The Hawke’s Bay Magpies could have a revenge Ranfurly Shield match against Wellington next year, with confirmation the holder will be one of the five away-game hosts in a schedule of 10 matches in the 49th national provincial rugby championship.
The list of opponents was released by the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union late on Monday, but with no dates yet confirmed, or order in which the matches will be played.
The Magpies will have home games against Manawatu, North Harbour, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Otago, and away matches against Northland, Auckland, Southland, Counties Manukau and Wellington, the Wellington match also being a shield match if the capital’s pride remains the holder.
But there won’t be any match against titleholder Canterbury, or Taranaki or Tasman, unless they meet in the playoffs.
Wellington ended Hawke’s Bay’s 2020-22 Ranfurly Shield reign with a 19-12 win challenging for the trophy in Napier in September and had one successful defence, against Waikato, to secure the Shield for the summer, but was then beaten by Canterbury in the NPC final.
