CRL 2024: ROUND 3 CLUB WRAP
Canterbury Rugby League’s second annual Ngā Puna Wai Magic Round delivered three successive absorbing CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership encounters in perfect conditions, with Linwood Keas flexing their attack muscle, Riccarton Knights chalking up their first win of the season and Halswell Hornets staying unbeaten with an impressive derby victory.
It was Greymouth Greyhounds who got Magic Round off to flying start in glorious sunshine in the opening game on Ngā Puna Wai’s No.1 ground, rocking the Keas with early tries to Jordan Campbell and Dean Wisdom.
But the defending champs got on the scoreboard midway through the first half, before adding four tries in a blistering seven-minute burst to head to the sheds with a healthy 28-10 lead – by which stage wily playmaker Daniel Hartley already had a hat-trick.
The Keas turned the screws on the top-grade newcomers with a further five tries, prevailing 52-14 after the Greyhounds grabbed a consolation four-pointer through Jacob Lowe. Hartley added five goals for a 22-point haul.
The Knights’ clash with Eastern Eagles remained in the balance until the last 10 minutes, when a rapid double to centre Tristan Griffith helped seal a 24-14 win.
The Eagles opened the scoring via Carlos Te Rupe Jones’ try, but the Knights opened up a 10-point advantage with three unanswered tries. Uale Peneli ensured a tight finish when he crossed with 20 minutes left before the Knights’ late surge.
The Ngā Puna Wai triple-header concluded with a hotly anticipated westside derby, which Halswell Hornets took out 28-16 over Hornby Panthers on the back of a dominant first-half display.
The Panthers won all four clashes between the neighbouring rivals in 2023, but the Hornets raced out of the blocks with four tries to none for an 18-0 halftime advantage.
Hornby rallied in a seesawing second stanza but never cut the deficit to less than 12 points, ensuring Halswell maintained its place clear at the top of the CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership ladder as the only team with a 3-0 record.
In the ISC Canterbury Cup’s showdown of the only unbeaten teams, Eastern Eagles powered to a 38-18 win over Riccarton Knights on Ngā Puna Wai’s No.2 ground – with front-rower Cameron Tukapua collecting their first and last tries.
Last year’s Premier Reserves champions, Linwood Keas, are still searching for their first win of the campaign after suffering a 42-20 away loss to Papanui Tigers, while Hornby Panthers were too good for Halswell Hornets, winning 36-18 at Leslie Park.
Northern Bulldogs continued their dominant early-season run in Division One with a 60-0 rout of the Knights. Ashburton Barbarians and Shirley Hawks suffered their first losses of 2024 – to Woolston Rams (38-16) and the Hornets (38-36), respectively – and Burnham Chevaliers got off the mark with a convincing 34-14 defeat of Addington Magpies.
CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING AND GAS MEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 3 RESULTS
Linwood Keas 52 (Daniel Hartley 3, Elijah Tuhura 2, Maoluma Sakaria, Uili Uili, Izyah Hesp, Matthew Logopati, Michael Nicholls-Cane tries; Hartley 5, Logopati goals) defeated Greymouth Greyhounds 14 Jordan Campbell, Dean Wisdom, Jacob Lowe tries; Lowe goal) at Ngā Puna Wai
Riccarton Knights 24 (Tristan Griffith 2, Te Morehu Reweti, Arlan Perez, Jamieson Ilalio tries; Reweti 2 goals) defeated Eastern Eagles 14 (Carlos Te Rupe Jones, Uale Peneli, Simon Uliano tries; Henare Nukunuku goal) at Ngā Puna Wai
Halswell Hornets 28 (Joshua Aileone 2, Ken Tofilau, Tahemaka Nui, Ollie Hansen, Antonio Lemalu tries; Cameron-Brody Greig, Jacob Nyman goals) defeated Hornby Panthers 16 (Eti Collins, Christian Fetu, Muipu Nati tries; Tyrone Hill 2 goals) at Ngā Puna Wai
CRL ISC SPORTS CANTERBURY CUP – ROUND 3 RESULTS
Papanui Tigers 42 defeated Linwood Keas 20 at Papanui Domain
Hornby Panthers 36 defeated Halswell Hornets 18 at Leslie Park
Eastern Eagles 38 defeated Riccarton Knights 18 at Ngā Puna Wai
CRL DIVISION ONE – ROUND 3 RESULTS
Halswell Hornets 38 defeated Shirley Hawks 36 at Halswell Domain
Northern Bulldogs 60 defeated Riccarton Knights 0 at Ngā Puna Wai
Burnham Chevaliers 34 defeated Addington Magpies 14 at Spreydon Domain
Woolston Rams 38 defeated Ashburton Barbarians 16 at Robilliard Park
Papanui Tigers BYE
Images credit: Abraham Atherton Photography
