The Rundle Cup is a rugby trophy contested between the West Coast and Buller rugby unions. It replaced the Molloy Cup.[1] Of the 37 challenge trophies contested by two provinces in New Zealand rugby it is of the longest continuous existence,[2] it is also the second oldest provincial trophy after the Ranfurly Shield.
The Rundle Cup was donated to the West Coast provincial union during their Annual General Meeting at the Albion Hotel on 24 May 1911 by William Rundle as a trophy for Buller-West Coast matches.[3] Rundle was a local business man in the mining industry and former player for the Grey Football Club. He later perished on the frontline in France during World War One.[4] The first contest for the cup was held in 1911 in Westport and was won by Buller.
The fixture date and venues for the Rundle Cup each year depends on the draw for the Heartland Championship.
Matches between the unions have included the following.[5] [6]
| Year | Winner | Venue | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Buller | Westport | 16-10 |
| 1913 | Buller | 20-9 | |
| 1914 | Buller | 12-11 | |
| 1919 | Buller | 8-6 | |
| 1921 | West Coast | 9-3 | |
| 1922 | West Coast | ||
| 1923 | West Coast | ||
| 1924 | Buller | ||
| 1925 | West Coast | ||
| 1929 | West Coast | ||
| 1931 | Buller | ||
| 1932 | Buller | ||
| 1933 | West Coast | 35-8 | |
| 1934 | West Coast | 19-0 | |
| 1935 | Buller | ||
| 1936 | Drawn | 3-3 | |
| 1937 | West Coast | 18-0 | |
| 1938 | Buller | 17-6 | |
| 1939 | Buller | ||
| 1940 | West Coast | 18-6 | |
| 1941 | West Coast | ||
| 1942 | West Coast | ||
| 1943 | Buller | ||
| 1944 | Buller | ||
| 1945 | Buller | ||
| 1946 | Buller | ||
| 1949 | Buller | ||
| 1953 | West Coast | ||
| 1954 | West Coast | ||
| 1955 | Buller | ||
| 1957 | Buller | 16-12 | |
| 1958 | West Coast | 8-3 | |
| 1959 | West Coast | ||
| 1960 | Buller | 11-6 | |
| 1961 | West Coast | ||
| 1962 | West Coast | ||
| 1963 | West Coast | ||
| 1964 | West Coast | ||
| 1965 | Buller | 17-6 | |
| 1966 | West Coast | ||
| 1967 | Buller | ||
| 1968 | West Coast | ||
| 1969 | West Coast | ||
| 1970 | West Coast | ||
| 1971 | West Coast | ||
| 1972 | Buller | ||
| 1973 | West Coast | ||
| 1974 | West Coast | ||
| 1975 | Buller | ||
| 1976 | Buller | ||
| 1977 | West Coast | 12-3 | |
| 1978 | West Coast | 17-6 | |
| 1979 | Buller | 17-6 | |
| 09-08-1980 | West Coast | Hokitika | 32-9 |
| 27-06-1981 | Buller | Westport | 16-12 |
| 10-07-1982 | West Coast | 16-12 | |
| 28-05-1983 | West Coast | 18-10 | |
| 26-08-1983 | Buller | Westport | 21-9 |
| 23-06-1984 | Buller | 6-4 | |
| 26-05-1985 | Buller | 20-18 | |
| 07-09-1985 | Buller | Westport | 17-6 |
| 14-06-1986 | Buller | 23-6 | |
| 30-05-1987 | West Coast | 14-0 | |
| 27-06-1987 | Draw | Westport | 7-7 |
| 06-06-1988 | Buller | Westport | 37-3 |
| 1989 | Buller | 13-4 | |
| 1990 | West Coast | 24-3 | |
| 1991 | Buller | 13-12 | |
| 1992 | Buller | 31-3 | |
| 1993 | Buller | 33-10 | |
| 1994 | Buller | 20-13 | |
| 1995 | West Coast | 19-0 | |
| 1996 | Buller | 34-23 | |
| 1997 | West Coast | 16-7 | |
| 1998 | Buller | 16-6 | |
| 1999 | West Coast | Greymouth | 29-12 |
| 2000 | West Coast | Westport | 17-5 |
| 2000 | Buller | Greymouth | 23-10 |
| 2001 | Buller | Greymouth | 20-9 |
| 2001 | Buller | Greymouth | 27-8 |
| 2002 | West Coast | Westport | 25-20 |
| 2003 | Buller | Westport | 7-3 |
| 04-09-2004 | West Coast | 23-0 | |
| 03-09-2005 | Buller | Westport | 24-12 |
| 16-09-2006 | Buller | Greymouth | 17-16 |
| 20-09-2008 | Buller | Greymouth | 20-19 |
| 12-09-2009 | West Coast | Greymouth | 26-20 |
| 24-10-2009 | West Coast | 53-22 | |
| 16-10-2010 | Buller | 20-11 | |
| 24-09-2011 | Buller | 21-15 | |
| 13-10-2012 | Buller | 26-18 | |
| 24-08-2013 | West Coast | 23-17 | |
| 04-10-2014 | Buller | 29-24 | |
| 29-08-2015 | West Coast | 21-7[7] | |
| 17-09-2016 | Buller | 48-0 | |
| 02-09-2017 | Buller | 34-19 | |
| 22-09-2018 | West Coast | 34-28[8] | |
| 05-10-2019 | Buller | 47-7[9] | |
| 30-10-2021 | West Coast | 22-14 | |
| 10-09-2022 | Buller | 36-32[10] | |
| 23-09-2023 | Buller | Christchurch | 29-11[11] [12] [13] |
The second match in 2009 was a semi-final of the Lochore Cup.
There was no match in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic