| Awarded for | Rugby Union Lineal Title |
|---|---|
| History | |
| First award | 13 June 1982; 43 years, 74 days ago |
| First winner | France |
| Most recent | England 12 October 2024; 318 days ago |
| Website | raeburnandutrechtshields.com |
The Utrecht Shield is a prestigious trophy in Women's rugby union, awarded to the current lineal champion. Unlike traditional tournament trophies, the Shield can only change hands when the holder is defeated in a sanctioned international match - similar in concept to boxing world titles or New Zealand’s Ranfurly Shield.
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Named after the city of Utrecht, where the first-ever women’s international rugby match between the Netherlands and France took place on 13 June 1982, the Shield celebrates the roots of the Women’s international game.
This unique title does not belong to a tournament; instead, it travels with the team that holds it, adding an extra layer of excitement to every match they play. The Utrecht Shield honours history while creating new legacies with every game.
What makes this title so exciting?
- It can 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.
- All games involving the current title holder 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.
- It literally tracks the history of international rugby winners!
Men's rugby union has its own version; the Raeburn Shield. Both of these shields have been highlighted by RugbyPass owned by World Rugby. [1]
