The Thacker Shield is a

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

football trophy awarded on an annual basis to the winner of a match between the champion clubs of the

Canterbury Rugby League Canterbury Rugby League is the regional body that administers rugby league in Canterbury, New Zealand. CRL manages local competitions from senior level down to age group competitions. Canterbury Rugby League also manages the Canterbury rugby lea ...

and

West Coast Rugby League West Coast Rugby League (WCRL) is the local sporting body responsible for the administration of rugby league in the West Coast, New Zealand, West Coast region of New Zealand, centred around Greymouth. The WCRL own Wingham Park and are represented ...

History

The shield was donated by Dr

Henry Thacker Henry Thomas Joynt Thacker (20 March 1870 – 3 May 1939) was a medical doctor, New Zealand Member of Parliament and Mayor of Christchurch. Early life Thacker was born in Okains Bay on Banks Peninsula on 20 March 1870. His parents were Essy Joyn ...

in 1913 after setting up the

Canterbury Rugby Football League Canterbury Rugby League is the regional body that administers rugby league in Canterbury, New Zealand. CRL manages local competitions from senior level down to age group competitions. Canterbury Rugby League also manages the Canterbury rugby lea ...

in 1912.Thacker, Henry Thomas Joynt - Biography
at teara.govt.nz The shield was originally competed for on a national basis by the various provincial club champions. Sydenham defeated North Shore to win the first title 13-8 on 6 September 1913.Coffey, John. ''Canterbury XIII'', Christchurch, 1987.''Lion Red 1988 Rugby League Annual'',

New Zealand Rugby Football League The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood ''T ...

, 1988. p.p.160-167 Ponsonby United won the title in 1918.Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1990 ''New Zealand Rugby League'', 1990. p.201 Ponsonby held the trophy until 1921 when it accepted a challenge from Auckland's City club, losing the trophy to City. Sydenham had also challenged for the trophy but had been told that there was no suitable date. The

, and their President

, challenged this decision and the

New Zealand Rugby League The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood ''T ...

stepped in, returning the trophy to Canterbury. The rules were subsequently amended to make the shield only contestable between South Island clubs.Coffey, John and Bernie Wood ''Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009'', 2009. , p.43. Runanga became the first

team to win the trophy, when they defeated Addington 16-6 at Monica Park in 1931.

References

Rugby league competitions in New Zealand Rugby league trophies and awards New Zealand sports trophies and awards {{rugbyleague-competition-stub

History

See also

References