CRL 2022 – ROUND 7 WRAP
Eastern Eagles made a huge statement in Round 7 of the CRL Bartercard Men’s Premiership to earn a share of second spot, while Linwood Keas have rounded the Massetti Cup’s halfway marker with a perfect record.
Eastern carved out a 36-28 victory over Halswell at Wainoni Park on the back of an outstanding opening 30 minutes. The Eagles opened up a 22-6 lead after half an hour and appeared to have wrapped up the result at 30-10 with 20 minutes to go after posting the first two tries of the second half.
But the Hornets – who were riding a five-week unbeaten streak since their one-point loss to the Keas in Round 1 – set up a grandstand finish with three unanswered tries, trimming the deficit to just four points.
Eagles halfback Sincere Harraway, the Mel Cooke Trophy winner as he captained Hornby to 2021 Grand Final glory from fullback, sealed the win with a late try, however – his third of the match. Long-serving Hornets centre Nicholas Evans also finished with a hat-trick in the high-scoring thriller.
Linwood withstood Northern’s first-half resistance to power away to a 32-12 home win, improving to 7-0 and completing a cleansweep of their Massetti Cup rivals.
The Bulldogs led 12-6 at Linwood Park before the Keas scored a couple of tries late in the first half to grab the lead. The heavyweights then scored four unanswered tries after the break with wingers Makarini Mohi and Michael Fili, and back-rower Kyle Amer completing doubles.
Riccarton Knights held onto fourth spot on the ladder with a 30-18 defeat of seventh-placed Celebration Lions, keeping their noses in front of the Panthers (who received two points in Round 7 from Papanui Tigers’ default) and Bulldogs.
CRL 2022 BARTERCARD MEN’S PREMIERSHIP RD 7
Linwood Keas 32 (Kyle Amer 2, Michael Fili 2, Makarini Mohi 2, Sakiusa Lomanikaya tries; Daniel Hartley 2 goals) defeated Northern Bulldogs 12 (Riki Koni 2 tries; Nathaniel Tirikatene 2 goals) at Linwood Park
Eastern Eagles 36 (Sincere Harraway 3, Carlos Terupe James, Walter Huata, Leo Petelo, Junior Peneli tries; Henare Nukunuku 4 goals) defeated Halswell Hornets 28 (Nicholas Evans 3, Matthew Black, Iraia De Goldi tries; Jamie Nuttridge 4 goals) at Wainoni Park
Riccarton Knights 30 defeated Celebration Lions 18 at Cuthberts Green
Hornby Panthers WBD-LBD Papanui Tigers
CRL 2022 ISC SPORT CANTERBURY CUP RD 7
Hornby Panthers 22 defeated Linwood Keas 18 at Leslie Park
Eastern Eagles 32 defeated Halswell Hornets 20 at Wainoni Park
Linwood Keas 40 defeated Ashburton Barbarians at Linwood Park
Woolston Rams 28 defeated Burnham Chevaliers 8 at Woolston Park
