The Silver Fern

Well this was not destined to be a long run this time!

Honestly now that they have it I would love for France to keep ot to the 6 Nations

Check this out in terms of that strategy for the Utrecht Shield.

I have just been rocking up places with it and inserting myself into situations and that builds the story.

Good Scaz Rugby is a huge podcast in women's rugby so this was a huge win last week (also a personal fab pod so that was nice)

@Kiwiwomble

Have had a few chats with "power brokers" and they all agree it would be great for fans and add something for players but....

It has been really notable that typically the blocker is they cannot see how it pays them personally. It's crazy how much the management level are not in it for the fans anymore from some if the stuff I have witnessed.

My strategy is actually to sort of avoid world rugby at the moment as their beurocracy is likely to be unhelpful.

Instead I am trying to build a groundswell of reality around it with fans and then slide the shields into situations where they cannot be ignored.

Making great progress in the women's game and hoping to have the real Raeburn made in next 3 months which will help immensely.

So essentially the fans make it real and then the players pick it up. World Rugby will come to us at that point

@nzzp

Have been trying to keep it to individuals or family names but clubs is a good shout to be fair.

Acts the same way as cementing a place in history and avoids some of the company bits I was worried about (and also protecting sponsorship opportunities for the future)

Have been looking at how to structure a "founding partner" sponsorship as ultimately if a business came in at this stage and helped make it happen they would be in the history books regardless of how long their sponsorship lasted

@nzzp super close

Have designs for thr Raeburn and the folk who can do the work all lined up.

Just don't want to run reserves too low before ordering (wood is like £500 on its own before you even take into account cnc hire and shipping etc)

Hoping I can leverage a few names on the back in next few weeks (like £300 a go to be permanently engraved in rugby history!)

I have some trial metal engraved badges for the Utrecht Shield arriving jn next couple days so lining it all up that I have worked out kinks and can go at it when the cash flow is secure (I'm conservative in that I want to know there are always reserves to manage hosting, stock and whatever comes up)

@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

Don't forget we took the Raeburn Shield too 🙌🔥💪😍

Yep, New Zealand claim the Raeburn Shield 💪🙌🔥

@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

Heads up for all that is also.....

A Raeburn Shield match 😊

Gutted I couldn't get the shield made in time but have everything ready to go for when I can unlock some extra funds

@sparky and guess who gets the next Raeburn Shield challenge...

All Blacks in November

Canada currently hold the Utrecht Shield (Womens rugby's lineal world title) so they are making a good fist of defending it!

@MiketheSnow Thanks mate

Have been pumping out content on Tiktok for a while which has done well and realised I could pay for an automation tool to take the content and post it on other channels.

Been super helpful to extend how much I can do as time is very limited 😀

Anybody have a NZ Herald Subscription?

Managed to get Alice Soper covering the shields in her column which I am pretty stoked about

Black Ferns, Rugby, Sport

The story of a women's rugby shield few know about

Alice Soper tells a tale of a relatively unknown piece of silverware.

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

It is experience at play though so you just have to acknowledge it.

They learn so much through the premiership over here too.

Some of those Wallaroos who came over you cam see the difference after a full season and they all give credit to a proper comp preparing them.

All that really to say that NZ needs to keep investing in a quality domestic set-up.

Super is going to be longer in 2024 which is a start but still more to do I reckon

Yep, respect where it is due for England.

A very strong side and deserving winners

@NTA

The Wallaroos are lineal world champs though so there is that 😁 (first time ever for OZ too)

Some of the gamesmanship (woman) is clear as well. Experience tells

I think context is important here between these sides.

It is not just that England have been professional for years rather than just a couple.

It is more that they have a mature season long club comp that actually gives these players more big game situations and consistent quality matches.

If NZ can build over time with the domestic comps and keep the professional investment k think we can get back to the very top