What Is a Mere Pounamu?
A mere is a traditional close-quarter weapon, flat and rounded with a sharpened edge, carved from a single piece of pounamu. Historically, mere pounamu were among the most valuable greenstone items a person could hold, closely tied to chieftainship and carried as a symbol of authority rather than used casually in everyday tasks.
Being presented with one, even in a modern sporting context, borrows directly from that history: a mere marks status and achievement, not just participation.
A Custom Across Multiple Clubs, Not Just One
This isn't a one-off gesture from a single franchise. Crusaders lock Luke Romano received a mere on reaching his 100th Super Rugby game, and Hurricanes back-rower Brad Shields was presented with one on the same milestone during a match against the Blues. Both ceremonies followed a similar pattern: presented on the field, shortly after the final whistle, with the player addressing the crowd.
How This Differs From the All Blacks
It's worth being precise here: this tradition sits at Super Rugby franchise level, tied to individual players and individual clubs. The All Blacks' own milestone tradition, marking 100 test caps for New Zealand, is a special silver cap, not a pounamu mere. We've covered that separately in Pounamu and the All Blacks, which looks at a different, one-off gift presented to the national team itself.