"Holds 25 Pints" - Bizarre and brilliant facts about the United Rugby Championship trophy

Nicknamed "Beastie" and designed to turn heads, this is not your average piece of silverware. Here are some of the most bizarre, brilliant, and beer-friendly facts about the URC's showpiece trophy that is officially named The Array.

Clocking in at 20kg, The Array is the heaviest trophy in club rugby. For context, that’s heavier than a holiday suitcase that would get thrown in the cargo hold, and nearly as tough on the shoulders to lift after 80 minutes of high-stakes rugby.

Think trophies are just for photos? The Array has a 12-litre capacity, which means it can hold around 25 pints of beer or 12 bottles of champagne. Designed with celebration in mind, it's not just for sipping or toasting, the trophy can be the centre-piece for a serious session.

Created by Thomas Lyte, the prestigious London silversmiths behind football's FA Cup, the trophy is a blend of tradition, craftsmanship, and cutting-edge tech. The body is hand-spun from a single silver-plated metal sheet, while the dramatic arms were 3D printed and electro-formed to create the unique design. A truly one of a kind prize that's back up for grabs this Saturday.

Before the final design, input was gathered from former players, who had captained their sides to glory throughout the Celtic League, Pro12 and PRO 14 eras of the competition. Their requests meant that the URC prize needed to be “bloody big”, it had to have handles, and – most crucially – you had to be able to drink from it. Mission accomplished by all accounts.

The four striking U-shaped arms each represent one of the competition's quad of cornerstones, that builds the 16-team league. Three of the arms each represent Ireland, Wales and South Africa, who each contribute four teams to the competition. The fourth arm is shared by Scotland and Italy, who each have two sides in the league. The arms are engraved with a national shield and the word “Champions” in the respective languages.

With eight handles, The Array was designed for team celebrations, because lifting this beast is a job for more than one person. Reflecting the URC’s team-first ethos, the trophy needs more man-power than average to get the pinnacle prize high above the heads.

Topping the trophy is a blue aluminum “crown” lid, engraved with the URC logo. It’s removable for those drink-from-the-trophy moments, but beneath it is a watertight central chamber that illuminates the lid from below, creating a dramatic glowing effect fit for a champion's celebration.