2 days ago
Commemorative shield to make debut
Pip Jones, 56, holds up the new shield which bears the name of her father, Otago rugby great Tuppy Diack, who died recently. The shield is made from the wood of a fallen totara estimated to be about 1000 years old. Photos: Peter McIntosh
What better way to recognise a fallen totara than by putting his name on a fallen totara.
The Tuppy Diack Shield will make its debut this season.
It is a new competition that bears the name of Otago rugby great Tuppy Diack, who died in Dunedin last month.
It will be played for by Southland Country, Southland Metro, Otago Country and two Dunedin metro teams — a north team made up of Alhambra-Union, University, Harbour, Kaikoria and Taieri and a south team made up of Zingari-Richmond, Southern, Dunedin and Green Island.
It is a straight round-robin that will be attached to the end of the club rugby season.
The opening round is on August 2.
Otago Rugby Football Union game development manager Michael Smith said it was a great shame Mr Diack had died before he got to see the competition in action.
However, Mr Diack had been aware of the concept and was very pleased to put his name to it.
The wood the shield is made from is from a fallen totara tree in the Catlins area and was carved by Patrick Bowden and members of the South Otago Turners Club.
The reverse of the shield.
The tree is understood to have been about 1000 years old.
"It's a great bit of wood," Mr Smith said.
"We've put Tuppy's photo on the front of it, and a story about him on the back as well.
"It looks great. It was unfortunate that Tuppy passed away [before he got to see it]."
Mr Smith said the new competition was a way to bridge the gap between club and provincial rugby, as well as offer the players who miss out on representative opportunities something else to aim for.
It was also a good way for players from the country to get noticed.
At the end of the tournament, an Otago B and Southland B team will be selected to play in a triangular tournament that will include a Canterbury team.
Mr Diack was born in Invercargill and went to school in Gore. He played seven games for Southland and 101 games for Otago.
He was the pin-up boy of Otago rugby in the 1950s and early 1960s and played one test for the All Blacks against the British Lions at Athletic Park in 1959.
Mr Diack was a life member of both the Otago University Rugby Club and the Otago Rugby Football Union.
