The Silver Fern

@Kiwiwomble

I do get a bit of grief online but I treat it as "the price of doing business"

The truth is so many are also super supportive and when I look at the engagement across social channels this year it is really immense (millions of views across them all)

For example the video I screenshot comments from is here

It actually had nearly 5000 likes and watched nearly 200,000 times so I figure actually a few comments are worth it.

I also acknowledge it is slightly insane for one dude to just decide he is going to create a new rugby shield for the world but figure the world needs some of us who are insane enough to just go ahead and do these things

The simple way to prove Boks also hold the 'unofficial world title'

Two weeks ago, a Kiwi colleague with a penchant for riling South Africans put together a piece on rugby’s “unofficial world titles”...

Managed to bag another reasonably major press piece. This time one owned by World Rugby

Just a reminder the Raeburn Shield is on the line again in this one having traded places between teams after Ireland bought it into the series.

Also pumped to have got coverage into the UK Telegraph which is a great result.

Jul 14, 2022

The Raeburn Shield: Ireland defend one man's 'labour of love' against New Zealand

After beating the All Blacks in Dunedin, Ireland are now the lineal champions of men’s Test rugby union

Reminder before kick off that this is a www.raeburnshield.com match too!

New Zealand haven't held it since 2017 and our last challenge was a failed attempt against Ireland in 2018!

Not just the World cup we claimed tonight 😀

I was particularly pleased with this.

It took a fair bit if effort to bring it together but it is a great way to see successful challenges and defences by nation over time.

Taking my eldest (9) to this and really looking forward to it.

Been trying to keep an eye out for any AB public facing sessions but haven't spotted any.

He mainly wants to meet a Barrett brother 😁

@Victor-Meldrew

It absolutely blows my mind sometimes when I think about far I have got it so far.

It is insane for one dude to think they can change world rugby with about ten minutes a day (and occasionally a lot more!)

But....

It is working and I measure the goals in years rather than months as to make it work it needs to build a groundswell if first familiarity and then folk start seeing their team engage and start to want it.

Thanks for letting me know you are hearing it as it the build up of those wins that really really helps and makes me smile

And now the All Blacks are Raeburn Shield holders top

If it were at Twickenham I could actually take my kids to an All Black match which would be bloody emotional!

What legend made that image 😉😁

Thanks, was pretty stoked to have it in real print.

Something very "real" about picking up a paper and seeing it in there 😀

Quite cool getting the 7 year old to read the article and being like "see if you recognise any names" 😄

@kiwiwomble

I am actually thinking about just finding a woodworking class (or a youtube woodworker who wants an interesting project) and just getting it done.

I have spent so much time on the shield that the idea I actually create the physical shields appeal a lot!

@Stargazer

Thank you

That was a very cool weekend! Some amazing women who just went ahead and organised an international.

Cool thing is, it was only Utrecht because the men wouldn't let them have the national field in Amsterdam. Now Utrecht has a Shield named after it 😁

And as of today...

The All Blacks hold the Raeburn Shield

Yep, New Zealand claim the Raeburn Shield 💪🙌🔥

And a Raeburn Shield Match...

Re: 16 in a row ...

Hi All

I was a bit late in updating the Raeburn Shield website this week as I was on holiday but she is all up to date.

Anyone who wants to keep up to date with the Raeburn Shield just like the facebook page as I pop up a piece after each match so it's a nice easy way to keep a lazy eye on it.

This graphic might also be relevant to this discussion:

Just to add...

That was one of the best set of semi finals I can recall in either the mens or womens RWCs

So close with uncertainty right to the line in both and some cracking play.

Very excited for next week's final.

Slightly odd one for me as I always want the Black Ferns to win but if England do win I have built some contacts that mean I may actually be able to present the Utrecht Shield...

Started trying to step up some more regular content outside of current matches so been putting out #ONTHISDAY posts on social.

Ultimately would love to get the chance to interview some older ex players about their memories of some of these games. Think it would be really interesting getting some snapshots of experiences from some of these old games.

It's pretty cool looking back at games which would have involved the Shield if it were officially recognised. (Please do like the social pages and spread the word to help out on that front!)

Here are some examples