They beat Clinton 69-5 at The Stables on Saturday to retain the Helen Huddleston-George McKenzie Memorial Trophy.
The competition leaders again surpassed the 50-point mark in a performance that showed their structure, patience and attacking depth.
Clutha controlled possession for long periods, forcing Clinton into extended defensive efforts, and their forward pack consistently made the advantage line through powerful carries, creating opportunities for their outside backs to exploit space.
Clinton’s most promising period came in the second half when they applied sustained pressure inside the Clutha 22m and strung together multiple phases.
However, Clutha’s defensive unit remained organised and resolute, underlining why they are shaping as the team to beat in 2026.
Replacement midfielder Sosene Te’o crossed for a hat-trick of tries, while lock Lene Fetalaiga and halfback Kurt Botting were influential throughout.
• West Taieri maintained their grip on second place with a hard-fought 22-12 victory over Toko in Outram.
Played in difficult conditions on a surface that lived up to the venue’s Pig Pen nickname, the game was physical and evenly contested.
West Taieri adapted well to the conditions and took a 17-12 lead into halftime.
Toko enjoyed success through the middle of the field, but West Taieri’s aggressive ruck defence produced several crucial turnovers and halted the visitors’ momentum.
A late try added some gloss to the final scoreline for the home side.
Bug Tisdall, Luke Moeke and Zak Russell led the way up front for West Taieri, while Toko hooker Keegan Ferguson scored a double and Dylan Bungard impressed with a strong all-round performance.
• Heriot climbed into fourth place with a convincing 24-7 victory over Owaka at Swamp Hen Park.
The home side brought greater intensity to both their ball-carrying and defensive efforts with their line speed consistently shutting down Owaka’s forward momentum.
On attack, Heriot carried with purpose and regularly gained valuable metres, while both teams showed flashes of quality when moving the ball wide.
Leading 14-0 at halftime, Heriot continued to dictate terms in the second spell before Owaka grabbed a late consolation try.
Tom Davies and James Matheson were standout performers for Heriot. For Owaka, Josh Huddleston and Donald Esera produced a courageous defensive display despite being heavily targeted by the Heriot runners.
• Clutha Valley strengthened their hold on third position with a bonus-point 37-10 victory over Lawrence at Simpson Park, reclaiming the Miller Cup in the process.
Lawrence enjoyed more territory early but were unable to convert their opportunities into points.
Once Clutha Valley built momentum, they proved difficult to contain, their powerful ball-carrying and direct approach putting Lawrence under sustained pressure.
The game was played in a physical spirit with several heavy collisions highlighting the intensity of the contest. Valley led 15-0 at halftime and maintained their control throughout the second half to secure an important five-point victory.
By Francis Parker
