Super 14 Trophy
Encyclopedia
The Super Rugby Trophy is a sterling silver
trophy awarded to the winner of the Super Rugby, a rugby union competition, final. Jens Hansen Gold and Silversmith in Nelson, New Zealand
hand made the trophy. The same workshop made the gold ring in Peter Jackson
's The Lord of the Rings trilogy
. Three different silversmiths constructed the trophy. This required soldering together a number of silver sheets as well as sanding, buffing and polishing. The trophy is 49 cm high and weighs 2.7 kg.
The trophy was unveiled in Wellington
for the first time on Tuesday, 7 February 2006. The public was able to view the trophy for the first time on 10 February when the Blues played the Hurricanes in the Super 14's opening match in Auckland
. The 2006 Super 14 season
was the first season that the trophy was used.
The trophy has the Super 14 logo on a globe, on a four-sided twisted spiral. Fraser Holland, the New Zealand Rugby Union sponsorship and marketing manager, oversaw the construction of the trophy. He said that the SANZAR
unions were happy to have a new trophy to launch the expanded competition.
The Super 15 trophy, the trophy is a rotating trophy, held only during the offseason and returned to the competition organisers in time for it to be awarded to the next season's champions.
The trophy was first awarded to the Crusaders after winning the 2006 Super 14 Final
.
On 30 June 2011, SANZAR
unveiled the new trophy that will be presented to the winners of the Super Rugby final scheduled for Saturday, 9 July 2011.
The trophy, which will be in use from 2011 and beyond, was crafted from solid stainless steel and polished to a mirror finish. It has a height of 65 cm and a mass of 18 kilograms.
The trophy was designed by the company responsible for the 2000 Olympic Torch, Blue Sky Design of Sydney. The trophy was manufactured by Box and Dice Pty Ltd also based in Sydney.
SANZAR CEO
, Greg Peters, said "The shape of the trophy is centred around three curved legs, each representing the Conferences involved in the Super Rugby competition."
According to Peters, "The champions trophy is the 'big one', and will become the ultimate symbol of Super Rugby supremacy in the years to come."
The colour on each leg corresponds to the Conferences with gold for Australia, black for New Zealand, and green for South Africa.
The Reds
of Australia, the Stormers
of South Africa and the Crusaders of New Zealand were the winners of their respective conferences and were each presented with a scaled-down copy of the trophy.
Sterling silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925....
trophy awarded to the winner of the Super Rugby, a rugby union competition, final. Jens Hansen Gold and Silversmith in Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
hand made the trophy. The same workshop made the gold ring in Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's The Lord of the Rings trilogy
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
. Three different silversmiths constructed the trophy. This required soldering together a number of silver sheets as well as sanding, buffing and polishing. The trophy is 49 cm high and weighs 2.7 kg.
The trophy was unveiled in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
for the first time on Tuesday, 7 February 2006. The public was able to view the trophy for the first time on 10 February when the Blues played the Hurricanes in the Super 14's opening match in Auckland
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
. The 2006 Super 14 season
2006 Super 14 season
The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday 10 February 2006. The Grand Final was held on Saturday 27 May 2006. Super 14 is a provincial rugby union competition with 14 teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This season was the first of the expansion, which saw two new teams, the...
was the first season that the trophy was used.
The trophy has the Super 14 logo on a globe, on a four-sided twisted spiral. Fraser Holland, the New Zealand Rugby Union sponsorship and marketing manager, oversaw the construction of the trophy. He said that the SANZAR
SANZAR
SANZAR is the body which operates Super Rugby and Tri Nations competitions in rugby union. It is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union, formed in 1996.Created shortly after rugby's move to professionalism in 1995, SANZAR's two...
unions were happy to have a new trophy to launch the expanded competition.
- "We also wanted to move away from the traditional cup-style trophy and have a dynamic trophy to reflect the spirit of the Super 14. I think the designers have certainly achieved that - it's a superbly crafted, iconic trophy with a definite international look about it," Holland said.
The Super 15 trophy, the trophy is a rotating trophy, held only during the offseason and returned to the competition organisers in time for it to be awarded to the next season's champions.
The trophy was first awarded to the Crusaders after winning the 2006 Super 14 Final
2006 Super 14 Final
The Final of the 2006 Super 14 season, a rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere, took place on May 27, 2006 at Jade Stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand. The match was won by the Crusaders 19 points to 12 over the visiting Wellington-based side, the Hurricanes...
.
On 30 June 2011, SANZAR
SANZAR
SANZAR is the body which operates Super Rugby and Tri Nations competitions in rugby union. It is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union, formed in 1996.Created shortly after rugby's move to professionalism in 1995, SANZAR's two...
unveiled the new trophy that will be presented to the winners of the Super Rugby final scheduled for Saturday, 9 July 2011.
The trophy, which will be in use from 2011 and beyond, was crafted from solid stainless steel and polished to a mirror finish. It has a height of 65 cm and a mass of 18 kilograms.
The trophy was designed by the company responsible for the 2000 Olympic Torch, Blue Sky Design of Sydney. The trophy was manufactured by Box and Dice Pty Ltd also based in Sydney.
SANZAR CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
, Greg Peters, said "The shape of the trophy is centred around three curved legs, each representing the Conferences involved in the Super Rugby competition."
According to Peters, "The champions trophy is the 'big one', and will become the ultimate symbol of Super Rugby supremacy in the years to come."
The colour on each leg corresponds to the Conferences with gold for Australia, black for New Zealand, and green for South Africa.
The Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
of Australia, the Stormers
Stormers
The Stormers, for sponsorship reasons referred to as DHL Stormers, are a South African rugby union team based in Cape Town competing in the Super Rugby competition . Despite their lack of silverware over the years, their home stadium, Newlands, typically draws the highest average attendance figures...
of South Africa and the Crusaders of New Zealand were the winners of their respective conferences and were each presented with a scaled-down copy of the trophy.