The Clutha forwards were immense, producing numerous tightheads and lineout steals. They also attacked the breakdown with purpose, stealing plenty of Heriot ball.
Out wide, the Clutha backs were far too slick for their opponents. Heriot was too sloppy with ball in hand and Clutha's defence was again on point.
Clutha capitalised on numerous Heriot mistakes in the first half and most of the home backline had scored by halftime, when Clutha led 40-0.
Heriot picked up its game in the second half but the Clutha forward pack, led by big Dan Groen and Kerrod Baldwin, kept rumbling along, causing plenty of worry for the Heriot defence.
Rhys Harrold had a super game in midfield for Clutha, scoring a hat trick of tries and kicking eight conversions for a 31 point haul.
Mala Saimoni and Tyler Bichan picked up two tries each, and the depth of the Clutha side showed in the second half when coach Ben Keach emptied the bench and the tidal wave of points continued.
Taina Tamou was easily Heriot's best, running hard and breaking the advantage line regularly.
Andrew Kirk and Adrian Clague tried to create chances for Heriot but plenty of handling errors and lack of discipline cost the men from West Otago dearly.
Clague and hooker Dylan MacKenzie crossed the chalk for the visitors, and Heriot never gave up, but it was helpless against a determined, tough and well prepared Clutha side.
In the curtain raiser, Crescent thumped Clinton 44-5.
Alan Thomson led from the back and had a hand in most of Crescent's seven tries, and also kicked three conversions and a penalty. Crescent captain Harley McHardy scored a double and was another to stand out for the winning side.
Stu Melville scored Clinton's only try. Todd Rowlands and Mark McKenzie were Clinton's best.
By Francis Parker.
South Otago
The final
Clutha 81
Rhys Harrold 3, Mala Saimoni 2, Tyler Bichan 2, Jeff Fualau, Dan Groen, Joe Laban, Matt Korteweg, Kane Teunissen, Heath Culbertson tries; Rhys Harrold 8 con
Heriot 12
Dylan MacKenzie, Adrian Clague tries; Clague con
Halftime: Clutha 40-0.
