Gallaher Shield
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The Gallaher Shield is awarded to the winner of the Auckland Rugby Union senior premier competition, and was first awarded in 1922. The shield is named in honour of Dave Gallaher, an early stalwart of Ponsonby, Auckland and New Zealand rugby. Ponsonby are by far the most successful club in Auckland history, with 37 shield wins and 48 championships in total.
Current season or competition: 2025 Gallaher Shield | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 1922 |
| Number of teams | 14 |
| Country |  New Zealand (NZR) |
| Holders | Ponsonby (2025, 37th title) |
| Most titles | Ponsonby (37 titles) |
| Website | Auckland Rugby |
Current clubs
As of the 2025 season.[1]
| Team | Location | Home ground | 2024
Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland University | St Johns, Auckland | Colin Maiden Park | 5th |
| College Rifles | Remuera, Auckland | College Rifles Park | 8th |
| East Tamaki | Ōtara, Auckland | East Tāmaki Reserve | 12th |
| Eden | Sandringham, Auckland | Gribblehirst Park | 4th |
| Grammar TEC | Ōrākei, Auckland | Ōrākei Domain | 6th |
| Manukau Rovers | Māngere, Auckland | Williams Park | 13th |
| Marist | Panmure, Auckland | Mount Wellington War Memorial Park | 3rd |
| Pakuranga United | Pakuranga, Auckland | Bell Park | 2nd |
| Papatoetoe | Papatoetoe, Auckland | Papatoetoe Recreation Ground | 7th |
| Ponsonby | Western Springs, Auckland | Western Springs Stadium | 1st
(Champions) |
| Puketāpapa Roskill | Mount Roskill, Auckland | Fearon Park | 11th |
| Suburbs | New Lynn, Auckland | Shadbolt Park | 10th |
| Waitakere City | Henderson, Auckland | Waitakere Stadium | 14th |
| Waitemata | Henderson, Auckland | Waitemata Park | 9th |
List of winners
The winners of the Auckland premier senior competition are listed below—including the winners for those years prior to the introduction of the Gallaher Shield in 1922:[2] [clarification needed (1891, 1896, 1933, 1956)]
| Year | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| 1883 | Ponsonby (1) |
| 1884 | Ponsonby (2) |
| 1885 | Ponsonby (3) |
| 1886 | Grafton (1) |
| 1887 | Ponsonby (4) |
| 1888 | Grafton (2) |
| 1889 | Gordon (1) |
| 1890 | Ponsonby (5) |
| 1891 | Parnell (1), Ponsonby (6) |
| 1892 | Parnell (2) |
| 1893 | Parnell (3) |
| 1894 | Parnell (4) |
| 1895 | Grafton (3) |
| 1896 | City (1), Newton (1), Parnell (5) |
| 1897 | Ponsonby (7) |
| 1898 | Newton (2) |
| 1899 | North Shore (1) |
| 1900 | City (2) |
| 1901 | Grafton (4) |
| 1902 | City (3) |
| 1903 | City (4) |
| 1904 | Newton (3) |
| 1905 | City (5) |
| 1906 | City (6) |
| 1907 | City (7) |
| 1908 | Ponsonby (8) |
| 1909 | Ponsonby (9) |
| 1910 | Ponsonby (10) |
| 1911 | City (8) |
| 1912 | Marist (1) |
| 1913 | Ponsonby (11) |
| 1914 | University (1) |
| 1915 | Marist (2) |
| 1916 | University (2) |
| 1917 | Railway (1) |
| 1918 | University (3) |
| 1919 | College Rifles (1) |
| 1920 | Grammar (1) |
| 1921 | Grafton (5) |
| 1922 | Grammar (2) |
| 1923 | Marist (3) |
| 1924 | Ponsonby (12) |
| 1925 | Ponsonby (13) |
| 1926 | Ponsonby (14) |
| 1927 | Ponsonby (15) |
| 1928 | University (4) |
| 1929 | Ponsonby (16) |
| 1930 | Ponsonby (17) |
| 1931 | Grammar (3) |
| 1932 | Grammar (4) |
| 1933 | Marist (4), Ponsonby (18), University (5) |
| 1934 | Grafton (6) |
| 1935 | Technical (1) |
| 1936 | Ponsonby (19) |
| 1937 | Ponsonby (20) |
| 1938 | Ponsonby (21) |
| 1939 | Marist (5) |
| 1940 | Takapuna (1) |
| 1941 | Papakura Army (1) |
| 1942 | Motor Transport Pool (M.T.P.) (1) |
| 1943 | Garrison (1) |
| 1944 | University (6) |
| 1945 | Whenuapai (1) |
| 1946 | Grafton (7) |
| 1947 | Marist (6) |
| 1948 | Ponsonby (22) |
| 1949 | University (7) |
| 1950 | Marist (7) |
| 1951 | Grammar (5) |
| 1952 | University (8) |
| 1953 | Grammar (6) |
| 1954 | Ponsonby (23) |
| 1955 | University (9) |
| 1956 | Otahuhu (1), University (10) |
