Ranfurly Shield - Current Rules
- The Ranfurly Shield shall be a challenge shield open to all affiliated unions.
- The affiliated union from time to time holding the shield shall hold it subject to the rights of challenge by an affiliated union in accordance with these regulations.
- Conditions for all challenge matches
- (a) The holders shall not be required to play any challenge match before the first day of July. Nevertheless, at its sole discretion, the holders may play a match before the first day of July.
- (b) Unless the consent for the NZRFU is obtained, no challenge match shall be played by the holders against a union which is in a different division of the National Provincial Championship from that of the holders during the period of the first day of August to the last day of the round robin of the NPC, both days inclusive.
- (c) No challenge match shall be played after the last day of the round robin of the NPC.
- The members of the challenging team and the team of the holders must in all cases comprise players who are eligible to play for the respective unions in accordance with rule 74 of the rules of the NZRFU.
- All challenge matches shall be played on a ground of the holders on a date to be arranged by the unions concerned, but failing such arrangement, the date of playing of the match shall be fixed by the NZRFU; provided, however, that the holders may, at their option, agree to play a challenge match on a ground of the challenging union.
- In all shield matches, the referee shall be appointed by the NZRFU, which shall meet the reasonable expenses of the referee.
- A challenging union, if it is in a division of the NPC different from that of the holder, shall be eligible to receive a special travel grant, the amount to be determined from time to time by the board, if the sponsorship arrangements for the shield are not applicable.
0 |
to 100km |
$1000 +GST |
101 |
to 250km |
$2000 +GST |
251 |
to 500km |
$3000 +GST |
501 |
to 750km |
$4000 +GST |
751 |
to 1000km |
$5000 +GST |
over 1000km |
$6000 +GST |
No grant should exceed 10 per cent of the net gate
- A surcharge as determined annually by the board is to be added to the gate charges, except for charges to children. The surcharge is not to be subject to any deduction and is to be remitted in full to the NZRFU. The surcharge is to be applied as part of the overall funding of the NPC
- Any union desiring to play a challenge match with the holders must give written notice to the holders and the NZRFU of such desire not later than the 21st day of October in the proceeding year.
- The holders shall advise the unions which have lodged challenges in accordance with regulation No 9 and the NZRFU not later than the 31st day of October in the year the challenges are received, the challenges which have been accepted and the dates on which the respective matches are to be played.
- The holders shall not be called upon to play more challenge matches during the season than considered fair and reasonable by the NZRFU, but in no case may be fewer than seven challenges be accepted by the holders.
- Provided in each case the challenge has been lodged as provided in regulation No 9, then:
- (a) if the holders are in division one of the NPC, they shall accept challenges totaling not less that two from unions in divisions two and three, provided not fewer than two challenges have been lodged by unions in division two and three.
- (b) if the holders are in division two of the NPC, they shall accept not less than two challenges from unions in division one and two challenges from unions in division three, provided in each case challenges had been lodged by not fewer than two unions.
- (c) if the holders are in division three of the NPC, they shall accept not less than two challenges from unions in divisions one and three challenges from unions in division two, provided in each case challenges had been lodged by not fewer than two unions and three unions respectively.
- Not withstanding regulations 9, 10 and 11, all matches arranged to be played by the holders against other affiliated unions on any ground of the holders between the first day of July and the last day of the round robin of the NPC inclusive, shall be challenge matches.
Additional conditions when the holders are defeated
- All matches to be played by the new holders against other affiliated unions on any ground of the holders up to and including the first full weekend of October shall be challenge matches for the shield except when the game concerned would be a championship semifinal for the holder subject to the provisions of condition 3.
- Any union which did not previously have a match arranged with the new holders on the holders' ground may, within six days of the new holders winning the shield, notify the new holders and the NZRFU of its challenge for the shield.
- The new holders may accept additional challenges lodged in accord with regulation 15. However, in determining which additional challenges are to be accepted, the new holders shall give priority to unions which had had a challenge accepted by the holders of the shield at the beginning of the season and whose challenge remained unplayed. The new holders shall declare within eight days of winning the shield which additional challenges lodged in terms of regulation 15 it has accepted.
- If the holders are defeated buy regain the shield in the same season, then any challenges previously accepted by the union for dates subsequent to the date on which it regained the shield shall be automatically reinstated.
- Not more than seven players are to be nominated and available under the laws of the game [Law 3(2)(b)] as replacements and the names of these replacements are to be given in writing to a representative of the opposing team before the match commences. The players so nominated as replacements may be changed ready for play, but they must be seated in the stand.
Disputes and interpretation
- If any dispute shall arise as to the meaning or interpretation of these regulations, or as to any matter or question relating to challenge matches but not provided for in these regulations, then such dispute or question shall be decided by the NZRFU, subject to rule 60 of the rules of the NZRFU.
Text taken from 'The Encyclopedia Of New Zealand Rugby'
