Rugby: Union urges clubs to 'respect' old bling

A sorry looking Maddison Trophy after Napier Pirates handed it in a fortnight ago as 2015 champions. Photo / Warren Buckland

The basic tenet of the HBRFU is for clubs and players to respect any silverware presented to them at the end of finals and when in their care.

It's not expressly stated in the union's rule book as such, but the union likes to think common decency will automatically kick in.

"We don't have anything expressly in there which says 'respect' the trophies but we just expect it to be followed," says union club development officer Gary Macdonald.

Putting it in the HBRFU booklet in the future isn't necessary in Macdonald's opinion.

"Clubs will just have to take care of it and it's up to their senior members to ensure it's respected," he says, mindful it's asking a bit too much of players at the height of the euphoria to observe protocol.

Scarring, scratches and pockmarks aside, Macdonald believes the condition of the trophy won't take the gloss off for any winners.

"The players just want to win the thing, doesn't matter what shape it comes in."

He has received assurances from the NOBM club that it will be handled with kid gloves.

"It's so disappointing to see the damage so we want to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Former Hastings mayor George Maddison donated the trophy in 1926 with the intention of boosting the fitness of players before the season.

"He was also the president of the Hawke's Bay/Poverty Bay Athletics so it was initially for an athletics competition between the rugby clubs," according to union statistician Adrian Hill.

Hill says the union's management committee decided, in 1932, to put it up for senior (now premier) rugby because numbers in athletics and club entries were dwindling.

"They also decided the Maddison Trophy looked more superior than the senior one."

In 1933 a decision was made to backdate and engrave the name of winners to 1919.

From 1968, the Nash Cup came into the equation to better distinguish between first and second rounds of competition.

Other prized trophies in lower grades are the Arthur Bowman Cup (div 2) and Pratt Cup (town and country/premier reserve/div 2).

In 1999 the HBRFU acquired a $530 quote as the replacement value of the Maddison Trophy.

"Its sentimental value today is more than its monetary one," says Macdonald.