As another final beckons, it’s time to draw inspiration from our past successes

Dreams of end-of-season glory, the raising of fists in triumph and maybe — just maybe — the chance to claim another Waikato Breweries Shield …

For Hautapu Sports Club, another shield victory would be the eighth in the club’s history.

The club gets that opportunity on Saturday July 20, 2024, when the Premier A team travels to Marist Park to play Hamilton Marist in the grand final.

For Hautapu, it’s their sixth final in seven years, and the chance to lift back-to-back shields.

Since 1967, the shield has been the premier trophy of Waikato club rugby.

However, the modern format of the competition, which incorporates sudden-death play-off games, was only introduced in 1983.

That format has certainly suited Hautapu, with six shield wins since.

Main photo: Hautapu raise the shield in 2019. Photo credit: Lauran Robinson.

‘An admirable record in the competition’

In the past 25 years, Hautapu has built an admirable record in the competition with:

• Seven wins.
• Three sets of back-to-back wins.
• Twenty appearances in the semi-finals, including 2024.
• Twelve grand finals, including 2024.

As president Jake Moreland says: “Not a bad record for any rugby club!”

Two of the six shield successes stand out for different reasons.

The first-ever win, in 1998, was special with Hautapu beating hot favourites Hamilton Old Boys RFC at Rugby Park, when few expected the upset result.

Enjoy the match programme published for the final by clicking on the cover below:

The 2019 shield win was an historic event because Hautapu became one of the few clubs to achieve an 18-game unbeaten record. The team achieved an all-time record for points and tries scores.

Captain Jono Armstrong told the Cambridge News:

‘It was almost a bit surreal

“It wasn’t until the 14th or 15th game that the coaches actually made it known that we were setting a record, we were just going out each week enjoying what we’re doing and winning. And winning easily.”

Coach Craig Stevenson said:

“Going unbeaten was something really special, it culminated in a win … and it was for everyone. It was for the community, our supporters, sponsors, families. It was a really outstanding day that everyone enjoyed being part of.”

So, will the shield return to Cambridge this year, to be embraced by the club and wider community?

Before the first ball is kicked and the first scrum goes down, we can all look ahead to July and start to dream …

All the Waikato Breweries Shield winners

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