Preliminary round finishes tomorrow

IT is the final round of the Speight’s Jug tomorrow.

We know what you are thinking. What is the Speight’s Jug and does it actually count towards anything meaningful?

Well, no. No, it does not count.

Essentially, the first five weeks have been like an extended preseason because the competition points are not carried through.

That said, there is a trophy at stake and some ferociously competitive games have been played.

The format divided the teams into two pools, based on their ranking from last season.

Taieri was joined by Harbour, Kaikorai, AlhambraUnion and ZingariRichmond in one pool and they played crossover games with University, Southern, Dunedin and Green Island.

Kaikorai is undefeated in three games and has an unassailable lead at the top of its pool. It has qualified for the Speight’s Jug final, regardless of the outcome in its game against Green Island at Bishopscourt tomorrow.

Green Island leads the standings in its pool with 15 points and will join Kaikorai in the final, should it win tomorrow.

But a loss will leave the door open for University, which is on 13 points.

It will start as favourite against AlhambraUnion at the University of Otago Oval tomorrow.

It is the first time the Bookworms have played on their home ground since 2019.

In the other games, Dunedin hosts Harbour at Kettle Park and Southern, which upset Taieri last weekend, plays ZingariRichmond at Bathgate Park.

Taieri has a bye. The defending champion has strung backtoback losses together but has done enough to suggest it will be among the frontrunners once the real rugby gets under way.

The Speight’s Jug final will be played when the two finalists meet during the Gallaway Trophy round, so it will either be on July 5, when Kaikorai hosts University at Bishopscourt, or on July 26, when Green Island hosts Kaikorai at Miller Park.

Green Island is also undefeated this season but it had to rally to keep that record alive.

Harbour led 2010 with about 10 minutes remaining. But winger Michael Manson grabbed a fingertip intercept and Isaak Te Hiwi kicked a late penalty to help snatch a draw.

University romped to a 4017 win against ZingariRichmond.

Kaikorai had a bye but has been the form team with maximum points form its three games.