CRL Rd 8 Wrap: Knights, Greyhounds and Eagles grab crucial wins as finals race tightens
Riccarton Knights and Greymouth Greyhounds made important inroads on the Massetti Cup ladder as the race for the finals heats up, while Eastern Eagles consolidated second spot in Round 8 of the CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership. In Round 4 of the CRL Happy Hire Women’s Premiership, last year’s grand finalists both chalked up victories.
The Knights bounced back from a heavy loss in Greymouth last weekend via a 48-26 defeat of Hornby Panthers at Leslie Park, maintaining outright third spot on the table.
The visitors led 24-4 half an hour in, before the Panthers trimmed the gap to 10 points with tries either side of the break. But three unanswered Knights tries effectively put the result beyond doubt with 20 minutes left.
Riccarton loose forward Jamieson Ilalio scored two tries, while halfback Jimmy Wihongi tallied 20 points from a try and eight goals. Kyan Rosie grabbed a double for Hornby.
The Greyhounds solidified Wingham Park’s status as a graveyard for visiting Canterbury teams, joining Halswell Hornets in a share of fourth position by winning the clubs’ crucial encounter 16-12.
The rivals traded tries throughout the first half, which finished with the Hornets 12-10 in front. But a try early in the second stanza from Greyhounds five-eighth Peter Te Rakau would prove the only four-pointer for the remainder of the game – and the match-winner for the home side.
The result was extra special for the Greyhounds, who won the Jolan McLean Memorial Trophy, named in honour of the widely admired West Coast Rugby League servant who passed away in December. Jolan’s son, Cooper, scored the opening try of the match.
The Eagles avenged their Round 1 defeat at Papanui Domain by overwhelming the Tigers 58-24 at on Club Day at Wainoni Park in a seesawing clash.
Eastern scored seven tries in the first half and crossed first after halftime to lead 40-0. Papanui stemmed the tide, however, and produced three unanswered tries.
Centre Jerome Taefu completed his hat-trick as the Eagles regained momentum during the final quarter of a the high-scorer.
Grand final opponents in the past two seasons, Halswell Hornets and Eastern Eagles remain tied for top spot in the CRL Sidekick Chartered Accountancy Canterbury Cup Conference League standings after notching Round 8 wins.
The Hornets outlasted Greymouth Greyhounds 26-14, while the Eagles overwhelmed Papanui Tigers 64-6.
Hornby Panthers moved into outright third with a 42-4 defeat of Riccarton Knights.
Shirley Hawks pulled off the shock result of the weekend by overpowering previously undefeated Northern Bulldogs in Round 7 of CRL Division One.
The Hawks dominated the back end of both halves, scoring the last three tries in each.
Meanwhile, Ashburton Barbarians leapfrogged Halswell Hornets into fourth spot with a 26-22 win at Halswell Domain, and second-placed Linwood Keas beat third-placed Eastern Eagles by the same scoreline at Wainoni Park.
Linwood Keas withstood a second-half comeback from Eastern Eagles to win Sunday’s CRL Happy Hire Women’s Premiership Round 4 encounter 20-16.
Two tries to centre Malaika Lilii-Tiwa helped the Keas to a 20-4 halftime lead. But the gallant Eagles scored the only three tries of the second half to set up a grandstand finish – with goalkicking ultimately proving the difference between the neighbouring teams.
Two-time defending champs Sydenham Swans were comprehensive in a 52-4 victory over Shirley Hawks at Macfarlane Park.
Winger Sammy Spence blazed in for four tries, while Kiisha-Rose Woodhouse and Angelina Tainui picked up doubles in the 12-tries-to-one result.
CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING & GAS MEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 8
Greymouth Greyhounds 16 (Cooper McLean, Jeremiah Lesoa, Peter Te Rakau tries; Mac Gibson 2 goals) defeated Halswell Hornets 12 (Tyler Tapa-Wither, Ollie Hansen tries; Tommy Moriarty 2 goals) at Wingham Park
Riccarton Knights 48 (Jamieson Ilalio 2, Jimmy Wihongi, Blake Thompson, Tristan Griffith, Kolio Vailuu, Jesse Wihongi, Sincere Harraway tries; Jimmy Wihongi 8 goals) defeated Hornby Panthers 26 (Kyan Rosie 2, Blake English, Denis Davey, Toby Gibson tries; Jacob Hayward 2, English goals) at Leslie Park
Eastern Eagles 58 (Jerome Taefu 3, Rawiri Ruri, Harold Kolose, Mita Maamaloa, Devaun Thompson, Dontae Siaki, Henare Kahukiwa, Cyrus Timo-Latu, Amby Palamo Puelga tries; Kahukiwa 6, Klayton Waikato goals) defeated Papanui Tigers 24 (Tehapi Taukiri 2, Puke Vincent, Sione Tafea tries; Vincent 4 goals) at Wainoni Park
CRL SIDEKICK CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY CANTERBURY CUP CONFERENCE LEAGUE – ROUND 8
Halswell Hornets 26 defeated Greymouth Greyhounds 14 at Wingham Park
Hornby Panthers 42 defeated Riccarton Knights 4 at Leslie Park
Eastern Eagles 64 defeated Papanui Tigers 6 at Wainoni Park
CRL DIVISION ONE – ROUND 7
Linwood Keas 26 defeated Eastern Eagles 22 at Wainoni Park
Ashburton Barbarians 26 defeated Halswell Hornets 22 at Halswell Domain
Shirley Hawks 46 defeated Northern Bulldogs 12 at Macfarlane Park
CRL HAPPY HIRE WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 4
Linwood Keas 20 defeated Eastern Eagles 16 at Wainoni Park
Sydenham Swans 52 defeated Shirley Hawks 4 at Macfarlane Park
