Why is it common in rugby to give out trophies for individual games?

[u/joaofig]

Yesterday's win against the All Blacks was nothing short of impressive. However, it was still weird to see the Argentina team lifting a trophy when the game is just part of a bigger tournament involving two other teams. It just feels cheap.

[u/sesseissix]

I think it's to emulate the traditional trophies like the Bledisloe or Calcutta cup that's been going for ages. But honestly it's probably just an excuse for sponsors to get airtime and most people including players dgaf 

[u/Still-Process-2527 → u/sesseissix]

There’s one between ourselves (Scotland) and Ireland called the Centenary Quaich. Problem is that given Ireland have won it nearly every year bar one in last fifteen years, they probably have gotten used to it holding bags of nuts or M&Ms and we have completely forgotten about it.

[u/NuclearMaterial → u/Still-Process-2527]

I have this funny image now in my head where Scotland come to Dublin to play and the lads send someone inside in the last 5m of the game, empty whatever is in the trophy, run out on the field with it, then go back inside with it and put whatever was in it back in. Every year.

In the Scotland year I imagine it gets brought along & still has whatever is usually in it, and it's just on a table in the middle of the changing room until, again, last 5, dash inside to grab it etc.

[u/Gasurza22 → u/sesseissix]

It even has the sponsor printed IN the trophy, sooo yeah, they are not even trying to hide it

[u/Hamsternoir → u/Gasurza22]

There are some exceptions like the Ed Slater cup.

[u/GingerDweeb27]

A few games had historic trophies associated with them (Calcutta Cup being a notable one) and then everyone just sorta decided every game needed one. I can get behind ones like the Doddie Weir trophy being used to honour a great man and raise awareness for MND but it definitely does feel overdone

[u/ShinStew → u/GingerDweeb27]

but it definitely does feel overdone

Bullshit, we all know the Saffas care more about the Qatar Airlines cup more than the RWC. They only have 1 QA cups but win the RWC for fun

[u/OptimalPaddy → u/ShinStew]

They have 2 now. No questioning their reputation as powerhouses of the modern game

[u/ichosenotyou → u/OptimalPaddy]

Its 3. 2023 was against NZ at Twickenham, 2024 against Wales also at Twickenham, and 2025 was against the Barbarians in Cape Town

[u/Evil_Toast_RSA → u/ichosenotyou]

Can you imagine how insufferable we'll be if we win that 4 times too?

[u/Flickmode2q → u/Evil_Toast_RSA]

I think we can, yeah.

But 🤣 and 👍 for the deprecating self awareness all the same.

[u/coffeeislife_SA → u/Flickmode2q]

Of course we can. Not even NZ could win the Qatar Airways cup back-to-back-to-back-to-back.

[u/ShinStew → u/OptimalPaddy]

Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape, but those fuckers settled it, no stopping them

[u/ste_dono94 → u/OptimalPaddy]

When they win four of them I'll start to take them seriously

[u/HenkCamp → u/ShinStew]

That is the world renowned Qatar Airlines cup for you, sir.

[u/ShinStew → u/HenkCamp]

Very sorry, I wasn't being fare

[u/HenkCamp → u/ShinStew]

That’s your last warning. Next time we might only pour you half a pint. I said might because it is really a declaration of war if we ever get that far.

[u/ShinStew → u/HenkCamp]

I'm Irish it'd be more threatening if you only said a quarter pint

That'd knock me out

[u/HenkCamp → u/ShinStew]

Brilliant! Thanks for that!

[u/jonnieza]

How dare you question the relevance of the converted Emirates Airline Cup.

[u/infamous_impala → u/jonnieza]

How dare you question the relevance of the converted Emirates Airline Cup.

Qatar Airways marketing team crying reading this

[u/Phone_User_1044 → u/infamous_impala]

Just saw a Qatar Airways marketing team fall to their knees in a Walmart.

[u/Michaelangelo56 → u/Phone_User_1044]

I just saw someone looking at the Qatar airways marketing team as they fell to their knees at Walmart

[u/AtebYngNghymraeg → u/infamous_impala]

Spare a thought for whoever currently sponsors the Mercury Music Prize.

[u/On_The_Blindside → u/jonnieza]

converted or coveted?

