Super Rugby Pacific Trophy revealed
TROPHY REVEAL: The quest to lift the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific title just got real for the eight quarterfinalists with a newly minted and unique trophy being unveiled.
The 54cm tall Super Rugby Pacific trophy is the result of about 1000 hours of 3D printing, believed to be a first for an international professional rugby tournament.
SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris said: "Super Rugby has evolved and changed since its inception in 1996 and with the introduction of Pacific teams into the tournament this year it is appropriate that we play for a new trophy.
"Super Rugby is 26 years old and the debuts of Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua represents the latest inception of one of the world’s top club rugby tournaments. We wait with great anticipation to see who lifts the trophy in 2022 as we head into the Finals series this weekend."
The metallic gloss finish is the result of a chrome dipping process, while the Pacific-blue cloak which wraps around the Super Rugby Pacific logo embossed ball is representative of a Pacific Ocean wave reflecting the entry of Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua to the competition for the first time in 2022.
New Zealand artist Dave Burke, a spokesperson for the design team, said his design team had based their concept on the power and beauty of the Pacific Ocean with the idea of capturing an element that encompassed all 12 teams.
"We kept coming back to the powerful metaphor of the Pacific Ocean that unifies, connects, and brings us all together. We couldn’t go past that. Symbolically the ocean is powerful, awe-inspiring, has immense depth and is uncompromising. We saw comparisons to the aspirations of the competition and the ways teams play.
"The colours developed through the logo, inspired by the dynamic colours, mood, and tones of the Pacific Ocean, were integrated into parts of the trophy to give it a modern and fresh look and feel. The teal, blue and aqua hues shimmer and reflect light like the sun’s rays shining off the ocean. As you move around or look at the trophy from different angles the colours change and create a glistening effect."
There have been four previous trophies contested in Super Rugby since the southern hemisphere's premier club tournament kicked off in 1996. However, the new 2022 Super Rugby Pacific trophy will be the first awarded since 2019 as the international cross-border tournament was halted early in the 2020 season due to COVID-19.
The pandemic environment led to New Zealand and Australian franchise contesting Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU tournaments in their respective markets, while 2021 saw those formats repeated and a quick-fire Super Rugby Trans-Tasman tournament added to the end of the season.