# Utrecht Shield

The Utrecht Shield is a women's rugby union trophy. The trophy is awarded to the current lineal champion and can only be won from the current holder - It is a Title Holders Shield similar to a Boxing World Title or the Ranfurly Shield in New Zealand.
The trophy is named after Utrecht the site of the first ever international between the Netherlands and France, on 13 June 1982. This exciting title tracks the very roots of the international game, there is no tournament it can only be won from the current holder!
The Trophy - Shield
Brought to life by our very own David Algie - A true "project of passion"
The men's rugby union has its own version; the Raeburn Shield.
The proposed advantages are:
* As it would be decided on a single game, there would be increased chances of producing a Title Holder from a non Top Tier nation, giving more chance for an underdog to win a title.
* Title games would become more interesting, as the title holder would have something to play for, and the underdog would have extra motivation to lift their game.
* These Title games would occur much more frequently than the World Cup.

## List of shield holders

List of every successful challenge :
| Match | Defender | Score | Challenger | Date | SD | Tenure |
| 1 | Netherlands | 0-4 | France | 13 June 1982 | - | - |
| 2 | France | 0-10 | Netherlands | 1 May 1986 | 3 | 1418d (3y10m18d) |
| 3 | Netherlands | 3-22 | France | 31 May 1987 | 1 | 395d (1y30d) |
| 4 | France | 0-13 | Great Britain | 4 March 1989 | 4 | 643d (1y9m4d) |
| 5 | England | 6-19 | United States | 14 April 1991 | 6 | 771d (2y1m10d) |
| 6 | United States | 6-17 | England | 8 June 1993 | 1 | 786d (2y1m25d) |
| 7 | England | 15-17 | France | 23 February 1997 | 17 | 1356d (3y8m15d) |
| 8 | France | 10-15 | England | 4 April 1997 | 1 | 40d (1m12d) |
| 9 | England | 0-67 | New Zealand | 13 August 1997 | 1 | 131d (4m9d) |
| 10 | New Zealand | 17-22 | England | 16 June 2001 | 13 | 1403d (3y10m3d) |
| 11 | England | 17-22 | France | 1 March 2002 | 2 | 258d (8m13d) |
| 12 | France | 0-30 | New Zealand | 21 May 2002 | 4 | 81d (2m20d) |
| 13 | New Zealand | 3-10 | England | 21 November 2009 | 19 | 2741d (7y6m) |
| 14 | England | 10-13 | New Zealand | 5 September 2010 | 9 | 288d (9m15d) |
| 15 | New Zealand | 0-10 | England | 26 November 2011 | 0 | 447d (1y2m21d) |
| 16 | England | 0-25 | Ireland | 9 February 2013 | 15 | 441d (1y2m14d) |
| 17 | Ireland | 10-17 | England | 22 February 2014 | 5 | 378d (1y13d) |
| 18 | England | 0-13 | Wales | 8 February 2015 | 8 | 351d (11m17d) |
| 19 | Wales | 7-28 | France | 27 February 2015 | 1 | 19d |
| 20 | France | 12-17 | Italy | 14 March 2015 | 0 | 15d |
| 21 | Italy | 0-39 | France | 6 February 2016 | 1 | 329d (10m23d) |
| 22 | France | 8-10 | Wales | 28 February 2016 | 1 | 22d |
| 23 | Wales | 13-20 | England | 12 March 2016 | 0 | 13d |
| 24 | England | 12-17 | France | 18 March 2016 | 0 | 6d |
| 25 | France | 13-17 | England | 5 July 2016 | 1 | 109d (3m17d) |
| 26 | England | 20-25 | New Zealand | 19 November 2016 | 3 | 137d (4m14d) |
| 27 | New Zealand | 21-29 | England | 17 June 2017 | 4 | 210d (6m29d) |
| 28 | England | 32-41 | New Zealand | 26 August 2017 | 4 | 70d (2m9d) |
| 29 | New Zealand | 27-30 | France | 17 November 2018 | 4 | 448d (1y2m22d) |
| 30 | France | 26-41 | England | 10 February 2019 | 1 | 85d (2m24d) |
| 31 | England | 13-28 | New Zealand | 14 July 2019 | 6 | 154d (5m4d) |
| 32 | New Zealand | 12-43 | England | 31 October 2021 | 2 | 840d (2y3m17d) |
| 33 | England | 31-34 | New Zealand | 12 November 2022 | 16 | 377d (1y12d) |
| 34 | New Zealand | 17-18 | France | 21 October 2023 | 4 | 343d (11m9d) |
| 35 | France | 20-29 | Australia | 28 October 2023 | 0 | 7d |
| 36 | Australia | 14-33 | Canada | 11 May 2024 | 1 | 196d (6m13d) |

## Most shield defences

Most shield defences by each team :
| | Team | Total | Chal. | Cons. |
| 1 | England | 81 | 12 | 17 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 42 | 6 | 19 |
| 3 | France | 15 | 8 | 4 |
| 4 | Ireland | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Wales | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 6 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | United States | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | Australia | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | Canada | | | |
Highest consecutive shield defences :
| No. | Team | Start | Def. | Score | End | Score | Chal. | Tenure |
| 19 | New Zealand | 21 May 2002 | France | 0-30 | 21 November 2009 | 3-10 | England | 2741d (7y6m) |
| 17 | England | 8 June 1993 | United States | 6-17 | 23 February 1997 | 15-17 | France | 1356d (3y8m15d) |
| 16 | England | 31 October 2021 | New Zealand | 12-43 | 12 November 2022 | 31-34 | New Zealand | 377d (1y12d) |
| 15 | England | 26 November 2011 | New Zealand | 0-10 | 9 February 2013 | 0-25 | Ireland | 441d (1y2m14d) |
| 13 | New Zealand | 13 August 1997 | England | 0-67 | 16 June 2001 | 17-22 | England | 1403d (3y10m3d) |