CRL Rd 14 Wrap: Greyhounds snare last finals spot, Keas retain Thacker Shield in stunning regular season conclusion
A thrilling finish to the 2026 CRL Whitehead Plumbing and Gas Men’s Premiership regular season featured two draws – one of which saw Greymouth Greyhounds snatch the last spot in the finals – while Hornby Panthers avoided the wooden spoon with an away victory.
The Greyhounds scored the last two tries of the match to snatch a 22-all result against third-placed Riccarton Knights at Crosbie Park, holding onto fourth spot in the process – one point ahead of Halswell Hornets, who had the final-round bye and a superior for-and-against.
Greymouth led 14-10 at halftime after a double to winger Jeremiah Lesoa. But Riccarton looked to have put paid to the West Coasters’ playoff chances with three unanswered tries after the break, including a second to centre Richard Bidois.
Unconverted tries in the last 20 minutes to Greyhounds winger Cooper McLean and fullback Mac Gibson were enough to erase the deficit and earn an invaluable competition point. The Knights and Greyhounds will face off again next Saturday at the same venue in the elimination semi.
A late flurry from undefeated Linwood Keas sees the Thacker Shield remain at the club for another summer, nabbing a 30-all draw with second-placed Eastern Eagles in a tantalising appetiser of the neighbouring rivals’ major semifinal duel next week.
The Keas had won every game this season by 20-plus points leading into this top-of-the-table clash at Linwood Park, but the Eagles led 18-12 at halftime on the back of an Isaiah Smith double and had pushed out to 30-12 with the first two tries of the second stanza.
But the defending champs rallied with Julius Mumuta and Tyrell Kakoi both scoring their second tries, before Matthew Logopati crossed for the equaliser in the 73rd minute.
Hornby Panthers finished a challenging rebuild campaign on a positive note, leapfrogging Papanui Tigers out of last place via a 32-28 victory in the clubs’ showdown at Papanui Domain.
The Panthers powered to a 28-0 lead with Bono Napata scoring two tries. But the Tigers got on the scoreboard with a try just before halftime and posted the first four of the second half – with Yahwei Te Rangi and Caleb Tauamiti both producing doubles, all in the space of 18 minutes – to close the gap to six points.
Toby Gibson’s try with six minutes left gave the Panthers crucial breathing room before the Tigers scored on the bell.
Both teams finished the season with two wins, but the Panthers built a better points differential.
Linwood Keas overtook Eastern Eagles for top spot in the CRL Sidekick Chartered Accountants Canterbury Cup Conference League at the 11th hour, grafting out an 18-12 victory over the defending champs in their final-round derby.
Halswell Hornets landed third after their bye, while fourth-placed Hornby Panthers thumped Papanui Tigers 46-10 and Riccarton Knights picked up just their second win of the season, 26-18 over Greymouth Greyhounds.
Northern Bulldogs marked their top billing at the end of the CRL Division One regular season with an emphatic 82-22 defeat of Shirley Hawks at Macfarlane Park.
In Saturday’s other fixture, third-placed Eastern Eagles defeated second-placed Linwood Keas 46-24.
Linwood Keas consolidated second spot on the CRL Happy Hire Women’s Premiership ladder with one round remaining, overwhelming Eastern Eagles 60 at Linwood Park on Sunday.
Marilyn-Rose Kolio scored a hat-trick for the Keas.
Meanwhile, defending champs Sydenham Swans moved into outright third via a 52-0 defeat of Shirley Hawks at Macfarlane Park. Janaya Mata grabbed three tries for the Swans and former Kiwi Ferns prop Bunty Kuruwake-Crowe finished with a double.
Competition-leading Hornby Panthers had the bye.
CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING & GAS MEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 14
Riccarton Knights 22 (Richard Bidois 2, Jimmy Wihongi, Jesse Wihongi, Ihaka Abraham tries; Jimmy Wihongi goal) drew with Greymouth Greyhounds 22 (Jeremiah Lesoa 2, Brett Rees, Cooper McLean, Mac Gibson tries; Gibson goal) at Crosbie Park
Hornby Panthers 32 (Bono Napota 2, Johnny Joshua Fine, Blake English, James Kerapa, Toby Gibson tries; English 4 goals) defeated Papanui Tigers 28 (Yahwei Te Rangi 2, Caleb Tauamiti 2, Micheal Naylor, Ngakita Anderson tries; Naylor 2 goals) at Papanui Domain
Linwood Keas 30 (Julius Mumuta 2, Tyrell Kakoi 2, Matthew Logopati tries; Thomas Ruwhiu 5 goals) drew with Eastern Eagles 30 (Isaiah Smith 2, Mita Maamaloa, Klayton Waikato, Leo Petelo tries; Waikato 5 goals) at Linwood Park
CRL SIDEKICK CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY CANTERBURY CUP CONFERENCE LEAGUE – ROUND 14
Riccarton Knights 26 defeated Greymouth Greyhounds 18 at Crosbie Park
Hornby Panthers 46 defeated Papanui Tigers 10 at Papanui Domain
Linwood Keas 18 defeated Eastern Eagles 12 at Linwood Park
CRL DIVISION ONE – ROUND 12
Eastern Eagles 46 defeated Linwood Keas 24 at Linwood Park
Northern Bulldogs 82 defeated Shirley Hawks 22 at Macfarlane Park
CRL HAPPY HIRE WOMEN’S PREMIERSIHP – ROUND 9
Linwood Keas 60 defeated Eastern Eagles 0 Linwood Park
Sydenham Swans 52 defeated Shirley Hawks 0 at Macfarlane Park
