Mandela Challenge Plate
Encyclopedia
The Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate is a rugby union
trophy contested between Australia
and South Africa
. It is named after South Africa's first post-apartheid president, Nelson Mandela
.
Initially designed to be held every two years, the trophy was first contested as a one-off match in 2000, with Australia winning the game 44-23 at Melbourne
's Colonial Stadium. The second, played in Ellis Park
, Johannesburg
in 2002, was also South Africa's home game in the Tri Nations, and was won 33-31 by South Africa. The 2004 event, delayed until 2005, was played over two legs, and was not part of the Tri Nations. Since South Africa were the holders, Australia needed to win both games to reclaim the trophy. Australia won the first game 30-12, but lost the return leg at Ellis Park, 33-20.
Since 2006, with the expansion of the Tri Nations series so that each country plays each other three times, the plate is being contested over three Tests, akin to the Bledisloe Cup
.
, Victoria
.
Longest time held by Australia: 3 years (2006-2009)
Longest time held by South Africa: 4 years (2002-2006)
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
trophy contested between Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
and South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. It is named after South Africa's first post-apartheid president, Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
.
Initially designed to be held every two years, the trophy was first contested as a one-off match in 2000, with Australia winning the game 44-23 at Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
's Colonial Stadium. The second, played in Ellis Park
Ellis Park Stadium
Ellis Park Stadium, also known because of its sponsorship by The Coca-Cola Company as Coca-Cola Park, is a rugby union and association football stadium in the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It hosted the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which was won by the country's...
, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
in 2002, was also South Africa's home game in the Tri Nations, and was won 33-31 by South Africa. The 2004 event, delayed until 2005, was played over two legs, and was not part of the Tri Nations. Since South Africa were the holders, Australia needed to win both games to reclaim the trophy. Australia won the first game 30-12, but lost the return leg at Ellis Park, 33-20.
Since 2006, with the expansion of the Tri Nations series so that each country plays each other three times, the plate is being contested over three Tests, akin to the Bledisloe Cup
Bledisloe Cup
Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
.
The Trophy
The trophy is a leather-clad silver plate containing a 24 carat (100 %) rim, and a central gold disk showing a Wallaby and a Springbok (the icons of the two teams) http://www.flynnsilver.com.au/awards-trophies.html. It was designed by Flynn Silver, an Australian family company from KynetonKyneton, Victoria
Kyneton is a town on the Calder Highway in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria, Australia. The Calder Freeway bypasses Kyneton to the north and east. The town was named after the English village of Kineton, Warwickshire. The town has three main streets: Mollison Street, Piper Street and High Street...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
Winners
| Winner | Year | Won by Australia | Won by South Africa | Drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2011 2011 Tri Nations Series The 2011 Tri Nations Series was the sixteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks. It was also the last series in which only three teams... |
2 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | 2010 2010 Tri Nations Series The 2010 Tri Nations Series is the fifteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks... |
2 | 1 | 0 |
| South Africa | 2009 2009 Tri Nations Series The 2009 Tri Nations Series was the fourteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks... |
1 | 2 | 0 |
| Australia | 2008 2008 Tri Nations Series The 2008 Tri Nations Series was the thirteenth annual Tri Nations competition between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa... |
2 | 1 | 0 |
| Australia (retained) | 2007 2007 Tri Nations Series The 2007 Tri Nations Series was an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The series began in South Africa on 16 June, with a Test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands, Cape Town and ended on 21 July in Eden Park, Auckland... |
1 | 1 | 0 |
| Australia | 2006 2006 Tri Nations Series -Week 2:-Week 3:-Week 4:* All Blacks retain Bledisloe Cup-Week 5:-Week 6:-Week 7:-Week 8:-Week 9:-External links:* * *... |
2 | 1 | 0 |
| South Africa (retained) | 2005 2005 Tri Nations Series -Round Two:-Round Three:-Round Four:-Round Five:-Round Six:-External links:* at Rugby.com.aurugby union schedule for 2005... |
1 | 1 | 0 |
| South Africa | 2002 2002 Tri Nations Series The 2002 Tri Nations Series was contested from 13 July to 17 August between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks won the tournament.-Table:-Results:... |
1 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | 2000 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Records
Most titles won:- AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
- 6 - South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- 3
Longest time held by Australia: 3 years (2006-2009)
Longest time held by South Africa: 4 years (2002-2006)
See also
- Rugby union trophies and awardsRugby union trophies and awardsRugby union trophies and awards have been given out to teams and participants from the very earliest days of the sport's history. In common with many other sports rugby union has an array of competitions, both domestic international, covering the spectrum of competition structures from season long...