A piece of history to share from one of our smaller clubs...

In 1985, a team of Clinton Rugby Football Club players travelled to the Balclutha Rugby Seven-a-Side tournament to contest the prestigious symbol of New Zealand Club Sevens, the Middlesex Cup. The Otago University RFC brought the trophy to Balclutha to defend it for that year. After winning three tough pool matches, Clinton defeated University in the final to take the Middlesex Cup back to Clinton.

The following year, 1986, Clinton hosted a Seven-a-Side tournament which attracted some of Otago’s best sevens teams, including 3 Dunedin teams. Once again, after another fast-paced final, Clinton defeated Otago University, which contained some Otago Representative players, to return the trophy to the Clinton RFC cabinet. The Clinton sevens team also won Southland’s Balfour Seven-a-Side tournament final in 1986. Total games played 7, Won 7. Points for 198, Against 4.

In 1987, the Middlesex Cup was won back by the Otago University team in another well-run tournament hosted at the Clinton RFC.

The Middlesex Cup was won by other Dunedin club teams, although not contested every year, until 2010 when Burnham RFC from Christchurch, won it from Otago University RFC. Since then, the trophy has been won by clubs in Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton and now, since 2020, resides in the Ardmore Marist club in Takanini, Counties Manukau.

On Saturday the 27th May 2023 the team reunited at Clinton’s Club Day after 36 years. On a glorious afternoon the current Clinton premier side lost to Clutha and with that were unable to take the Huddleston McKenzie Cup. The large crowd enjoyed a great game of rugby.

In a packed clubrooms after the game, Tony Anderson, the 7s captain from the 80s team gave an in-depth account of the times when Clinton won and held the Middlesex Cup. It’s a great piece of club history when a group of farmers and stock agents took on the more favoured town players.

Another late night was enjoyed by many. This was after a week when the local Warepa Collie Club had made a fantastic job of hosting the NZ and South Island Dog Trials.

Current Photo (from left to right):

Back row: John Williams, Grant Edwards, Malcolm Black, Kelvin Carruthers.

Front row: Graeme Ferguson (1985 team), Jimmy Johnstone, Tony Anderson Captain), Spencer Morrison, Paul Sinclair.

Coach Ray Smith and Mark Terry were unable to be there.

Photo credit: Kay Merrett 

Article added: Tuesday 30 May 2023