Ranfurly Shield repairer suspects white powder is plaster

Now for the latest development in the Ranfurly Shield saga - we may have the answer to the mystery of the white powder that was seen in photos of the damaged taonga... The famous shield was broken in half during celebrations after the Hawke's Bay Magpies beat Wellington 20-18 on Saturday. Social media images showed the damaged trophy with white powder and a rolled up bank note on it - some suggested drug use. But the man responsible for repairing and restoring the Ranfurly Shield says the white powder will most likely be from plaster that he'd added a few years ago to hold the centre piece in place. James Dwan told Nathan Rarere he's been working on the log o wood for a little while now, giving it touch ups every time it gets a knock.