Cumbria Shield

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Cumbria Shield is a yearly rugby union knockout cup run by the Cumbria Rugby Union. It began in 1888–89 as the Cumberland Challenge Shield, with Millom the first winner. It was originally for junior clubs’ first teams and the second teams of senior clubs; after Cumbria was formed in 1974, it was renamed the Cumbria Shield. It is the third most important cup in Cumbria, after the Cumbria Cup and the Cumbria League Cup. The format has changed over time—from a knockout for various first and second teams to mostly a second‑team competition—and it is now awarded to the winners of the Cumbria Shield League, a regional league for second and third teams. A secondary competition, the Cumbria Vase, was introduced in 2007 for teams knocked out early and in recent years has become a stand‑alone cup for second teams.