Dave Gallaher Trophy

Dave Gallaher Trophy

Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	2000
Number of teams	2
Country	France  New Zealand
Holders	France (2021)
Most titles	New Zealand (13 titles)

The Dave Gallaher Trophy is a rugby union perpetual trophy contested between France and New Zealand. It is named after Dave Gallaher, the 1905–06 All Black captain who was killed in Belgium during World War I.

When it comes to rugby, France and New Zealand have a very rich common history. France played their first ever test match in 1906 against the famous "Originals" New Zealand team, on their way home after an eventful tour of the British Isles.

Between 1906 and 1999 both teams met a total of 34 times, New Zealand winning 25 times and France 9, including two games in the Rugby World Cup with New Zealand winning the 1987 final and France taking their revenge in the semi-final 12 years later in what remains one of the most famous upsets in the sport's history.

In 2000 it was decided that a new trophy would be created to emphasize the two teams' great rivalry. The trophy would be named after Dave Gallaher, the charismatic captain of the 1906 New Zealand team, who died 11 years later during the Battle of Broodseinde in World War I.

The Dave Gallaher Trophy is based on a challenge system, the holding union must defend the trophy in challenge matches, and if the other union defeats them, they become the new holder of the trophy. If both teams draw then the holder retains the trophy.

Rugby World Cup games between both teams - such as the 2003 RWC 3rd place play-off won by New Zealand or the 2007 RWC quarter final won by France and 2011 RWC final won by NZL - do not qualify as challenge matches.

France won the 2009 challenge 37–36 on aggregate score over two matches, having won the first test 27–22 and lost the second 10–14. The New Zealand team had assumed the series would be drawn if each team won one test, and were upset to discover that aggregate was taken into account, which their coaching staff had deliberately withheld from them.^[1]

New Zealand would retain the trophy for 12 years until being defeated 40–25 by France in Paris.

Details	P	France	New Zealand	D	France points	New Zealand points
France	11	2	8	1	216	359
New Zealand	12	1	11	0	153	411
Overall	23	3	19	1	369	770

• ST – Summer Test
• AI – Autumn International

Year	Date	Venue	Home	Score	Away	Trophy winner
2000	11 November	Stade de France, Paris	France	26–39	New Zealand
	18 November	Stade Vélodrome, Marseille		42–33
2001	30 June	Westpac Stadium, Wellington	New Zealand	37–12	France
2002	16 November	Stade de France, Paris	France	20–20	New Zealand	Draw
2003	28 June	Lancaster Park, Christchurch	New Zealand	31–23	France
2004	27 November	Stade de France, Paris	France	6–45	New Zealand
2006	11 November	Stade de Gerland, Lyon	France	3–47	New Zealand
	18 November	Stade de France, Paris		11–23
2007	2 June	Eden Park, Auckland	New Zealand	42–11	France
	9 June	Westpac Stadium, Wellington		61–10
2009	13 June	Carisbrook, Dunedin	New Zealand	22–27	France
	20 June	Westpac Stadium, Wellington		14–10
2009	28 November	Stade Vélodrome, Marseille	France	12–39	New Zealand
2013	8 June	Eden Park, Auckland	New Zealand	23–13	France
	15 June	Rugby League Park, Christchurch		30–0
	22 June	Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth		24–9
2013	9 November	Stade de France, Paris	France	19–26	New Zealand
2016	26 November	Stade de France, Paris	France	19–24	New Zealand
2017	11 November	Stade de France, Paris	France	18–38	New Zealand
2018	9 June	Eden Park, Auckland	New Zealand	52–11	France
	16 June	Westpac Stadium, Wellington		26–13
	23 June	Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin		49–14
2021	20 November	Stade de France, Paris	France	40–25	New Zealand

The All Blacks compete with three other nations for the attribution of a similar kind of trophy. The Bledisloe Cup, versus Australia, being the most famous. The other two are the Freedom Cup against South Africa and the Hillary Shield against England.

As for France, they compete with Australia for the Trophée des Bicentenaires and with Italy for the Garibaldi Trophy.

• The Dave Gallaher Trophy results