16 October 2010 Science confirms log of wood the dinkum article

Yep, it’s the real McCoy!  Scientists at Lincoln University put rugby’s Ranfurly Shield under the microscope yesterday to make sure Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt and Southland coach Leicester Rutledge hadn’t worked a sneaky replacement move with New Zealand rugby’s holy grail when Rob Penney’s Canterbury team broke the Southerners’ hearts the previous weekend.

To be sure there had been no southern skulduggery, before Canterbury put its shield-holding ability on the line against Counties Manukau,  centre Robbie Fruean took the old log of wood out to Lincoln University where he is a Sports Scholar enrolled for a Commerce degree. Robbie invited scientist and Lincoln University Rugby Club stalwart Mike Morley-Bunker to conduct a microscopic inspection.

To everyone’s relief, Mike pronounced it the genuine article and therefore “well worth Canterbury playing its heart out to retain over the summer”.