Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 20, 2026

Cumbria Shield

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 but in 1974, as a result of the Local Government Act 1972, Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness merged to form what we now know as Cumbria, and the competition would ultimately be renamed as the Cumbria Shield. It is the third most important cup competition in Cumbria, behind the Cumbria Cup and Cumbria League Cup.

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Cumbria Shield
SportRugby Union
Instituted1888 (1888) (Cumberland Challenge Shield)
1974 (1974) (Cumbria Shield)
Country England
HoldersWigton II (10th title) (2017–18)
Most titlesWorkington (18 titles)
WebsiteCumbria Rugby Union

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 Local Government Act 1972, 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.

Cumbria Shield winners

Cumbria Shield Finals
Season Winner Score Runners–up Venue
1888-89 Millom 2nds 6-4 Cleator Egremont
1889-90 Egremont II 5-1 Aspatria 2nds Whitehaven
1890-91 Millom “A” 4-0 Dearham Juniors Egremont
1891-92 Millom “A” 13-0 Whitehaven Recreation Cleator
1892-93 Whitehaven Recreation 10-0 Carlisle Reserves Maryport
1893-94 Maryport Reserves 13-3 Cowan Sheldonians Carlisle
1894-95 Millom “A” 3-0 Wath Brow Egremont
1895-96 Wath Brow 3-0 Maryport Red Rose Workington
1896-97 Workington “A” 3-0 Highmoor Rovers Maryport
1897-98 Workington “A” 5-3 Whitehaven Recreation Whitehaven
1898-99 Highmoor Rover 3-0 Aspatria Hornets Whitehaven
1900-06 No competition
1906-07 Aspatria Reserves 3-0 Cockermouth 2nds Aspatria Agriculture College
1907-08 Wigton 5-0 Aspatria Reserves Cockermouth
1908-09 Workington Trades 6-0 Silloth 2nds Noble Croft, Aspatria
1909-10 Cockermouth 2nds 6-3 Wigton 2nds Silloth
1910-11 Wigton 2nds 5-3 Workington 2nds Noble Croft, Aspatria
1911-12 Whitehaven 2nds 10-3 Cockermouth 2nds Noble Croft, Aspatria
1912-13 Blennerhasset 2nds 6-3 Silloth 2nds Brindle Field, Wigton
1913-14 Workington 2nds 6-3 Cockermouth 2nds Whitehaven
1914-18 No competition due to World War I
1919-20 Workington 2nds 5-0 Silloth 2nds Noble Croft, Aspatria
1920-21 Great Clifton 2nds 5-3 Aspatria 2nds Cockermouth
1921-22 Aspatria 2nds 9-0 Egremont 2nds Whitehaven
1922-23 Silloth 2nds 3-0 Aspatria 2nds Carlisle
1923-24 Aspatria 2nds 8-6 Blennerhasset 2nds Silloth
1924-25 Aspatria 2nds 17-3 Silloth 2nds Carlisle
1925-26 Workington 2nds 16-3 Silloth 2nds Noble Croft, Aspatria
1926-27 Cockermouth 2nds 3-0 St Bees 2nds Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1927-28 Wigton Hornets 11-5 Workington 2nds Cockermouth
1928-29 Aspatria 2nds 17-3 Moresby 2nds Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1929-30 Aspatria 2nds 6-0 Cockermouth 2nds Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1930-31 Workington 2nds 6-3 Aspatria 2nds Cockermouth
1931-32 Whitehaven 2nds 12-3 Egremont 2nds St Bees
1932-33 Aspatria 2nds 8-0 Bothel Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1933-34 Cockermouth 2nds 6-3 Egremont 2nds Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1934-35 Workington 2nds 23-4 Cockermouth 2nds Egremont
1935-36 Workington 2nds 14-5 Whitehaven 2nds Egremont
1936-37 Moresby 2nds 11-3 Workington 2nds Egremont
1937-38 Aspatria 2nds 3-0 Workington 2nds Silloth
1938-39 Egremont 2nds 4-0 Cockermouth 2nds Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1940-45 No competition due to World War II
1946-47 Silloth 2nds 3-0 Cockermouth 2nds Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1947-48 Cockermouth 2nds 6-0 Silloth 2nds Wigton
1948-49 Workington II 8-3 Keswick II
1949-50 Workington 2nds 24-9 Carlisle II Wigton
1950-51 Workington II 14-9 Whitehaven II Egremont
1951-52 Egremont 2nds 11-9 Aspatria 2nds Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1952-53 Egremont 2nds 15-0 Aspatria 2nds Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1953-54 Workington 2nds 6-3 Egremont 2nds Whitehaven
1954-55 Egremont 2nds 5-3 Whitehaven 2nds Cockermouth
1955-56 Workington 2nds 9-3 Egremont 2nds Whitehaven
1956-57 Millom 2nds 6-5 Egremont 2nds Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1957-58 Workington 2nds 12-6 Millom 2nds Egremont
1958-59 Border Regiment 9-3 Workington 2nds Wigton
1959-60 Workington II 3-0 British Steels Cockermouth
1960-61 British Steels 6-0 Netherhall Old Boys Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1961-62 Cumberland & Westmorland Police 9-8 Netherhall Old Boys Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1962-63 Whitehaven II Netherhall Old Boys Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1963-64 Netherhall Old Boys 6-3 British Steels Cockermouth
1964-65 Netherhall Old Boys Whitehaven II Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1965-66 Netherhall Old Boys
1966-67 Netherhall Old Boys 6-3 Whitehaven A Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1967-68 Whitehaven II
1968-69 Netherhall Old Boys
1969-70 Netherhall Old Boys Workington II
1970-71 Wigton II 9-6 Whitehaven II Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1971-72 Workington II 7-3 Wigton II Cockermouth
1972-73 Wigton II 16-9 Whitehaven II Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1973-74 Wigton II 18-7 Smith Bros Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1974-75 Cockermouth II 15-9 Smith Bros Whitehaven
1975-76 Wigton II Smith Bros
1976-77 Millom II 23-22 British Steels Whitehaven
1977-78 Netherhall Old Boys Workington II Bower Park, Aspatria
1978-79 Netherhall Old Boys 16-3 Silloth Lowmoor Road, Wigton
1979-80 Wigton II 10-7 Egremont II Ellis Sports Ground, Workington
1980-81 Aspatria II 9-6 Netherhall II Lowmoor Road, Wigton
1981-82 Aspatria II 15-12 Wigton II Whitehaven
1982-83 Aspatria II 12-6 Egremont II Whitehaven
1983-84 St Benedict's 9-4 Egremont A Walkmill Park, Moresby
1984-85 St Benedict's 12-6 Workington II Whitehaven
1985-86 St Benedict's
1986-87 St Benedict's 9-6 Smith Bros Whitehaven
1987-88 St Benedict's 9-3 Wigton II Netherhall
1988-89 Carlisle 'A'
1989-90 St Benedict's
1990-91 Silloth
1991-92 Silloth
1992-93 Aspatria II
1993-94 Aspatria II
1994-95 Netherhall II
1995-96 Kendal II
1996-97 Wigton II
1997-98 Wigton II Workington II Netherhall
1998-99 Aspatria Eagles 13-8 St Benedict’s Silloth
1999-00 Workington II
2000-01 Kirkby Lonsdale II Workington II Carlisle
2001-02 Aspatria II 29-8 Carlisle II Silloth
2002-03 Workington II Penrith II3
2003-04 Penrith II
2004-05 Penrith II
2005-064 Aspatria II 34-25 Carlisle II Sycamore Lane, Creighton
2006-07 Penrith II 15-3 Wigton II Sycamore Lane, Creighton5
2007-08 Silloth 16-16 Penrith III Lowmoor Road, Wigton6
2008-09 Silloth 27-20 St Benedict's II St Benedict’s
2009-10 St Benedict's II
2010-11 St Benedict's II
2011-127 Moresby 12-10 Cockermouth Netherhall Road, Maryport
2012-138 Moresby 14-5 Creighton Grassmoor Sports Centre, Cockermouth
2013-14 Penrith III
2014-159 Penrith III 30-12 St Benedict's II Davidson Park, Keswick
2015-1610 St Benedict's II No final as league competition
2016-17 Aspatria Eagles
2017-18 Wigton II No final as league competition
2018-19 Whitehaven
2020-2021 No Winner Due To COVID 19
2021-22 Penrith II No final as league competition
2022-23 Keswick II
2023-24 No competition held
2024-25 Keswick II 28-27 Penrith II Lowmoor Road, Wigton
2025-26 St Benedict’s 24-10 Keswick II Lowmoor Road, Wigton

