FLASHBACK FRIDAY: PANTHERS HALT KEAS’ STREAK TO BOOK FIRST SPOT IN 2017 GF

Ahead of yet another high-stakes showdown between Linwood Keas and Hornby Panthers in Saturday’s CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership major semi-final, Flashback Friday relives a classic playoffs encounter from the relatively early stages of the heavyweights’ epic modern rivalry.

The Panthers built their 2017 campaign on blistering attack, but it was their best defensive effort of the season that underpinned a 22-14 victory over the table-topping Keas – who had not lost since Round 1 – at Murphy Park in Kaiapoi to book the first spot in the Canterbury Rugby League grand final.

The Panthers led 12-4 at halftime and repelled the defending champs’ comeback bid courtesy of some outstanding goal-line resistance in the second stanza.

The Panthers raced to an early 12-0 advantage via two flashes of brilliance from fullback Dene Grace, who broke the Keas’ line to set up wonderful tries for five-eighth Sean Spooner and winger Christian Eric.

A pair of tries either side of the break to diminutive Linwood winger Ben McIvor trimmed the deficit to four points, before veteran hooker Corey Lawrie responded from close range for the Panthers.

Keas skipper Alex Todd pounced on a grubber to set up an 18-14 scoreline, but a barnstorming solo try to Panthers wing powerhouse Tauvale Tauvale restored the eight-point lead and their commitment on the other side of the ball closed out the result.

Five-eighth Toi Sepuloni was superb for the Keas, but a superior performance from the Panthers’ forward pack ended their archrivals’ 13-match winning streak.

“The boys put a lot of work in to prepare for Linwood and they turned up with a massive defensive effort today,” Panthers coach Jed Lawrie said post-match.

“We had a few guys out on their feet and they just kept turning up. You can’t ask for anything more than that.”

The Keas would bounce back with a victory of Papanui Tigers in the following week’s preliminary final – overturning an early 10-0 deficit to win 30-24 – before coming from behind again in an epic decider to beat the Panthers 34-20 at Linfield Park and life the Pat Smith Trophy for the second straight year.

2017 – CRL Men’s Premiership Major Semi-final

Hornby Panthers 22 (Sean Spooner, Christian Eric, Corey Lawrie, Tauvale Tauvale tries; James Baxendale 3 goals) defeated Linwood Keas 14 (Ben McIvor 2, Alex Todd tries; Toi Sepuloni goal).