25-07-2025
Upper Clutha warm favourites for final
The 2025 Upper Clutha rugby team. PHOTO: ODT FILES
It has been a near perfect season for the Upper Clutha rugby team who have the opportunity to complete a hat-trick of triumphs when they tackle Clutha in the Otago Countrywide final at Wanaka today.
They already have the White Horse Trophy and the Superliquor Trophy (as Central Otago premier club champions) safely installed in their trophy cabinet.
And the Countrywide trophy has been resident in Wanaka since they defeated Clutha Valley away 12 months ago.
Given their emphatic 35-7 victory over Wakatipu last weekend, Upper Clutha will go into the game as a warm favourite.
But they will be missing two individuals who have contributed massively to the team throughout 2025 — halfback Brodie Flannery, who took over the goalkicking when Brady Kingan departed for Australia in April, and giant lock Andrew Horne.
Flannery tore his hamstring late in the final against Wakatipu while Horne flew out this week for a holiday in his home country of Scotland.
"They've been huge contributors throughout 2025," coach Alex Dickson said.
"They'll be missed."
Meanwhile, Clutha have lost one of their stars, Pene Tevaga, with a broken leg.
However, Clutha do still have winger Junior Samuelu, who scored a brace of tries in the team's 28-25 triumph over West Taieri last weekend, giving him 16 for the season.
Clutha showed great resolve in coming back from 0-10 early and 18-25 with 15 minutes to play to beat West Taieri.
"We dropped too much ball early," coach Ben Keach said.
"We made it hard on ourselves, but their commitment in the final moments was outstanding, if mentally challenging for the coach!"
Keach said Clutha's game was based around ball runners.
"Our aim is to go forward and use our backs".
It is a philosophy not dissimilar to that employed by Upper Clutha, who scored 65 tries in their 14 outings throughout 2025, their solitary loss being under lights to Alexandra.
- By Bob Howitt
