Ranfurly Street

In 1957 when Taranaki reclaimed the Ranfurly Shield from Otago 11-9 it was the beginning of ‘shield fever’. The team’s DC3 was mobbed at New Plymouth airport and a special civic reception was held at the State Hotel.

Local and out-of-town rugby fans crammed into New Plymouth’s Rugby Park for every match and gate-takings soared. Taranaki successfully defended the shield thirteen times over two seasons before losing to Southland 6-23 in 1959.

Toward the end of this celebrated run the New Plymouth City Council were asked to select a name for a short cul-de-sac in Fankleigh Park.

Mr George Fry, Chairman of the Works Committee, narrowed the choice to three, with Ranfurly being preferred over Jellicoe and Durham. The committee thought this was a great decision, and a good reminder of a memorable shield era. 

Fry’s tongue-in-cheek response was “I never had that in mind at all”. Much ribbing followed with one councillor even suggesting Mr Fry give the team talk before the next game against Wellington.

Although the shield was lost in 1959, it returned to Taranaki in 1963 when Ross Brown’s team defeated Wellington 17-3 at Athletic Park. For 14 matches – almost three rugby seasons – it remained in Taranaki. 

In 1965 it was Auckland’s turn to break the hearts of Taranaki rugby fans when they won 16-11 at Rugby Park.  

“Shield fever” once again swept the province in August 1996 after Taranaki defeated Auckland 42-39. The team defended it the following week against North Harbour and then lost it to Waikato 19-40 in front of a crowd 28,000.

More recently Taranaki successfully defended the shield seven times in 2012 and then again four times in 2018. On both occasions it was again Waikato who came to Taranaki and lifted the 'Log o' Wood'.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.