CRL ROUND 4 CLUB WRAP: KEAS LIFT THACKER SHIELD, GO TOP WITH PANTHERS

Linwood Keas and Hornby Panthers have ascended to familiar positions as CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership co-leaders, while Halswell Hornets’ recovery from a slow start to the campaign also continued with a Round 4 victory.

The Keas lifted the Thacker Shield from Riccarton Knights with a second-half surge, powering to a 34-18 victory at Papanui Domain after leading 16-10 at halftime.

Linwood wingers Julius Mumuta both bagged doubles in the seven-tries-to-four win.

Bouncing back from surrendering the Thacker Shield to the Knights in Round 3, the Panthers held off the plucky Greymouth Greyhounds 22-18 at Leslie Park.

The defending champs eased out to 22-10 after leading by just two points at the break, but the Greyhounds scored back-to-back tries to set up a grandstand finish. Centre Carlos Heather scored two of the Panthers’ five tries on a day where goalkicking proved a bugbear for both teams.

Eastern Eagles remain the only winless team in the competition following a hard-fought 24-16 home loss to the Hornets.

The 2024 grand finalists built a comfortable 14-0 lead early in the second half before the Eagles clicked into gear with three second-half tries, though they never got closer than eight points.

Halswell centre Hayden Thompson and Eastern winger Carlos Te-Rupe Jones both picked up two tries.

Linwood Keas have opened up a three-point lead at the top of the CRL ISC Sports Canterbury Cup, staying unbeaten with a 60-0 rout of Papanui Tigers. Eastern Eagles and Hornby Panthers both picked up wins to retain to move into a share of second place.

In CRL Division One, undefeated sides Celebration Lions and Shirley Hawks both carved out victories in Round 4 to hold onto the top two spots.

CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING AND GAS MEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 4 RESULTS
Eastern Eagles 16-24 Halswell Hornets at Wainoni Park
Riccarton Knights 18-34 Linwood Keas at Papanui Domain
Hornby Panthers 22-18 Greymouth Greyhounds at Leslie Park

CRL ISC SPORTS CANTERBURY CUP – ROUND 4 RESULTS
Eastern Eagles 38-22 Halswell Hornets at Wainoni Park
Papanui Tigers 0-60 Linwood Keas at Papanui Tigers
Hornby Panthers 34-22 Greymouth Greyhounds at Leslie Park

CRL DIVISION ONE – ROUND 4 RESULTS
Riccarton Knights 4-58 Celebration Lions at Papanui Domain
Northern Bulldogs 28-26 Eastern Eagles at Murphy Park
Halswell Hornets 28-34 Shirley Hawks at Halswell Domain
Burnham Chevaliers 22-24 Addington Magpies at Spreydon Domain