[u/Michaelangelo56 → u/On_The_Blindside]

Both

[u/HitchikersPie]

Are you besmirching the value of the Scottish Italian cup and its long-standing traditions which have been with us since 2022

[u/nji87yhn → u/HitchikersPie]

To be fair, that's commemorating a former Italy captain & Scotland coach that died from Covid the year before.

[u/HaggisTheCow → u/nji87yhn]

Yeah but don't let that get in the way of them making shitty comments

[u/NuclearMaterial → u/HaggisTheCow]

No disrespect on the dead, but if it wasn't for that then they would have found something else to name it after. Every game has one now it's kind of annoying. They've made it like a participation medal really.

[u/CptJimTKirk → u/HitchikersPie]

I mean there are people that haven't seen the world without that cup and its rich tradition! Granted, they are three years old, but hey.

[u/carson63000 → u/HitchikersPie]

Traditions like deep-frying a slice of pizza when Scotland beat Italy? That’s what the game is all about.

[u/69lana69 → u/HitchikersPie]

Motherfucker!

[u/Still-Process-2527 → u/HitchikersPie]

Yeah I forgot what it’s called now, the Hadrian-Antonine Cup?

[u/cloud__19]

I think it's mainly so that Scotland occasionally get the chance to see what it feels like to win one.

[u/AlexiusRex]

You get a trophy! You get a trophy! Everyone gets a trophy!

I don't have a problem with creating a trophy for a historic rivalry, or something meaningful, but a lot of the new ones are a money grab for sponsors

[u/ShufflingToGlory]

I understand the cynicism over the recent additions to the bilateral trophy scene! Particularly with sponsor involvement, but history has to start somewhere.

In 100 years the Calcutta might have faded into irrelevancy and the Dove Soap Shield between Romania and Samoa might be the biggest grudge test in the sport.

The Ryder Cup started as some promotional gimmick for a regional seed merchant. Look at it now.

[u/TheHayvek]

As an England fan, the only trophy that I remotely care about for a single England game is calcutta cup. It signifies not just the history of that fixture with regards to those two nations but also the history of that fixture with regards to the whole game.

Everything else can get in the bin.

[u/adturnerr]

I like it with trophies with a lot of history behind it like the Calcutta and the Bledisloe, but this, the one after England tour to Argentina and even the Triple Crown can get in the bin.

Oh and the giant Pepto Bismol bottle Japan gives out is cool with me

[u/Hater69420 → u/adturnerr]

Bro mentioned trophies with a lot of history and left out the most prestigious of them all. The Qatar Airways cup

[u/Nearby_Flamingo_1607 → u/adturnerr]

Put some respect on Lipovitan D’s name

[u/LowEnergy1169 → u/adturnerr]

Tbf, the triple crown is nearly 150 years old

[u/adturnerr → u/LowEnergy1169]

The title is, but the shield was first given in 2006

[u/NuclearMaterial → u/adturnerr]

You leave the 3C alone, for years that was all we could win! It will have a special place in any Irish fans heart who had to watch them when they were shite.

[u/strou_hanka]

I think the majority of the single game trophies deserve to be scrapped.... We have actual competitions/cups now so no need for that anymore. Summer and autumn test trophies the same...

[u/Jalcatraz82 → u/strou_hanka]

dude I learned this year that there's a trophy between France and New Zealand. In 2025. I've been following rugby since I was born. And i'm not 10.

A lot of them are very irrelevant

[u/Me_Hungry_You_Cook → u/Jalcatraz82]

I cant speak to for everyone but the Dave Gallaher trophy trophy does hold significance to some many new Zealander's not just because of the rugby but because of who Dave Gallaher was, former All black captain who lost his life in Belgium during WW1.

[u/Jalcatraz82 → u/Me_Hungry_You_Cook]

Yeah now I know. I've talked about it around me to friends and family who follow rugby and no one knew there was even a trophy, including my father who's been following rugby for more than 40 years now. It's a very different way of seeing things in France, Brennus, CC and 6 nation are so important that those minor trophies are seen as, well, minor trophies

[u/strou_hanka → u/Jalcatraz82]

That's it! I was shocked a bit when saffas were spelling out all the trophies they won in 2024 to support the reason why Rassie should have won the coach of the year... I didn't know majority of them...

