Nathan Hull is expected to lead John McGlashan College to a win in the inaugural Tom Casey Memorial Challenge Cup match against Kavanagh College at Kettle Park today.
Tom Casey, a rugby enthusiast, had a brilliant record when he coached the Kavanagh College First XV from 1993-98. The school won the banner in 1995.
Casey had a passion for rugby and was always an inspiration for the team. He relished the McGlashan game the most and always had the boys fired up for the battle.
"Old boys from both schools knew Tom and will attest to his passion for the game," the Kavanagh coach Tim Oliver said.
"Tom died at the start of this year and his family has donated the cup in his memory."
The cup is at stake every time the teams play but only the winner of the final game of the year gets the school name engraved on the cup.
The game is part of the Highlanders First XV competition. John McGlashan is in sixth-equal spot with 19 points and Kavanagh College is eleventh on nine points.
The points table after nine games is: Southland Boys' 41, Otago Boys' 38, King's 37, Gore 34, Dunstan 22, Waitaki Boys' 19, John McGlashan 19, Verdon 18, Kavanagh College 9, Central Southland College 12, South Otago 10, Kavanagh College 9, St Kevin's 5.
There is also a new cup at stake for the top of the table clash between Otago Boys' and King's at Carisbrook.
The game has been played since 1938 but there has never been a trophy at stake before.
At an Otago Boys' High School 1959 class Old Boys' reunion last year it was decided to introduce the trophy naming it the Harley-Taylor Trophy in recognition of the competition and camaraderie which came from Don Harley (Otago Boys') and Evan "Bugs" Taylor (King's). They both went on to represent Otago.
The strong Otago Boys' team should be too strong for King's today and is expected to win comfortably.
Former Dunedin premier fullback Daniel Soper is coach of the Ballyclare school team from Ireland that will play Kavanagh College in Dunedin on Saturday and Dunstan High School in Alexandra on Wednesday.
Otago Boys' plays King's at Carisbrook at 1pm and John McGlashan will be pitted against Kavanagh College at Kettle Park at 2.30pm today.