Cumbria Vase winners

Cumbria Vase Finals
Season Winner Score Runners–up Venue
2007-08 Kendal 'A'
2008-09 Kendal 'A'
2009-10 Carlisle 'A'
2010-11 Carlisle 'A'
2011-12 Kendal 'A'
2012-13 No final
2013-14 Creighton
2014-15 Penrith III Ambleside Kendal
2015-1610 St Benedicts II 14-11 Cockermouth
2018-19 Windermere 34-5 Aspatria Eagles Keswick
2024-25 Hawcoat Park 37-3 Creighton Windermere

11

Number of wins

Notes

Notes

  1. 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.12
  2. Includes 8 titles won by Netherhall Old Boys.
  3. Includes both 1st and 2nd team titles.
  4. No relation to the better known Clifton RFC who are based in Bristol.
  5. Maryport were Challenge Shield winners during the 1890s before they switched over to Rugby League in 1898-99.13
  6. 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 1948.1415
  7. 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.
See also

See also

References

References

  1. "History". Angelfire. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  2. "Cumbria Shield second team tournament set for revival". News & Star. 29 May 2004.
  3. "Club reputation enhanced after one of finest ever seasons". Cumberland & Westmorland Herald. 21 June 2003.
  4. "Aspatria fight back to win Shield". News & Star. 27 April 2006.
  5. "Seconds AIM for Shield SUCCESS". Cumberland & Westmorland Herald. 27 April 2007.
  6. "Vags in final countdown". Cumberland & Westmorland Herald. 25 April 2008.
  7. "Moresby rise from the ashes to lift Cumbria Shield". News & Star. 8 May 2012.
  8. "Moresby rally to the Rowell revival bid". News & Star. 2 April 2013.
  9. "Vags celebrate shield win". Cumberland & Westmorland Herald. 1 May 2015.
  10. "Cumbria Rugby Union Newsletter Issue 54 (June 2016)" (PDF). Cumbria RU. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  11. "Cumbria Vase - Previous Winners (Word Doc)". Cumbria RU. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  12. "History". Workington RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  13. "History 3". Maryport ARLFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  14. "Foundation". Whitehaven Rugby League Football Club. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  15. "Calling RL historians". Total Rugby League Fans Forum. 8 March 2016.
External links