Lochore Cup final shifted

The Mid Canterbury Rugby Union has been forced to move Sunday’s Lochore Cup final game to Methven to make way for Ashburton’s A and P Show.

Ian Patterson, the Mid Canterbury Rugby Union (MCRU) chief executive, said the clash was due to the rugby season finishing later than it once did.

The A and P Show will be held at the Ashburton Showgrounds on Friday and Saturday, but the oval - the Mid Canterbury Hammers’ traditional home ground - will be unavailable due to a threeday showjumping

It isn’t the first time, Mid Canterbury has had to move a Heartland Championship final because the show had to go on.

‘‘In 2009, we played the final up in Christchurch,’’ said Patterson, who said the show had to take priority because ‘‘it’s the main purpose’’ of the show grounds.

‘‘It used to work well for us, but the rugby season is longer now. It’s not the show [organisers’] fault.’’

Patterson said the MCRU had to shift the 2009 Meads Cup final against Wanganui to Christchurch’s Rugby Park because the playing surfaces

competition. at other Mid Canterbury rugby grounds were not up to Heartland Championship standard at that time.

‘‘But the clubs have significantly improved their surfaces since then.

‘‘There are good facilities at Methven and the surface is as good as anything around the Heartland Championship.’’

Mid Canterbury have traditionally had big crowds to title deciders at Ashburton close to 5000 watched their 1998 NPC third division final victory and around 4000 saw the Heartland Championship Meads Cup triumph in 2013.

This is Mid Canterbury’s first Lochore Cup final.