CRL ROUND 7 CLUB PREVIEW: HORNETS AND KEAS RESUME RIVALRY, WOMEN’S TRIPLE-HEADER AT NGĀ PUNA WAI
The seventh round of the 2025 CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership features three home teams seeking revenge for losses on the road five weeks ago. Meanwhile, all three CRL Bartercard Women’s Premiership fixtures will be held at Ngā Puna Wai on Sunday.
Coming off a rousing 17-10 win over their grand final conquerors, Hornby Panthers, last weekend, Halswell Hornets are looking to make further Masetti Cup inroads when they host competition-leading Linwood Keas.
The Keas came away with a 22-12 victory in the rematch of the 2024 preliminary final combatants in Round 2 at Linwood Park.
Riccarton Knights, meanwhile, will be striving to reverse the result from their 30-16 defeat on an early-season trip to Greymouth.
The Knights gave up a 14-0 lead in a 14-all draw with Eastern Eagles last weekend, while the Greyhounds are coming off three straight gallant away losses to heavyweight trio the Hornets, Panthers and Keas.
After snaring their first competition point of the season via a stunning late comeback at Riccarton last week, the Eagles are searching for their maiden win when the face defending champs the Panthers at Wainoni Park.
The Panthers held on in a 24-20 thriller at Leslie Park against the Eagles in Round 2.
CRL ROUND 6 CLUB WRAP: KEAS TAKE OUTRIGHT LEAD, EAGLES SECURE FIRST POINT IN STUNNING COMEBACK
All CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership matches kick off at 2.45pm, preceded by the corresponding CRL ISC Sports Canterbury Cup fixtures at the same venues at 1pm.
The Keas remain unbeaten in the Premier Reserves competition as they prepare to take on 2024 runners-up the Hornets, while Papanui Tigers face a Greyhounds side searching for their first win at Crosbie Park.
Saturday’s CRL Division One schedule sees Celebration Lions aiming to maintain their perfect record when they host Eastern Eagles at Cuthberts Green (1pm), Burnham Chevaliers hosting Halswell Hornets at Coronation Park (1pm), Shirley Hawks striving to hold onto second spot in a clash with Addington Magpies at Macfarlane Park (1pm) and Riccarton Knights welcoming defending champ Northern Bulldogs to Crosbie Park (1.45pm).
The CRL Bartercard Women’s Premiership kicked off last Sunday after a Round 1 washout, with 2024 big guns Hornby Panthers (36-4 v Eastern Eagles), Linwood Keas (40-20) and Sydenham Swans (60-0 vs Shirley Hawks) all carving out emphatic first-up victories.
This week in a Ngā Puna Wai triple-header, Woolston Rams get their season underway against the Eagles (12.30pm), newcomers the Hawks face a daunting assignment against the Panthers (1.30pm) and 2022-23 grand final adversaries the Keas and Swans lock horns (2.30pm).
