CRL ROUND 4 CLUB PREVIEW: THACKER SHIELD GOES ON THE LINE AT PAPANUI DOMAIN

Following the Easter break in competition, the CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership resumes this Saturday with three crunch Round 4 encounters at Wainoni Park, Papanui Domain and Leslie Park.

Riccarton Knights take their huge showdown with Linwood Keas to Papanui Domain – in support of the club’s Premier Reserves affiliate, Papanui Tigers – and will put up the Thacker Shield after lifting it with a 16-14 away win over Hornby Panthers in Round 3.

Both teams are 2-1, with the Keas swamping Eastern Eagles 60-0 in their last outing.

The Eagles are looking to regroup and bank their first win of 2025 as they welcome Halswell Hornets to Wainoni Park.

The Hornets got off the mark in Round 3 with a thrilling late surge to beat Greymouth Greyhounds 32-28.

The Greyhounds make their second straight trip over Arthur’s Pass to face a Panthers side smarting from their defeat to the Knights.

The Panthers and Greyhounds both won their first two games and will be eager to get back into the winner’s circle following their last-start losses.

All three CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership matches kick off at 2.45pm.

The corresponding CRL ISC Canterbury Cup games all kick off at 1pm, including Papanui Tigers clash with undefeated Linwood Keas at Papanui Domain.

In CRL Division One, Riccarton Knights host front-running Celebration Lions at Papanui Domain, Northern Bulldogs take on Eastern Eagles at Murphy Park, Halswell Hornets meet Shirley Hawks at Halswell Domain and Burnham Chevaliers welcome Addington Magpies to Coronation Park. All matches get underway at 1pm.