KNIGHTS TRIUMPH IN CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING & GAS PRE-SEASON FINAL

Riccarton Knights have claimed the first piece of Canterbury Rugby League silverware for 2024 courtesy of a 30-22 victory over Halswell Hornets in the inaugural CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Pre-season final.

The Saturday afternoon showdown at Ngā Puna Wai provided plenty of reason for optimism ahead of the CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership for both clubs, but ultimately an excellent platform laid by the Knights’ forwards proved the difference in the decider.

An absorbing first half finished 18-16 in Riccarton’s favour.

Hornets trio Joshua Aileone, Ruepena Fialele and Iraia De Goldi all crossed for tries in the opening 40 minutes, but Blake Thompson, Matariri Halbert-Pere and Te-Morehu Reweti responded for the Knights – with Halbert-Pere landing all three conversions.

Halbert-Pere and Kyle Leka dotted down for the Knights after the break – Halbert-Pere adding another two goals for an 18-point haul – while Marley Mackie-Coffin’s converted try was not enough to rescue the final for the Hornets.

Halswell was coming home with a wet sail, but the sin-binning of Jacob Nyman during the last quarter stymied the Hornets’ late momentum.

The finalists and their top-tier rivals now look ahead to April 6 and the start of the 2024 CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership.

2024 CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING & GAS PRE-SEASON FINAL

Riccarton Knights 30 (Matariri Halbert-Pere 2, Blake Thompson, Te-Morehu Reweti, Kyle Leka tries; Halbert-Pere 5 goals) defeated Riccarton Knights 22 (Joshua Aileone, Ruepena Fialele, Iraia De Goldi, Marley Mackie-Coffin tries; Cameron-Brody Greig 3 goals) at Ngā Puna Wai, Saturday, March 23.