The Waikato rugby team has won the Ranfurly Shield, thrashing Taranaki 46-10 in New Plymouth.
Taranaki could have locked the old log away for the summer in their final regular season home game but instead their eighth defence ended in a hiding as Waikato blew the holders off the park.
A dominant display from the visitors' forward pack yielded three tries in the first 20 minutes and Waikato led 27-3 at half-time.
Sevens star Tim Mikkelson scored a hat-trick in the seven tries to one demolition.
Waikato have one Shield defence to get through in just over a week when bottom Premiership side Hawke's Bay come to Hamilton.
