Cups and trophies - old and new - have been battled over recently, including the Auld Mug, the NRL premiership trophy, the Constellation Cup, the Ranfurly Shield, the Rugby Championship Trophy and the JJ Stewart Trophy.
Historically, these symbols of victory have been made of more modest materials, such as wood and terracotta, but the latest trophies have been cutting-edge design. Irrespective of their appearance, it is the history that makes them coveted. Most athletes will agree that they are not motivated to win these monuments because of their face value but they compete strongly for the right to hold them aloft because of the symbolic and cultural value these pieces of wood, metal, terracotta and plastic represent.
Some have a long history and others are fresh from the design factory but over time, as I've mentioned with regards to the Ranfurly Shield, they pick up stories and absorb the ecstatic emotions of winners who have had the opportunity to hold them aloft in victory.
One trophy that until recently had been locked away for some time in the Auckland Rugby Union's cabinet was the JJ Stewart Trophy. So what is the story behind it?It is a story of resistance and trail-blazing personified by a man who liked to shake things up.
John Joseph Stewart was a husband, a father, a rugby coach, administrator and school teacher who was described as a ''breath of fresh air'' by Bryan Williams and who was considered to bring a new era to the game because he liked to think outside the square.
His support of women's rugby may have been due to his fondness for rocking the boat, but it mustn't have hurt that he also married a woman who was strong-willed and became the mayor of New Plymouth. He often made wisecracks about his ability to walk five paces behind her at mayoral functions. He already knew how to support one strong-willed woman, so why not many?
In the late 1980s, the fledgling women's rugby movement wanted recognition and assistance from the NZRFU but it wasn't forthcoming. In 1988, a frustrated player by the name of Vicky Dombroski wrote a letter to the NZRFU requesting permission to have a club competition in Taranaki and to her surprise she received a letter from a Mr JJ Stewart on behalf of the union, stating that ''The NZRFU is most favourably disposed to women taking an active role in the game''.
A year later, all provincial unions received a circular from the NZRFU with regards to structures and guidelines for the formation of a suitable club and provincial programme for women. To this day, there is still resistance from some provincial unions towards women's rugby, but without the likes of male champions such as JJ Stewart (and of course, persistent women like Vicky Dombroski!), no progress with regards to women's sport would be made.
It isn't clear how JJ managed to convince his fellow councillors to support women's rugby but it is suspected he used the tactic of surprise to pass a successful resolution that the NZRFU foster women's rugby! JJ later said he ''wanted to stir up some of those stick-in-the-muds on the council and, mark my words, women's rugby will be good for the game''.
As a tribute to his support, the provincial sides starting playing for the JJ Stewart Trophy which had until recently collected cobwebs in the back of the Auckland Rugby Union's trophy cabinet. As a result, not many people were aware it existed or understood the ''story'' behind it.
Although the Otago women's rugby team didn't hold on to it for very long, we have them to thank for getting it out into public circulation and for that the Otago Spirit team should be very proud.
What Otago achieved in terms of breaking Auckland's unbeaten home record and wrenching the JJ Stewart from its grasp should not be underestimated.
As the Otago men's team did with the Ranfurly Shield, the women's team created a buzz about a trophy that other provinces have not had for some time. It gives other teams hope that they, too, could help to enrich this trophy's history.
Now Canterbury has the JJ Stewart Trophy, but don't fret ... it hasn't taken root in Canterbury yet ... and it just happens that the Manawatu Cyclones are playing Canterbury this Saturday.
I sure would like to see that trophy and reflect on what it means, not only for the team which holds it, but for women's rugby in New Zealand generally.
Thanks JJ Stewart, and thanks Otago Spirit for getting it past the Bombay hills!
