KEY POINTS:
Waikato's week as Ranfurly Shield holders equals the shortest reign ever in the trophy's 103-year history.
Wellington won in 1963 to end Auckland's run of 25 defences - at the time, a Shield record - but lost a week later to Taranaki.
Waikato's loss to Canterbury is just the ninth time the Ranfurly Shield holders have lost their first defence.
One of those was Waikato's loss to Hawke's Bay in 1966, having just won the Shield from Auckland. Hawke's Bay went on to create one of the great Shield dynasties, with 21 successful defences in the next three years.
The Magpies have not held the Log o' Wood since but will be the first team to challenge Canterbury, playing in Christchurch on Friday.
If the new holders beat Hawke's Bay, the only other challenger this season will be Auckland on September 29 in the final round of the Air New Zealand Cup's regular season.
This could potentially be the busiest Shield season since 1996, when Auckland lost to a Taranaki team lifting it for the first time in 40 years.
Taranaki lost to Waikato in their second defence and Waikato lost their second defence to Auckland. That was the season North Harbour got three challenges and lost them all.
That's still some way off 1950, the year the Shield changed hands an extraordinary four times.
Canterbury ended Otago's 18-game tenure but lost their first defence to Wairarapa.
Two weeks later, Wairarapa lost their first defence to South Canterbury, who also lasted just a fortnight before farewelling the Shield to Northland.
