Within living memory . . .

Lunchtime crowds in Dunedin’s Octagon in January 1985 watched the Otago Rugby Football Union team take first place in the Speight’s Brewery tug of war competition.

The Otago Rugby Football Union team won both their heats from the Port Chalmers watersiders and the army.

A team of Dunedin publicans met their match in the annual tug-of-war with the nurses from Dunedin Hospital — the nurses won.

Coach Laurie Mains is exhorting the rugby team to greater efforts.