Hanan Shield

• Draw goes down as a win to the holders

In a fiercely contested clash in front of a record crowd at Oamaru's Centennial Park, Mid Canterbury played themselves into a Shield winning position. Mid Canterbury made the decisive break thanks to two stunning solo tries to young winger Brenton Connell, then hung on in the final 20 minutes despite losing star midfielder Jack Umaga to a broken jaw. The match is generally considered to be among the most memorable clashes in the history of New Zealand domestic rugby.

On 9 August Mid Canterbury made their first Hanan Shield defence of 2008 when they ran onto the Ashburton Showgrounds to play South Canterbury. It was the first Hanan Shield match contested under the new Experimental law variations (ELVs), and it was South Canterbury who put on the early pressure with prop Timaru Tafa crossing in the 6th minute. Mid Canterbury's 19-year-old wing Brenton Connell sliced through a midfield gap on his own 10-metre line, broke a tackle and sprinted away down the left-hand flank to score in the corner. In the 29th minute, loose forward Jon Dampney showed his strength in shrugging off a tackler to score in the corner. Connell made it two for the afternoon when Dampney took a quick throw, which saw the ball spread to the opposite sideline into the hands of Connell who crossed the line and scored. South Canterbury started the second half strong, and scored two tries in the first 10 minutes, to loose forward Eric Smith and Tafa got his second. Mid Canterbury were trailing 19–18 but were not about to give up. A try to second five-eighth Richard Fridd pulled them back into the game, while two more tries were scored by first five-eighth Dan Maw and Dampney who scored his second. Mid Canterbury 37 (Brenton Connell 2, Jon Dampney 2, Richard Fridd, Dan Maw tries; Dan Maw pen, two con) South Canterbury 19 (Timaru Tafa 2, Eric Smith tries; Luke Reihana two con), HT: 18–5.

After defeating Mid Canterbury 24–18 on 24 September 2011,[5] North Otago lost the Hanan Shield 7–3 to Mid Canterbury on 8 September 2012.[6]

	8 September 2012	Mid Canterbury	7–3	North Otago	Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Salave Misi Con: Andrew Letham (1/1)	Report	Pen: Tai Aholelei (1)

On 13 October 2012 South Canterbury claimed the shield by defeating Mid Canterbury 17–15 at Alpine Energy Stadium in Timaru. South Canterbury outscored their opponents by three tries to two.

	13 October 2012	South Canterbury	17–15	Mid Canterbury	Alpine Energy Stadium, Timaru
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Timaru Tafa Trevathan Liam Edwards Con: Liam Edwards (1/3)	Report	Try: Tukulua Tolu (2) Con: Solomona Paraki (1/2) Pen: Solomona Paraki (1)

South Canterbury reaffirmed their shield win by defeating Mid Canterbury 48–20 in the 2012 Lochore Cup semi-final on 21 October.[7]

	21 October 2012	South Canterbury	48–20	Mid Canterbury	Alpine Energy Stadium, Timaru
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Stephen Burt Sam Vea Kali Latu Tenare Saumani Liam Edwards Afala Tailega Con: Liam Edwards (5/6) Pen: Liam Edwards (1)	Report	Try: Ben Kitching Nick McKain Jon Dampney Con: Solomona Paraki (1/3) Pen: Solomona Paraki (1)

After winning the shield and defending it once, South Canterbury lost 34–27 against Mid Canterbury on 21 September 2013.[2]

	21 September 2013	Mid Canterbury	34–27	South Canterbury	Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Will McGoon Esera Lauina Richard Catherwood Con: Murray Williams (2/3) Pen: Murray Williams (5)	Report	Try: Tenari Saumani George Folau Liam Edwards Con: Liam Edwards (0/3) Pen: Liam Edwards (4)

Mid Canterbury defended the shield by defeating North Otago 26–20 in the 2013 Meads Cup final on 26 October.[3] Also, this was Mid Canterbury's first time winning the Meads Cup.

	26 October 2013	Mid Canterbury	26–20	North Otago	Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Dwayne Burrows Jon Dampney Con: Murray Williams (2/2) Pen: Murray Williams (4)	Report	Try: J'ndre Liebenberg Alex Brown Con: Ed Keohane (2/2) Pen: Ed Keohane (2)

Mid Canterbury was to next defend the shield against North Otago on 4 October 2014 in Ashburton.[8] They won the match 28–7.[9][4]

	4 October 2014	Mid Canterbury	28–7	North Otago	Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Richard Catherwood Tevita Ula Logan Bonnington Con: Murray Williams (2/3) Pen: Murray Williams (3)	Report	Try: Siosiua Ngalo Con: Ben Palmer (1/1)

Mid Canterbury next defended the sShield against South Canterbury in Timaru on 11 October 2014, only one week after their match against North Otago.[8] They won 24–7.[10]

	11 October 2014	South Canterbury	7–24	Mid Canterbury	Alpine Energy Stadium, Timaru
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Paula Fifita Con: Paula Fifita (1/1)	Report	Try: Jon Dampney Brenton Connell Tevita Ula Jackson Donlan Con: Murray Williams (2/4)

Mid Canterbury next defended the Hanan Shield in the 2015 Heartland Championship on 22 August 2015.

	22 August 2015	Mid Canterbury	34–17	South Canterbury	Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Murray Williams Ashton Tuck Mavae Tomasi Ashton Tuck Ewan Scott Con: Murrary Williams (3/5)	Report	Try: Kieran Coll Matthew Kottier Con: Jason Merrett (2/2)

On the last match of the regular season Mid Canterbury successfully defended the Shield against North Otago in Oamaru.[11]

	10 October 2015	North Otago	36–39	Mid Canterbury	Whitestone Contracting Stadium, Oamaru
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Lemi Masoe Sam Sturgess Sali Halaeva Aleki Morris Cameron Keenan Con: Ben Palmer (4/5) Pen: Ben Palmer	Report	Try: Matt Thatcher (2) Tama Tuirirangi Seta Koroitamana Ashton Tuck Con: Andrew Letham (4/5) Pen: Andrew Letham (2)

On the first match of the 2016 Heartland Championship season Mid Canterbury attempted to defend the Shield for a sixth consecutive time.[12]

	27 August 2016	Mid Canterbury	40–32	North Otago	Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton
	14:30 (NZST)	Try: Jarred Percival (2) Jon Dampney Brendon Rigden Timoci Nabakeke Mike Lynch Con: Jarred Percival (2/6)	Report	Try: Shay Tucker Josh Casey Joe Pickett Simon Lilicama Con: Carey (2/4)

Mid Canterbury successfully defended the shield in a high-scoring affair.[13] Their next challenge will be on 15 October, Round 8, from South Canterbury.[12]

	15 October 2016	South Canterbury	v	Mid Canterbury	Alpine Energy Stadium, Timaru
	14:30 (NZDT)

• Ranfurly Shield
• Heartland Championship