gave the makers of Prozac a whole province of potential profit. The Gods of rugby weren’t content with tearing and stomping on Bay hearts that decade, in 1998 two years later, BoP travelled to Waikato and looked likely to receive their first taste of Shield victory. However BoP still managed to concede a lucky try (at best), late in the game and a following penalty blew the score out to 25-18. In 2001, a year that marked BoP’s return to First Division rugby (Warren Johnston couldn’t stop us this time!), BoP travelled to Canterbury after beating Wellington and having a narrow loss to Auckland (once again denied by the lack of television officials). Canterbury was not in a forgiving mood this day and former BoP boy Caleb Ralph was one of the stars that thumped BoP 72-3. Finally last year in 2003, a confident BoP with a victory over North Harbour and a generous sponsor again tried to lift the shield from Canterbury. With most of the All Blacks away, this was a great chance to get the monkey off the back. After a quick Canterbury start, the BoP clawed their way back into the game, and with minutes remaining had a forward pass ruled from Aleki Lutui to Alan Bunting that would have given BoP the game. Instead the final score was 31-26. Years of prescription “beer” and white coats aside, BoP Ranfurly shield challenges are all generally tight affairs, and we are normally undone by brain explosions, dodgy refereeing and people with BoP connections who should know better. That’s right Daniel Braid, don’t get any ideas! This year is our year, so get in behind our team as they will remember these occasions like ourselves and will need all the support they can get! We beat Auckland last year and there is no reason we cant repeat that statistic this year! BoP Steamers...my team! Details of all Bay of Plenty Ranfurly Shield challenges: 1920 Wellington 22 vs Bay Of Plenty 3 Wellington 1922 Hawkes Bay 17 vs Bay Of Plenty 16 Hastings 1951 Nth Auckland 16 vs Bay Of Plenty 12 Whangarei 1951 Waikato 32 vs Bay Of Plenty 10 Hamilton 1953 Waikato 19 vs Bay Of Plenty 3 Hamilton 1960 Auckland 9 vs Bay Of Plenty 6 Auckland 1962 Auckland 29 vs Bay Of Plenty 6 Auckland 1968 Hawkes Bay 14 vs Bay Of Plenty 0 Napier 1972 Nth Auckland 22 vs Bay Of Plenty 6 Whangarei 1981 Waikato 13 vs Bay Of Plenty 3 Hamilton 1984 Canterbury 18 vs Bay Of Plenty 13 Christchurch 1987 Auckland 43 vs Bay Of Plenty 3 Auckland 1989 Auckland 34 vs Bay Of Plenty 21 Auckland 1991 Auckland 29 vs Bay Of Plenty 18 Auckland 1996 Auckland 30 vs Bay Of Plenty 29 Auckland 1998 Waikato 25 vs Bay Of Plenty 18 Hamilton 2001 Canterbury 72 vs Bay Of Plenty 3 Christchurch 2003 Canterbury 31 vs Bay Of Plenty 26 Christchurch 2004 Auckland vs Bay of Plenty Auckland 2004 Bay of Plenty |
