More than 2,000 tickets have been snapped up for the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls next Ranfurly Shield defence against Thames Valley on Saturday July 19 in Manaia.
The match in the Bread Capital, is being staged in partnership with iconic Taranaki Rugby Principal Partner Yarrows the Bakers and the South Taranaki District Council.
The Manaia Domain will be hosting its first ever Ranfurly Shield match and the day will see Manaia’s population double in size.
500 tickets remain available with Amber & Black fans encouraged to get in quick, so they don’t miss out. $15 Adult and $5 Child General Admission tickets are available HERE.
The game follows on from the sold-out Yarrows Centenary Match between the Amber & Blacks and the Wellington Lions. The July 2023 fixture marked 100 years of Yarrows the Bakers.
Yarrows the Bakers were founded by Alfred and Grace Yarrow in 1923, and they have been an integral part of the Manaia and Taranaki community ever since.
Owned and operated by John, Rosaleen and Philip Yarrow, Yarrows the Bakers produce quality frozen goods for wholesale and food service customers across New Zealand, Australia and much of Asia. Their headquarters have remained in Manaia with bakery operations expanding to Auckland, Rotorua and Tirau.
The Saturday July 19 match will celebrate Yarrows the Bakers General Manager Russell Guckert who is retiring after 42 years of service. Fittingly, Guckert is also a Life Member of his beloved Southern Rugby Club.
The Manaia Domain grandstand has been renamed the Russell Guckert Stand for the match to honour Guckert’s significant contribution to Yarrows the Bakers and grassroots rugby over several decades.
The Yarrows Taranaki Bulls will again don a commemorative blue and black hooped jersey, inspired by the Waimate Buffaloes, Manaia’s home club that amalgamated with the Hāwera and Athletic clubs to form Southern in 1994. The jerseys feature the years of the province’s eight Ranfurly Shield tenures on the right sleeve and a commemorative Ranfurly Shield mark on the front of the jersey.
Prior to the main game at Manaia, an exhibition North v South Division 2 match will be played showcasing the best Division 2 talent from across the region.
North will comprise players from Clifton, Bell Block, Tukapa and Toko and South will be made up of Kaponga, Okaiawa, Pātea and Southern.
Ranfurly Shield Defence: Yarrows Taranaki Bulls v Thames Valley Swamp Foxes (2024 Meads Cup Champions)
Venue: Manaia Domain, Manaia
Date: Saturday July 19 - 2pm kick off
GA Tickets: Adult $15, Child $5 – click HERE to purchase tickets
