HORNETS END KEAS’ REIGN IN PRELIMINARY FINAL STUNNER
Halswell Hornets have earned their first grand final berth since 2014 – and for the first time in 10 years the Pat Smith Trophy Challenge will not feature Linwood Keas – after an unforgettable CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership preliminary final on Saturday.
The third-placed Hornets overcame an early 12-point deficit at Linwood Park and withstood a late rally from the home side to close out a 26-18 victory, winning their way through to a showdown with neighbouring archrivals Hornby Panthers on CRL Happy Hire Grand Final Day next Sunday.
The Keas – champions in seven of the past eight seasons – raced to a 12-0 lead through tries to Matthew Logopati and Sakiusa Lomanikaya, but the Hornets fought back to level before halftime as Antonio Lemalu and Ken Tofilau crossed.
Halswell hit the front of the first time 10 minutes after the break with a try Dylan Geddis and went eight points clear as centre Nick Evans powered over.
Linwood set up a grandstand finish with Pui’ai Patu-Vaega’au’s try trimming the gap to just two, but Evans sealed a historic win – and ended the Keas’ record-breaking grand final streak – when he notched his second try in the dying stages.
The Panthers, who interrupted Linwood’s run of premierships in 2021 but lost deciders in 2016-19 and 2022-23, and the Hornets, chasing their first title in a decade, meet in the grand final for the 12th time. The ledger currently stands 7-4 in Hornby’s favour.
Eastern Eagles will receive a CRL ISC Sport Canterbury Cup grand final rematch with their major semi conquerors, Halswell Hornets, after overwhelming Papanui Tigers 28-12 in the Premier Reserves preliminary final.
The Eagles got off to a flyer at Wainoni Park with a Tyrone Stowers try in the opening stage, while Jenyn Kahu scored either side of halftime to put the hosts well in control.
Eastern built a 28-0 lead before Papanui responded with two late tries.
CRL Division One’s standout teams of 2024 will contest the grand final after Northern Bulldogs and Ashburton Barbarians both carved out emphatic semi-final wins on Saturday.
The Bulldogs outlasted Papanui Tigers 30-10 at Murphy Park with Matthew Clough and Nathaniel Tirikatene both scoring doubles.
Nathan Robinson racked up 22 points as the Barbarians blazed to a 60-20 victory over Woolston Rams at Robilliard Park.
Sydenham Swans and Hornby Panthers will square off in the 2024 CRL Bartercard Women’s Premiership grand final following dominant semi-final performances.
The table-topping Swans, runners-up in 2022-23, defeated Burnham Chevaliers 44-14 at Macfarlane Park with Theresa MacPherson scoring an early double and the prolific Kaylee Tavendale chalking up 20 points from two tries and six goals.
The Panthers, premiership newcomers in 2024, overcame two-time defending champs Linwood Keas 26-10. The visitors scored the only three tries of the first half – two of them going to Iokapeta Fetu – and took an unassailable lead in the second stanza with three more tries in a 10-minute burst.
All four grades’ deciders will unfold on CRL Happy Hire Grand Final Day at Ngā Puna Wai next Sunday, August 11th – kick-off times to come.
CRL WHITHEAD PLUMBING & GAS MEN’S PREMIERSHIP – FINALS WEEK 2 RESULTS
Preliminary final: Halswell Hornets 26 defeated Linwood Keas 18 at Linwood Park
CRL ISC SPORT CANTERBURY CUP PREMIER RESERVES – FINALS WEEK 2 RESULTS
Preliminary final: Eastern Eagles 28 defeated Papanui Tigers 12 at Wainoni Park
CRL DIVISOIN ONE – FINALS WEEK 1 RESULTS
Semi-final: Northern Bulldogs 30 defeated Papanui Tigers 10 at Murphy Park
Semi-final: Hornby Panthers 26 defeated Linwood Keas 10 at Linwood Park
Image credit: Abraham Atherton Photography
