When Mahurangi College tackles Orewa College, July 14, on the Rugby Channel a very special piece of silverware will be at stake. The Murray Jones Memorial Shield is a Ranfurly Shield type of competition for schools in the Warkworth area. It goes back a long time and means an awful lot for the schools involved.
Murray Gordon Jones
From All Blacks.Com Lindsay Knight On Murray Jones: “Murray Jones had just the one year in the All Blacks, playing five Games, including one test, in the 1973 season. By then he was in his early 30s, but as a grand provincial stalwart for more than decade he perhaps deserved more recognition. A solid prop who was strongly built at 1.85cm and 95kgs, Jones was a naturally fit and powerful man. With North Auckland he formed an especially effective front row with Richie Guy, also an All Black, at loosehead, hooker Frank Colthurst, desperately unlucky to have not been more than an All Black reserve, and Jones on the tighthead side… Aged only 32, Jones lost his life in tragic circumstances. While trying to save his young son after a yachting mishap on Auckland Harbour early in 1975 Jones himself drowned.”
The Facts
- Born: October 26, 1942
- School: Matakana
- First Rep Team: Standard Five (Played Halfback)
- College: Mahurangi College
- Clubs: Barbarians, Vikings
- First Class Games: 121
- All Blacks Games: 5
- Auckland Games: 58
- North Auckland Games: 53
- North Island: 1
- New Zealand Juniors: 1
- Barbarians: 2
- Vikings: 1
- Died: February 12, 1975
All Black Games: 1973
- 1 August: v New Zealand Juniors at Dunedin,10-14
- 4 August v NZRFU Presidents XV at Wellington, 28-35
- 8 August v New Zealand Maori at Rotorua, 18-8
- 11 August v NZRFU Invitation XV at Auckland, 22-10
- 15 September v England at Auckland, 10-16 (Keith Quinn’s First TV Test)
The Shield
Presented by Mr and Mss Jones and their sons in memory of Murray, the Shield has been played for annually since 1978. The family reflected of Murray. “He always played with great zest and spirit and believed participation in the game weather that be on the field or on the sideline was vitally important.”
Conditions Of Play
The conditions of play are decided or varied by the Mahurangi College principal and the Board of Governors. However it typically works like the Ranfurly Shield where a challenge is put forward by an opponent and accepted or rejected by the holder. The schools that have usually competed for the Shield are:
- Bream Bay
- Ruawai
- Rodney
- Mahurangi
- Otamatea
- Orewa
The Shield itself was designed by Mr W A Bourke of Fletchers timber, from a slab of 1946 Totara burr selected from Mr J Wyllie. All Black coach at the time, JJ Stewart was serviced to help with the design of the shield, which is the exact height and shape of the Ranfurly Shield.
Holders At The End Of Each Year
1978: Bream Bay College
1979: Orewa College
1980: Rodney College
1981: Rodney College
1982: Rodney College
1983: Rodney College
1984: Mahurangi College
1985: Mahurangi College
1986: Otamatea College
1987: Mahurangi College
1988: Rodney College
1989: Rodney College
1990: Mahurangi College / Bream Bay College
1991: Mahurangi College
1992: Mahurangi College
1993: Mahurangi College
1994: Mahurangi College
1995: Mahurangi College
1996: Mahurangi College
1997: Otamatea College
1998: Mahurangi College
1999: Mahurangi College
2000: Otamatea College
2001: Rodney College
2002: Otamatea College
2003: Otamatea College
2004: Mahurangi College
2005: Mahurangi College
2006: Mahurangi College
2007: Mahurangi College
2008: Mahurangi College
2009: Mahurangi College
2010: Orewa College
2011: Mahurangi College
Acknowledgments: Rodd Gabb, and the friendly staff at Mahuargai College, David, Michael and Sandra.