Senior Shield History

The Senior Shield (above) is for the Buller Senior Club Rugby Champions.

INTERESTING FACTS

-Both the Ngakawau and Westport clubs have had dominant periods of senior championship supremacy.

-Westport’s 8 consecutive Senior Championships from 1963-70 was a New Zealand Club Rugby record and was only recently bettered by Paeroa West (Thames Valley) who secured 9 in a row.

-Ngakawau’s impressive run claimed 7 consecutive titles from 1974-80 and this is also one of the best runs of consecutive titles in New Zealand club rugby history.

– Buller club rugby is certainly a cyclical beast. For example, despite a multitude of senior shield club titles throughout the history of Buller rugby both the Westport and White Star clubs have experienced some major title droughts. Westport having won the title in 1921 then went 38 years without a title before winning again in 1959. White Star won the title in 1929 and then went 31 years without a title until winning it in 1960, they then went a further 23 years without a title until winning it again in 1983.

– 2021 saw only the 3rd time the title was shared , Westport and White Star fought out enthralling a 37-37  draw after extra time to share the 2021 title, the previous times were 1990 (Westport AND Ngakawau) and in 1974 (United AND Ngakawau)