CRL Rd 4 Wrap: Linwood stays unbeaten in men’s comp, Hornby women produce huge first-up result
Linwood Keas made an emphatic statement, Eastern Eagles continued their roll and Riccarton Knights got back in the CRL Whitehead Plumbing and Gas Men’s Premiership winner’s circle in Round 4. Meanwhile, Hornby Panthers rolled the defending champs to kick off the 2026 CRL Happy Hire Women’s Premiership’s opening round in style.
The Keas maintained their undefeated Massetti Cup run with a 64-22 victory over Halswell Hornets at Linwood Park.
The reigning premiers romped to a 38-6 halftime lead with winger Alofa Faaiva bagging an early double. Centre Elisara Vaifale crossed for his second try after the break, while Ezekiel Ieti came off the bench to grab a second-half brace.
The Hornets stemmed the flood of points against them to post the last two tries of the match.
The Eagles scored three tries to two in each half to see off Greymouth Greyhounds at Wainoni Park. Klayton Waikato and Hoani Stewart got the hosts off to a flyer with tries in the first 15 minutes, but the Greyhounds pegged the deficit back to six points by halftime.
Back-to-back tries to winger Cooper McLean midway through the second half saw Greymouth trail just 22-20, before D’Angelo Tauti and Harold Kolose responded for Eastern in a strong finish.
The Knights overturned a halftime deficit to outlast Papanui Tigers 22-8 in a vital away win. After Ihaka Abraham opened the scoring for Riccarton at Papanui Domain, the home side struck back through tries to Yahwei Te Rangi and Ken Tofilau to lead 8-6.
But the Knights scored the only three tries of the second stanza – to Luicano Felise, Gaius Reweti and Tama-Te-Rangi Whatuira – to bank their second win of the CRL Whitehead Plumbing and Gas Men’s Premiership season.
The three CRL Sidekick Chartered Accountancy Canterbury Cup Conference League results set the tone for the top-grade fixtures that followed.
The Keas created a three-way tie at the top of the table via a 28-16 win over the previously unbeaten Hornets, with two-time defending champs the Eagles joining them courtesy of a 64-4 defeat of the Greyhounds – featuring a four-try haul from Jed Bunn.
The Knights’ Premier Reserves team got off the mark for 2026 with a 34-20 win over the Tigers.
In CRL Division One, Northern Bulldogs improved to a 4-0 record thanks to a 36-14 win over Ashburton Barbarians at Murphy Park as veteran captain Cameron Godfrey scored a try in each half.
The Keas accounted for the Hornets 40-18 – with Warriors SG Ball star Lennox Tuiloma scoring two tries and John Kaukura collecting a second-half hat-trick – and the Eagles reeled in a halftime deficit to beat Shirley Hawks 30-26.
Hornby Panthers made a stunning start to the CRL Happy Hire Women’s Premiership, overwhelming 2024-25 grand final winners Sydenham Swans 32-12 in Round 1.
The Panthers trailed 12-10 at Bradford Park after the Swans posted the first try of the second half, but the visitors ran in four unanswered tries to carve out a convincing victory.
Eastern Eagles powered to a 66-6 defeat of Shirley Hawks to signal their 2026 intentions. Centre Theresa MacPherson had a hat-trick inside 20 minutes, while the experienced Bayli Rapira slotted nine goals.
CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING & GAS MEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 4 RESULTS
Linwood Keas 64 (Elisara Vaifale 2, Alofa Faaiva 2, Ezekiel Ieti 2, Malyche Tafili, George Faaiva, Montgomery Tafili, Ketesemano Pouli, Puia’i Graeme Patu-Vaega’au, Julius Mumuta tries; Malyche Tafili 6, Thomas Ruwhiu 2 goals) defeated Halswell Hornets 22 (Jahrean Katene, Hayden Thompson, Asomau Ausage, Tommy Moriarty tries; Moriarty 3 goals) at Linwood Park
Eastern Eagles 32 (Klayton Waikato, Hoani Stewart, Dontae Siaki, Leo Petelo, D’Angelo Taui, Harold Kolose tries; Henare Kahukiwa 4 goals) defeated Greymouth Greyhounds 20 (Cooper McLean 2, Liam Donaldson, Brett Rees tries; Mac Gibson 2 goals) at Wainoni Park
Riccarton Knights 22 (Ihaka Abraham, Luciano Felise, Gaius Reweti, Tama-Te-Rangi Whatuira tries; Jimmy Wihongi 3 goals) defeated Papanui Tigers 8 (Yahwei Te Rangi, Ken Tofilau tries) at Papanui Domain
CRL SIDEKICK CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY CANTERBURY CUP CONFERENCE LEAGUE – ROUND 4 RESULTS
Linwood Keas 28 defeated Halswell Hornets 16 at Linwood Park
Eastern Eagles 64 defeated Greymouth Greyhounds 4 at Wainoni Park
Riccarton Knights 34 defeated Papanui Tigers 20 at Papanui Domain
CRL DIVISION ONE – ROUND 4 RESULTS
Linwood Keas 40 defeated Halswell Hornets 18 at Linwood Park
Eastern Eagles 30 defeated Shirley Hawks 26 at Wainoni Park
Northern Bulldogs 36 defeated Ashburton Barbarians 14 at Murphy Park
CRL HAPPY HIRE WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 1 RESULTS
Hornby Panthers 32 defeated Sydenham Swans 12 at Bradford Park
Eastern Eagles 66 defeated Shirley Hawks 6 at Wainoni Park
Photo credit: Abraham Atherton Photography
