The newly refurbished Ranfurly Shield has been the talk of the town after Hawke’s Bay won the Log o’ Wood off the Wellington Lions on Saturday, then preceded to party with it. Images started circulating on Sunday showing it broken in two.
New Zealand Rugby is also investigating after photographs emerged of a white substance on a broken half.
It’s not the first time a significant piece of sporting silverware has been damaged post-match.
In fact, broken trophies have a rich history in sport. We look at some notable incidents over the years, involving some of sport’s biggest names and some of its best-known trophies.
Super Rugby Aotearoa/Tū Kōtahi Aotearoa 2020 trophy damaged by Crusaders
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson and star player Richie Mo’unga with the Super Rugby Aotearoa trophy that was then damaged during celebrations.
Over-enthusiastic celebrations by the Crusaders caused “some minor damage” to Tū Kōtahi Aotearoa trophy following the side’s successful Super Rugby season in Covid times.
The trophy was dropped, causing the pounamu to detach, and chips and dents in the wooden base.
Thankfully it didn’t take hours to fix, unlike the FA Cup.
Chelsea leaves FA Cup needing 80 hours of restoration work
Darren Walsh
The FA Cup required 80 hours worth of restoration work after being handed back by Chelsea.
In 2013 when Chelsea handed back the FA Cup, London’s silversmiths had their work cut out for them, having to spend more than 80 hours and £3000 (NZ$6120) restoring the trophy that is more than 100 years old.
Master silversmith Kevin Williams told The Mirror at the time that silver is easily dented, but with a bit of delicate “panelbeating”, it was knocked back into shape.
“I’ve been looking after the FA Cup for about 17 years now, and the damage this time was more extensive; although a few years ago, without naming the team responsible, the Cup came back with the lid in two pieces,” he said.
At least they didn’t run over it with a bus, unlike…
Real Madrid drops trophy off bus
Denis Doyle
Sergio Ramos (L) of Real Madrid lets slip the Copa del Rey trophy from a bus.
Footballers aren’t used to using their hands and it showed when celebrating Real Madrid’s victory parade in 2011, as player Sergio Ramos accidentally let go of the Copa del Rey trophy.
The trophy ended up under the wheels of the double-decker bus, causing the parade to stop while it was retrieved, thankfully in one piece and not completely flattened.
Following the parade he tweeted: “There has been a misunderstanding about the cup, it didn’t fall, it jumped when it got to Cibeles and saw so many Madristas [Real Madrid fans].”
Flying beer can damages World Series trophy
The World Series baseball trophy might look amazing as it was designed by famed jewellery company Tiffany & Co, but it isn’t the most robust with its multitude of flags.
The Boston Red Sox slogan was “Do Damage”, but a fan did more damage than what the players may have been expecting, after a beer can was flung at the truck carrying the players and connected with the trophy in 2018. It was quickly tucked away for safe keeping.
It turns out throwing beers at players during a celebration parade is a tradition. Maybe someone should give that fan a pitching contract.
Canberra Raiders drop Winfield Cup
Fairfax Media Archives
Raiders captain Mal Meninga cradles the damaged Winfield Cup in a towel.
Laurie Daley might be a famed rugby league legend, but during the Raiders’ 1989 victory parade after their epic grand final win over the Tigers, he dropped the Winfield Cup onto the road.
He told the Canberra Times in 2021 he was riding in the back of a ute, holding the famed Provan-Summons Trophy up to thousands of fans when the driver hit the accelerator and it went flying over the back.
“Well, it was either me or the trophy going overboard, so I did the honourable thing and saved myself,” Daley quipped.
“I don’t think we really cared at that particular moment in time, and it has just grown in folklore now.”
Skipper Mal Meninga was pictured showing off the damaged trophy wrapped in a towel.
Sharapova’s silverware stumble
Clive Brunskill
Maria Sharapova dropped the US Open trophy in 2009
She might be a five-time grand slam winner, but it was Maria Sharapova’s US Open trophy that did a grand slam into the ground.
After a straight sets victory over Justine Henin-Hardene of Belgium in 2006 at Flushing Meadows, Sharapova hoisted the trophy only for the lid to tumble off and hit her on the way down.
But being a consummate professional, she laughed it off and continued her celebrations as an official rushed to replace the lid.
The America’s Cup attacked
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Sir Peter Blake, head of the New Zealand Americas Cup team, looks at the battered and misshapen trophy, which was attacked by activist Benjamin Nathan.
While many trophies on this list were damaged in the throes of celebration, the America’s Cup was damaged as a form of protest.
On March 14, 1997, Māori activist Benjamin Nathan walked into Auckland’s Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and swung a sledgehammer at least 30 times into the three-foot high, silver Auld Mug.
Nathan, who later changed his name to Penehamine Netana-Patuawa, saw the cup as a symbol of oppression and believed none of the money made from the race would reach Māori.
He denied criminal damage, but after a three-day trial he was found guilty and sentenced to two years and 10 months’ jail, served in addition to an 18-month term he was already serving for aggravated robbery. He later appealed and had his term reduced to one year.
The cup, insured for $500,000, according to reports at the time, was sent back to original manufacturers Garrards Silversmiths in London, who took three months to restore the trophy to its original condition, free of charge.