| 1957 | University (11) |
| 1958 | Waitemata (1) |
| 1959 | Otahuhu (2) |
| 1960 | Otahuhu (3) |
| 1961 | Otahuhu (4) |
| 1962 | Waitemata (2) |
| 1963 | Otahuhu (5) |
| 1964 | College Rifles (2) |
| 1965 | Otahuhu (6) |
| 1966 | University (12) |
| 1967 | Grammar (7) |
| 1968 | Manukau (1) |
| 1969 | Otahuhu (7) |
| 1970 | Grammar (8) |
| 1971 | University (13) |
| 1972 | Grammar (9) |
| 1973 | Manukau (2) |
| 1974 | University (14) |
| 1975 | Waitemata (3) |
| 1976 | Ponsonby (24) |
| 1977 | Suburbs (1) |
| 1978 | Ponsonby (25) |
| 1979 | Ponsonby (26) |
| 1980 | Takapuna (2) |
| 1981 | Ponsonby (27) |
| 1982 | Otahuhu (8) |
| 1983 | Ponsonby (28) |
| 1984 | University (15) |
| 1985 | Ponsonby (29) |
| 1986 | Ponsonby (30) |
| 1987 | University (16) |
| 1988 | Ponsonby (31) |
| 1989 | Marist (8) |
| 1990 | Ponsonby (32) |
| 1991 | Marist (9) |
| 1992 | Suburbs (2) |
| 1993 | Ponsonby (33) |
| 1994 | Marist (10) |
| 1995 | Ponsonby (34) |
| 1996 | Marist (11) |
| 1997 | University (17) |
| 1998 | Teachers Eastern (1) |
| 1999 | Teachers Eastern (2) |
| 2000 | Otahuhu (9) |
| 2001 | Ponsonby (35) |
| 2002 | Ponsonby (36) |
| 2003 | Waitemata (4) |
| 2004 | Ponsonby (37) |
| 2005 | Ponsonby (38) |
| 2006 | Ponsonby (39) |
| 2007 | Ponsonby (40) |
| 2008 | Ponsonby (41) |
| 2009 | Ponsonby (42) |
| 2010 | Ponsonby (43) |
| 2011 | Ponsonby (44) |
| 2012 | Grammar Carlton (1) |
| 2013 | Pakuranga United (1) |
| 2014 | University (18) |
| 2015 | Grammar TEC (1) |
| 2016 | Suburbs (3) |
| 2017 | University (19) |
| 2018 | Ponsonby (45) |
| 2019 | Ponsonby (46) |
| 2020 | Season abandoned due to COVID-19 |
| 2021 | Eden (1) |
| 2022 | Manukau (3) |
| 2023 | Manukau (4) |
| 2024 | Ponsonby (47) |
| 2025 | Ponsonby (48) |
Championships by club
1883–1921
| Rank | Club | Championships | Most recent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ponsonby | 11 | 1913 |
| 2 | City | 8 | 1911 |
| 3= | Grafton | 5 | 1921 |
| 3= | Parnell | 5 | 1896 |
| 5= | Newton | 3 | 1904 |
| 5= | University | 3 | 1918 |
| 7 | Marist | 2 | 1915 |
| 8= | College Rifles | 1 | 1919 |
| 8= | Gordon | 1 | 1889 |
| 8= | Grammar | 1 | 1920 |
| 8= | North Shore | 1 | 1899 |
| 8= | Railway | 1 | 1917 |
Gallaher Shield era (1922–present)
| Rank | Club | Championships | Most recent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ponsonby | 37 | 2025 |
| 2 | University | 16 | 2017 |
| 3= | Marist | 9 | 1996 |
| 3= | Otahuhu | 9 | 2000 |
| 5 | Grammar | 8 | 1972 |
| 6= | Waitemata | 4 | 2003 |
| 6= | Manukau | 4 | 2023 |
| 7= | Suburbs | 3 | 2016 |
| 9= | Grafton | 2 | 1946 |
| 9= | Grammar Carlton/TEC | 2 | 2015 |
| 9= | Takapuna | 2 | 1980 |
| 9= | Teachers Eastern | 2 | 1999 |
| 13= | College Rifles | 1 | 1964 |
| 13= | Eden | 1 | 2021 |
| 13= | Garrison | 1 | 1943 |
| 13= | M.T.P. (Motor Transport Pool) | 1 | 1942 |
| 13= | Pakuranga United | 1 | 2013 |
| 13= | Papakura Army | 1 | 1941 |
| 13= | Technical | 1 | 1935 |
| 13= | Whenuapai | 1 | 1945 |
1883–present
| Rank | Club | Championships | Most recent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ponsonby | 48 | 2025 |
| 2 | University | 19 | 2017 |
| 3 | Marist | 11 | 1996 |
| 4= | Grammar | 9 | 1972 |
| 4= | Otahuhu | 9 | 2000 |
| 6 | City | 8 | 1911 |
| 7 | Grafton | 7 | 1946 |
| 8 | Parnell | 5 | 1896 |
| 9= | Waitemata | 4 | 2003 |
| 9= | Manukau | 4 | 2023 |
| 10= | Suburbs | 3 | 2016 |
| 10= | Newton | 3 | 1904 |
| 13= | College Rifles | 2 | 1964 |
| 13= | Takapuna | 2 | 1980 |
| 13= | Teachers Eastern | 2 | 1999 |
| 16= | Eden | 1 | 2021 |
| 16= | Garrison | 1 | 1943 |
| 16= | Gordon | 1 | 1889 |
| 16= | Grammar Carlton | 1 | 2012 |
| 16= | Grammar TEC | 1 | 2015 |
| 16= | M.T.P. (Motor Transport Pool) | 1 | 1942 |
| 16= | North Shore | 1 | 1899 |
| 16= | Papakura Army | 1 | 1941 |
| 16= | Pakuranga United | 1 | 2013 |
| 16= | Railway | 1 | 1917 |
| 16= | Technical | 1 | 1935 |
| 16= | Whenuapai | 1 | 1945 |