1st XV Rugby - Ross Terry Memorial Trophy Match

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Last Saturday, 13 June 2020 on a glorious Dunedin winter day the OBHS 1st XV had their first competitive hit-out post-lockdown against a strong Kaikorai Colts team at Bishopcourt.

Although the match was seen by both sides as important preparation for the upcoming re-start of the rugby season, for most watching it was just great to see the re-emergence of sport. This was also echoed in the sentiments of OBHS 1st XV Assistant Coach Scotty Opetaia post-match “…it was just great to see the entire squad back out on the field showing off their skills and talents - especially the 1st XV debutantes that played today”. 

The match attracted a healthy embankment crowd with a large number of spectators from both clubs. One of the contributing factors for this was that the match doubled also as the Ross Terry Memorial Trophy. Ross played for OBHS and then for Kaikorai when he left school, but unfortunately died on the field during a game between Kaikorai and Brighton in 1971. This was the 50th anniversary of this trophy. 

OBHS held the trophy going into the match however in a seesaw tussle eventually handed the trophy back to Kaikorai in a 17-22 defeat. 

Post-match both teams had a meal in the Kaikorai club rooms where mates of Ross spoke briefly to the teams about their school mate that they still miss 50 years on. Jakob Te Hiwi OBHS 1st XV Captain then formally handed back the trophy to the Kaikorai Colts Captain former OBHS Head Boy (2018) Tim Dippie.