[u/19Andrew92]

So sponsors can get a picture with the winning team holding their trophy in front of a massive banner 🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/HenkCamp]

Agree, they are pretty useless and without much tradition. The Calcutta and Bledisloe is meaningless compared to the world renowned Qatar Airways cup.

[u/im_on_the_case]

Just an easy way for the Unions to make money from the sponsors. I don't have a problem with it, the game needs money and it isn't too invasive. Certainly less annoying than some of the ads that get painted on the pitch.

[u/lanson15]

Cricket does this as well

[u/k0bra3eak]

Most of it has its roots in amateurism where teams played for kinda individual glory vs other sides

[u/AlBones7]

It is cheap, it's pure marketing bollocks but I suppose if the money comes in from sponsors and it doesn't upset the fans or players then it's not too bad.

[u/CoatVonRack]

They can charge more to broadcasters and get more sponsorship money for handing out a trophy at the end of the match. No union is rich enough to be turning that down.

[u/Born-Instance7379]

They do it in cricket a lot too, well more for match ups(series) than individual games

[u/Illustrious-Chef-498]

Besides the Calcutta and the Bledisloe, the rest are really pretentious, very much like World Rugby on YT flagging down any content that uses footage even in a non-profit endeavour.

[u/Prielknaap → u/Illustrious-Chef-498]

I disagree. It's the "SPONSOR cup" trophies that's the biggest problem. Even then I get it, we need to monetize.

If something is an annual or cyclical fixture there's nothing wrong with giving it a trophy.

[u/samuel199228]

I do think it's over done maybe if it's a trophy that's got loads of history behind it like others have said with things such as bledisloe cup or Calcutta cup others I don't see the point in

[u/gyanmarcorole]

The trophies for the Rugby Championship should be gjven based on aggregate scoring (like football) since they happen two times in the same tournament.

[u/Adn38974]

Because for a verrrry long time, rugby teams were so few, they needed to spice things up.

I think tradition is gonna last some time again.

[u/Far-Watercress6658]

Dollar bills, ya’ll!

[u/farmerbalmer93]

Well our local club has two other clubs they play a year (not league games) where the winner gets the cup or shield for that year. Can't see why it would be any different at national or world level tbh.

[u/Ok-Citron-8757]

Trophies were given during tests series. For many years teams toured overseas and met various teams before "official" games versus the country they were visiting.

[u/Evening_Speech8167]

Is be too scared to tell them they can’t have a trophy. Have you ever seen one of those guys up close? Frightening.

[u/FezBear92]

Pretty sure all "Test" matches must be "for" something, namely progression in a tournament or a trophy in one-off games. Same in cricket.

[u/ah_bollix]

Cos on a global scale no one's interested so they need something to make each game meaningful

[u/gurrabeal]

Not common, but some teams have been playing against each other longer than the tournament that they are in. Aus and South Africa- the Mandela Plate. Australia and New Zealand- the Bledisloe Cup. Ask both teams if they had a choice between the Rugby Championship and the Bledisloe, they would have to stop and think. For me it’s the Bledisloe

[u/poimnas]

I’m for it as long as it’s not tacky sponsored crap.

Like come on.. tell me the Vuvale Bowl isn’t awesome..

[u/NecessaryUsername69]

Some H2H trophies are more meaningful than others - Calcutta Cup, Bledisloe Cup - but generally speaking I agree with you. Feels like every bloody game has to have some trophy attached to it.

I’m not going to argue against money in professional sport - I understand it’s just how it works. But the thing with money is that it tends to buy more than you bargained for, and not just the good/beneficial stuff.

[u/Wtfthatdoesnotwork]

So true

[u/Flickmode2q]

Insert image of Jamie George holding massive plastic bottle trophy in Japan.

[u/Rosserman]

Bilateral competition within the larger competition.

[u/jacob_carter]

I’m sure there will be a day where they get all sponsorship branding out and forget the trophy.

[u/De_Das00]

So everyone gets to call themselves a winner in the end and not have any tears. Everyone wins 🌈😜

[u/DrHydeous]

It isn’t common. The vast majority of games have no trophy.

[u/joaofig → u/DrHydeous]

What i meant is that it's common relative to other sports

[u/OneWingedAngelfan]

Because Tony Khan books pro rugby