The Cumbria Shield is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organized by the Cumbria Rugby Union. It was introduced during the 1888–89 season, when it was known as the Cumberland Challenge Shield, and the inaugural winners were Millom. Initially it was open only to junior club sides in Cumberland (senior sides played in the Challenge Cup) but in 1974, as a result of the 1972 Local Government Act, Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness merged to form what we now know as Cumbria, and the competition would ultimately be renamed as the Cumbria Shield.[1] It is the third most important cup competition in Cumbria, behind the Cumbria Cup and Cumbria League Cup.
Originally the Shield was a knock-out cup played by the 1st teams of junior clubs, along with the 2nd teams of senior clubs, before becoming mostly a 2nd team competition.[2] In later years the format switched back and forth between a knock-out cup and league cup-hybrid, but has most recently switched to being awarded to the winners of the Cumbria Shield League – a regional league for 2nd and 3rd teams in Cumbria. A secondary competition known as the Cumbria Vase was introduced in 2007 initially for sides knocked out of the early rounds of the Shield competition, although in recent years it seems to have become a stand-alone cup competition for 2nd teams in the region.
^2016 Shield was awarded to the winner of the Raging Cumbria 2 League - a regional 2nd and 3rd team competition.[10]
^Workington have won 19 Challenge Shield titles including the 1909 win by Workington Trades RUFC - the side that would merge with Workington RUFC in 1910 to form the current club.
Figure also includes titles won by the 1st XV.[13]
^Maryport were Challenge Shield winners during the 1890s before they switched over to Rugby League in 1898-99.[14]
^Whitehaven Recreation won a Challenge Shield during the 1890s before switching to Rugby league in 1898. Despite being based in the same town they do not seem to have any connection with Whitehaven R.L.F.C., who were formed much later in 1948.[15][16]
^It is not clear if Wigton Hornets were in any way related to Wigton RUFC - they could possibly have been the name for the Wigton 2nd team or even a separate club.
England