CRL FINALS WEEK 1 CLUB WRAP: KEAS INTO GF, KNIGHTS CONQUER IN DO-OR-DIE CLASH

Linwood Keas are through to their 10th Pat Smith Trophy Challenge grand final in 11 seasons, while Riccarton Knights stayed alive in the title hunt after a pair of convincing CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership finals results on Saturday.

The Massetti Cup-winning Keas earned the first CRL Happy Hire Grand Final Day spot via an emphatic 30-4 qualifying final victory over second-placed Halswell Hornets at Linwood Park.

Setting about avenging their preliminary final loss to the Hornets at home last year, the Keas built a 12-0 halftime lead through tries to winger Elisara Vaifale and fullback Thomas Ruwhiu.

Ruwhiu grabbed his second try to open the scoring after the break and Linwood’s other winger, Alofa Faaiva, completed an eight-minute double to put the match out of reach for Halswell. Keas second-rower Sakiusa Lomanikaya put an exclamation mark on a dominant performance with the hosts’ sixth try, before Hornets fullback Ollie Hansen crossed for a consolation four-pointer inside the last 10 minutes.

The Knights progressed to the preliminary final by outlasting CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership finals debutants Greymouth Greyhounds 18-4 in the elimination final at Crosbie Park.

A first-half arm-wrestle featured just one try, with Riccarton loose forward Jamieson Ilalio crossing at the half-hour mark.

The Knights struck early in the second half through goalkicking winger Matariri Halbert-Pere’s try, but the game was not decided until centre Richard Bidois went over in the latter stages. Five-eighth Jorden Forsyth’s try belatedly put the Greyhounds on the board in the dying minutes.

The Hornets get a second chance in next weekend’s preliminary final when they host the Knights, who are striving for their first grand final appearance since 2004.

Eastern Eagles will defend their CRL ISC Sports Canterbury Cup title on CRL Happy Hire Grand Final Day after defeating table-topping Linwood Keas 18-12.

The Keas led 12-0 after 30 minutes but were held scoreless thereafter, with halfback Kolone Faalilo levelling up the scores with a try either side of halftime and Leo Petelo putting the Eagles in front for the first time in the 58th minute.

Linwood will back up for the preliminary final against Halswell Hornets, who powered to a 32-14 elimination victory over Hornby Panthers.

The Hornets trailed 6-0 early and 14-12 with 20 minutes to go before piling on four unanswered tries.

Celebrations Lions completed an undefeated CRL Division One home-and-away campaign with a 50-26 defeat of Burnham Chevaliers in the final round. The result saw the Lions finish the regular season 13-0 with a whopping +424 points differential.

They will host a semi-final next week against fourth-placed Eastern Eagles, who overwhelmed Burnham Chevaliers 42-28.

Meanwhile, third-placed Northern Bulldogs earned a potentially crucial psychological edge with a 20-16 victory over second-placed Shirley Hawks at Murphy Park. The teams will square off again at Macfarlane Park in Saturday’s other semi.

Addington Magpies finished off their season with a 32-16 win against Riccarton Knights at Spreydon Domain.

Top-of-the-table Linwood Keas, second-placed 2024 runners-up Hornby Panthers and third-placed defending champs Sydenham Swans all flexed their muscle on the eve of the CRL Bartercard Women’s Premiership playoffs with big final-round wins.

The Keas overwhelmed Shirley Hawks 60-0 with Mona Lisa Siataga scoring a first-half hat-trick, Celine Russell scored three tries in the Panthers’ 48-8 defeat of Woolston Rams and former Warriors NRLW playmaker Charntay Poko grabbed a double in the Swans’ 44-8 victory over Eastern Eagles.

The Keas host the fourth-placed Rams and the Panthers are at home to the Swans in next week’s semi-finals.

CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING & GAS MEN’S PREMIERSHIP – FINALS WEEK 1 RESULTS

Linwood Keas 30 defeated Halswell Hornets 4 at Linwood Park
Riccarton Knights 18 defeated Greymouth Greyhounds 4 at Crosbie Park

CRL ISC SPORTS CANTERBURY CUP PREMIER RESERVES – FINALS WEEK 1 RESULTS

Eastern Eagles 18 defeated Linwood Keas 12 at Linwood Park
Halswell Hornets 32 defeated Hornby Panthers 14 at Halswell Domain

CRL DIVISION ONE – ROUND 14 RESULTS

Northern Bulldogs 20 defeated Shirley Hawks 16 at Murphy Park
Celebration Lions 50 defeated Burnham Chevaliers 26 at Cuthberts Green
Eastern Eagles 42 defeated Halswell Hornets 28 at Halswell Domain
Addington Magpies 32 defeated Riccarton Knights 16 at Coronation Park

CRL BARTERCARD WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 10 RESULTS

Linwood Keas 60 defeated Shirley Hawks 0 at Macfarlane Park
Hornby Panthers 48 defeated Woolston Rams 8 at Woolston Park
Sydenham Swans 44 defeated Eastern Eagles 8 at Wainoni Park

Photo credit: Abraham Atherton Photography