CRL ROUND 3 WRAP
The Massetti Cup provided three days of high-quality Eastern action in Round 3, with Riccarton, Hornby and Northern each chalking up important wins.
Riccarton Knights got off the mark for 2019 with a convincing 30-18 win over Halswell Hornets in a rare Thursday night fixture at Crosbie Park.
The Knights led 16-4 at halftime and went on with the job, with Zion Kamana scoring a pair of second-half tries. Jope Finau bagged a double after the break for the Hornets.
Riccarton’s Canterbury Cup side doubled up on Halswell with a 24-18 win on Saturday.
Hornby Panthers made a big statement in their first heavyweight duel of 2019 with Linwood Keas, carving out a 20-12 victory at Linwood Park on Friday afternoon.
Runners-up to the Keas in the past three grand finals, the Panthers surged to a 14-0 halftime lead through tries to fullback Tauvale Tauvale and Willie Tafua. Winger Phillip Vaifale’s try after the break put the visitors up by 20, before the Keas closed the gap with touchdowns to Ben Ilalio and Phil Wahnig.
The result leaves Hornby as the only unbeaten team in the Massetti Cup – and denied Linwood a Good Friday triple-header cleansweep in front of their home fans. The Keas racked up a 48-16 win over the Panthers in the Women’s Premiership, while their Canterbury Cup team prevailed 32-22 against their Hornby counterparts.
Northern Bulldogs made it two wins in a row with a come-from-behind victory over previously undefeated Eastern Eagles at Murphy Park.
The Eagles led 12-10 at halftime, but the Bulldogs scored three unanswered tries in the second stanza to run out impressive 28-14 winners. Michael Butson marked his belated return to the Bulldogs’ premiers line-up with a try in the uncustomary fullback role, while fellow Rockcote Canterbury Bulls rep Vinnie Paul also crossed.
The result capped a big day at Kaiapoi for the Bulldogs after their Canterbury Cup outfit edged the Eagles 22-20.
The Celebration-Papanui Round 3 encounter has been deferred to the May 4 bye weekend. But the Lions racked up a resounding 44-8 Canterbury Cup win over the Tigers.
In Division One action, Ashburton Barbarians torched Halswell Hornets 66-18 on Friday afternoon. Marist Saints downed defending champs Burnham Chevaliers 38-24 to take possession of top spot on the ladder on Saturday, while Woolston Rams held off Shirley Hawks 46-40.
⚫️?CRL MASSETTI CUP MEN’S PREMIERS ROUND 3
?Riccarton Knights 30-18 Halswell Hornets
?Hornby Panthers 20-12 Linwood Keas
?Northern Bulldogs 28-14 Eastern Eagles
Table: Hornby Panthers 6 (+44), Linwood Keas 4 (+32), Northern Bulldogs 4 (+24), Eastern Eagles 4 (+20), Papanui Tigers 2 (-10)*, Riccarton Knights 2 (-16), Celebration Lions 0 (-28)*, Halswell Hornets 0 (-56)
*One game in hand
⚫️?CRL CANTERBURY CUP MEN’S PREMIER RESERVES ROUND 3
?Linwood Keas 32-22 Hornby Panthers
?Riccarton Knights 24-18 Halswell Hornets
?Northern Bulldogs 22-20 Eastern Eagles
?Celebration Lions 44-8 Papanui Tigers
Table: Shirley Hawks 6, Linwood Keas 6, Hornby Panthers 4, Celebration Lions 4, Halswell Hornets 4, Eastern Eagles 2, Riccarton Knights 2, Papanui Tigers 0
⚫️?CRL DIVISION ONE ROUND 3
?Ashburton Barbarians 66-18 Halswell Hornets
?Marist Saints 38-24 Burnham Chevaliers
?Woolston Rams 46-40 Shirley Hawks
Table: Marist Saints 6, Burnham Chevaliers 4, Ashburton Barbarians 4, Halswell Hornets 2, Woolston Rams 2, Shirley 0
⚫️?CRL WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP ROUND 2
?Linwood Keas 48-16 Hornby Panthers
Further Round 2 results and standings to come
Photo Credit: Dai Roberts
