Sonic Trophy presented to 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup Player of the Match recipients

The world’s first sonic trophy is being presented to the 2021 Rugby World Cup Player of The Match recipients with the trophy supported by Mastercard and created with Māori fashion designer Nichola Te Kiri and inspired by ceremonial traditions of indigenous Aotearoa/New Zealand culture.

The highly-coveted sonic trophy uniquely captures live-action audio from each game, live match commentary and fan reactions, and will be presented to one winning recipient from each of the 26 matches - establishing a new precedent for celebrating the Player of the Match long after the match has ended.

The 2021 Rugby World Cup is the ninth edition of the women's Rugby World Cup, as organised by World Rugby. It commmenced on 8th October and is scheduled to run until12th November 2022 in Auckland and Whangārei, New Zealand. It was originally scheduled to be held in 2021, but was postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inspired by the Kaikaranga, a powerful, graceful, and courageous leader and female voice of the indigenous Māoripeople, the one-of-a-kind trophy will be received by the select few who demonstrate these same qualities on the pitch at Rugby World Cup 2021.

Mastercard worked with local experts in Aotearoa/New Zealand including cultural advisor Piri Rongo Hetet-Wairau and contemporary Māori fashion designer Nichola Te Kiri to authentically represent local Aotearoa/New Zealand culture and identity through the concept, symbolism, and design of the trophy. The trophy blends unique live-action audio recordings from the match edited in real time, incorporating Mastercard’s sonic melody while celebrating indigenous Aotearoa/New Zealand culture through the voice of Piri Rongo Hetet-Wairau.

Te Kiri (pictured above) advised “Māori narratives highlight strength and leadership abilities of women, and I’m honoured to work with Mastercard to bring that symbolism to the trophy design for these incredibly talented athletes.

“The trophy’s cloak-like shape, colour and patterns represent a woman's responsibility/role as a leader and her connection to her landscape. With the sonic element providing a commemoration of each match, I am truly privileged to pay homage to these outstanding athletes and their individual and unique narratives.”

“Celebrating innovation and inclusivity is at the heart of how we bring Priceless to life through our partnerships all around the world,” said Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard Chief Marketing and Communications Officer.“The uniting force of sports has been an important part of our journey, and we are thrilled to partner with Rugby World Cup 2021 to reward the inspiring individuals that go above and beyond for their teams with this memento.” 

Mastercard became founding global partner of World Rugby’s Women in Rugby program in 2021, focusing on growing youth participation and raising the profile of the women’s global competitions and calendar around the world. The brand is also the first worldwide partner for Rugby World Cup 2021 and Rugby World Cup 2025, and in 2021 enlisted Aotearoa/New Zealand’s Portia Woodman (pictured above) as a Mastercard Global Brand Ambassador. 

Woodman shared "having played in a number of tournaments and matches and been fortunate to bring home trophies along the way, I know how truly unique this innovation is.

"Many matches feel unforgettable, but this personalised prize capturing audio highlights lets players relive some of the most incredible moments of their career. That is unbelievably special."

Mastercard has been a long-time supporter of gender equality. The company believes too much of our world was designed without women in mind, and without women involved. The company has committed to leading the charge in reshaping the way our world is designed, coded and constructed by bringing diverse perspectives to the table to unlock powerful ideas that open up our industry and the world’s possibilities to women.

Sally Horrox, World Rugby Director of Women’s Rugby advises “Rugby World Cup 2021 is set to be the biggest celebration of women’s rugby the world has ever seen. It will be a truly special tournament that celebrates and showcases the world’s best women’s rugby players, in front of record-breaking crowds.

“We are committed to raising the profile of the women’s game, working closely with our global partners including Mastercard. We are proud to partner with a brand that shares our vision and ambition to supercharge the women’s game worldwide.”

Over the past decade, Mastercard has developed one of the most well-rounded women’s sports portfolios globally. This investment includes partnerships across tennis, golf, soccer, and rugby, as well as sponsoring players, teams, and events.

Rugby World Cup 2021 is underway now and expected to deliver record breaking attendance for women’s rugby through the Final match on November 12th at Eden Park/ Ngā Ana Wai, Aotearoa.

Image top: NZ Sonic trophy and Haley Maxwell; Image centre: Māori fashion designer Nichola Te Kiri’s inspiration for sonic trophy came from ceremonial traditions of indigenous Aotearoa/New Zealand culture; Aotearoa/New Zealand’s Portia Woodman, Mastercard Global Brand Ambassador with the sonic trophy