David Leggat: Southland win revives shield's magic

There will have been many a misty eye down at the bottom of the country on Thursday night.

And again yesterday, as the Ranfurly Shield found a new home for the summer.

It was last in Southland 50 years ago, and then only briefly. Context? John Reid and Bert Sutcliffe were dominating New Zealand cricket; Don Clarke kicking the Lions all over Carisbrook.

Southland went north and beat Taranaki 23-6 on September 5, 1959. Eighteen days later, Auckland pinched it away, 13-9 and, apart from an 11-day blip against North Auckland - Northland to you young fellows - kept it until August 1963.

Men like Kevin Laidlaw, Ack Soper, Alistair "Spud" Tait, Robin Archer and Lloyd Ashby were heroes to those of the maroon colours half a century ago, all All Blacks apart from Tait.

There have been times in the intervening period when the thought must have occurred whether it would ever return south of Christchurch. South Canterbury had it for a fortnight in 1974, but otherwise it's been barren territory for too long.

So the teary eyes will have been there for the emotions associated with all that history.

There might also have been a few shed at the nature of the game on Thursday, a 9-3 win over Canterbury - not pretty, no tries were scored, but lion-hearted defence won the day.

Three Robbie Robinson penalties to a Stephen Brett dropped goal. Ah, the old salts might have muttered with deep satisfaction. Just like the old days.

Nine-try frolics? Who needs it when you've got a riveting contest for a prize such as this?

You just know that the final minutes would have seemed an eternity in the bars and houses from Riverton to Balclutha.

The shield had been in Christchurch for all of four defences, since the country's most powerful union eased it from Wellington's grasp at the end of August.

It is fair to suggest that having it move to Southland adds immensely to the occasion compared to, say, Auckland. With all due respect, the wider rugby population would have most likely given an almighty sigh had it gone north again.

The Southlanders will relish this week. The shield will enjoy a leisurely summer under the eye of a well-organised union who have a team of which they can be proud.

New folk heroes will come from this win. Men like captain Jamie Macintosh and hooker Jason Rutledge, son of Leicester, one of those many fine Southland footballers - Kenny Stewart, Paul Henderson and Simon Culhane also spring to mind - who completed their fine careers without ever knowing the buzz of having won the trophy.

Not to forget outstanding lock Josh Bekhuis, veteran front row warrior Chris King, indefatigable flankers Tim Boys and John Hardie, and Robbie Robinson, the cool-headed young man who kicked the goals, including a nerve-jangling third effort from wide on the right near the end.

He might become an All Black one day, but you can bet no matter what else he achieves, this will be high in his stack of memories.

You think talk of the old shield glory being just that - old - holds good? The scenes at the final whistle and when the players returned to Invercargill airport yesterday should put that notion to rest.

Its half-century absence from Southland doubtless added plenty to the emotions of the players, and their fans. And you wonder what the reaction would have been had the shield returned to a parish it knows too well.

So is the love of the shield becoming conditional on who has it? Possibly.

It has gone to a home where it will be cherished. You can picture the kids being taken along to see it in the coming months, gazing at it as they're told of the last time it was down in those parts. Shield magic? Alive and well again.