Dismal day for Whanga | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

Both sides were fired up for the last match of the Dean Cup held at the Toko Domain on Sunday. Challengers Whangamomona were determined to take the cup back out to the far East but Strathmore were not about to give them an easy run.

A large crowd gathered to watch the heated game and there was a 'bit of biff' and more than a few words throughout the duration of the game. Strathmore started strongly and kept it up throughout the whole game, maintaining the style that saw them beat Whanga two weeks ago.

A dogged Whanga team had to eventually admit defeat as Strathmore took it to them with vigour and flair, winning the game 32-0.

The cup headed home with the boys in green and white and will no doubt be fiercely contested over the 2007 season when the Whanga boys try to regain some rugby dignity and Toko attempts to get back in the running.

The Dean Cup was originally donated to the community by Mrs Athalinda Dean in 1906, to be played for in an annual cricket match between Whangamomona and Whangamomona Road. However, it was found that the field was so rough it was only suitable for rugby, so in 1907 the cup became a rugby trophy.

The first rugby game was played between Strathmore and Whangamomona in 1907, with Strathmore coming out the winners. Many years ago, the cup was played for by four teams - Whangamomona, Strathmore, Toko and Ohura. In 1914, Ohura pulled out of the contest and since then the remaining three teams have battled every year except the years of the First and Second World Wars and the Depression of the late 1920s.

The Dean Cup is made of solid silver and originally the first try scorer in a game drank from the cup (over a litre of beer). However, over time, the cup was damaged and it was repaired in the 1960s, then it was placed in a clear case. Today, the first try scorer drinks from a yard glass! There are rules surrounding the Dean Cup fixtures and these have remained mostly unchanged. The main rule is eligibility.

There are basically three ways you can play for a team and they are: work in the district for at least three weeks, play for the rugby club in the district, or be from the district or have some sort of family connections. Toko has won the cup 29 times, Strathmore 29 and Whangamomona 11.

Although Ohura only played for a few years, they managed to win the cup seven times. All three Eastern District teams have produced top Taranaki players as well as the occasional New Zealand representative and All Black. They are: Mark Abbott, J K Sullivan, Ray Stafford, Warwick Curtis, Con Coulton, Richie Coles, Alan Jury and Alan Smith.