School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology tauira, Lara Clough (left) played for the Taranaki Touch U21 mixed team at the 2026 touch rugby nationals. She is pictured here with her twin sister Sally (right) who played for the Canterbury team.
When she’s not studying hard at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Lara Clough can be found racing around the rugby pitch.
The third-year pharmacy student makes her busy schedule look like a breeze as she expertly tackles both her pharmacy placements and her intensive rugby and touch rugby training schedules to create what she calls “the perfect balance of working hard and playing hard”.
In February this year, Lara played for the Taranaki Touch U21 mixed team at the touch rugby nationals saying it served as a rewarding but challenging experience for her second year on the team.
“We competed over three days and finished ninth overall which was not the result we had hoped for, especially being involved in several closely contested matches. However, our team was young, so there is plenty of potential going forward as all the players are still eligible to compete in the grade again next year,” Lara says.
Lara has played touch since intermediate school and rugby for the past 16 years to keep her skills up through the winter season, and says the sports are very complimentary.
Currently playing for Alhambra union, she enjoys both the competitive and social aspects of the sports and has represented Canterbury in their U14, U16 and U18 female touch teams.
When Lara moved to Dunedin for university, she wasn’t sure whether she’d have the opportunity to maintain her sports skills, so she feels very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to play for Taranaki for the past two years.
“My family is from Taranaki, so it means a great deal to represent them. This has also allowed me to see my twin sister Sally compete as she plays for the Canterbury touch team.
“Sally’s team was on the other side of the draw for the February competition, so we didn’t get the chance to play against each other there, but it was probably for the best given we’re pretty competitive with each another. Being able to watch my sister play and do so well in the tournament, while I represented a region that was so important to me, was an extra special experience.”
Her childhood interest in sport would lead to an academic interest in health and healthcare, so it was a no-brainer for Lara when she decided to apply for the Health Science First Year programme in 2024.
This experience helped direct her to a career path that was just right for her, as it revealed to Lara that she thrives working in labs but also has a desire to connect with patients directly to support their healthcare journey.
Pharmacy studies offer the perfect balance between these two desires and now, three years into the programme, Lara says she is absolutely loving it.
“I decided to go to the University of Otago straight from high school after spending a week of my summer at Hands-On at Otago doing the Pharmacology and Toxicology course. This experience made Otago feel like my home away from home and solidified my decision to go to Dunedin rather than study in the North Island.
“I’ve found a real passion for community pharmacy as it provides a great way to connect with others and give back to the people of New Zealand who’ve done so much for me.
“So many people across the country have had an impact on my life so it means a lot to be able to give back in some way. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to represent my provinces in both touch and rugby while maintaining my education, and I couldn’t have done it without the support from my family who have always pushed me to be the best version of myself.”
-Kōrero by Kelsey Swart, Division of Health Sciences Communications Adviser
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