The long rugby tradition in Otago will be highlighted when
six clubs celebrate their 125th anniversaries this year.
Four city clubs have functions planned for Queens Birthday
weekend and the Lawrence function is at Easter.
Tapanui, the other club reaching this milestone, has nothing
special planned.
The Otago University club has dominated Dunedin rugby for the
past 100 years and has won 47 banners.
The club has also produced 44 All Blacks, the most by any in
New Zealand.
The most noted player from the University club is David Kirk,
who captained the All Blacks when they beat France to win the
World Cup in 1987.
Other All Black captains who played for the club include Ron
Elvidge, Chris Laidlaw, and Taine Randell.
John Leslie captained Scotland.
Southern is the club that best epitomises the Cavanagh
tradition that made Otago rugby great.
It was continued by Laurie Mains as the Otago and All Black
coach.
The club hopes to have all of its living All Blacks back for
the 125th celebrations.
All Blacks Gary Seear and Laurie Mains are expected to give
talks about the club's tradition.
A special guest of honour at the Green Island celebrations
will be Jack McLachlan, who coached the club to three banners
in the 1970s.
Former All Blacks from the club attending the reunion will be
Mervyn and Lyn Jaffray and Greg Cooper.
The guest speakers will be 1974 Commonwealth Games 10,000m
champion Dick Tayler and heart surgeon Dick Bunton, who was a
member of the winning team in the 1970s.
The guest speakers at the Kaikorai celebrations will be
former All Black captain Graham Mourie and former All Black
assistant coach Tony Gilbert.
Gilbert coached the 1997 Kaikorai team to its first banner
win since 1921.
Brendan Laney, a key player, is attempting to get most of the
1997 winning team to the reunion.
The four city clubs will have a day of celebration on Queens
Birthday Saturday at their home grounds.
The metropolitan match committee has drawn all club teams at
their home grounds.
University A will play Dunedin at the University Oval, while
Kaikorai will play its old rival, Alhambra-Union, at
Bishopscourt.
Green Island will play Taieri at Miller Park and Southern
will be pitted against Pirates at Bathgate Park.
This is a traditional game for the Jack Hore Memorial Trophy.
The former Southern club All Black also had an association
with Pirates.
Lawrence will have a day of rugby at its home ground of
Simpson Park on Easter Saturday.
Former Otago representative and country coach David Latta
will speak at the aftermatch function.
Dunedin rugby clubs celebrating 125th anniversaries
University A
Established: 1884
Home ground: University Oval.
Dunedin banners: 47.
All Blacks: 44.
Southern
Established: 1899 from Caversham (1884) and Pacific
(1884).
Home ground: Bathgate Park.
Dunedin banners: 21.
All Blacks: 22.
Kaikorai
Established: 1884.
Home ground: Bishopscourt.
Dunedin banners: 13.
All Blacks: 14.
Green Island
Established: 1884.
Home ground: Miller Park.
Dunedin banners: 3.
All Blacks: 4.
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