Introducing: The Utrecht Shield
- 1948
An international challenge trophy put up by the current holders, in every match they play home or away.
Women’s international rugby was first played in 1982 in Utrecht when France beat The Netherlands.
The Utrecht Shield celebrates the birth of our game by tracing a line of winners from that day with France becoming the first holder.
Since then the shield would have changed hands over 30 times with 8 different nations having held it.
Whichever team holds the Utrecht Shield can legitimately claim to be the lineal champion from the start of international rugby.
At this stage the shield is building recognition globally alongside it’s brother shield in the mens game with rugby fans and is not recognised by World Rugby but it has a great deal to offer:
- A travelling trophy which is highly unpredictable and creates tense match-ups especially when it has been sometime between challenges for a team.
- The only prize outside of the RWC that can be won by all nations and is in circulation during the 4 year cycle
- It has been held by every Rugby World Cup winner so far meaning it becomes a defacto RWC honour title which travels after the cup win.
- Tier 2 nations can step up and take a world title in one off matches (Italy would have held the shield in 2015)
- No additional fixtures required as it operates within existing matches
- A real basis in the history of the game tracing genuine match results.
There is no big corporate or team behind the Utrecht Shield it is just currently one man on a mission to improve rugby for the fans and he needs your help to do it.
Support and share the social media accounts and talk about the shield to those you know. The intention is for fans and players to recognise, enjoy and celebrate the Utrecht Shield and it’s brother the Raeburn Shield.
If we can build that following World Rugby will follow.
Cheers
Dave
Guardian of the Raeburn Shield and Utrecht Shield
