CRL Round 11 Preview: Top-four showdown on the Coast, key home games for Hornets and Knights

With only four rounds of the CRL Whitehead Plumbing and Gas Men’s Premiership remaining, the heat cranks up in Round 11 with Halswell Hornets facing a daunting home assignment, a second-versus-third clash on the West Coast and a vital opportunity for Riccarton Knights to get back in the winner’s circle.

Currently outside the top four on for-and-against the Hornets host unbeaten competition leaders Linwood Keas on Saturday.

The clubs faced off in last year’s major semi but the Hornets fell the full force of the defending champs’ might in a 64-22 loss at Linwood Park earlier this season.

Halswell is coming off a 30-12 loss to Eastern Eagles, while Linwood put Riccarton Knights to the sword 42-8.

The second-placed Eagles – whose only loss in their last eight games was to the Keas – make the trek over to Wingham Park to take on a Greymouth Greyhounds side riding a historic three-match winning streak.

The Greyhounds held on 28-26 in a Leslie Park thriller against Hornby Panthers last weekend.

Eastern took out the teams’ Wainoni Park encounter this season 32-20, but Wingham Park has been a graveyard for visiting sides this year.

The Knights are looking to regroup after losses to the front-running Eagles and Keas in the past fortnight, welcoming Papanui Tigers to Crosbie Park in Round 11.

The Tigers are coming off the bye and aiming to avenge a hard-fought 22-8 home loss to the Knights earlier this season.

All three CRL Whitehead Plumbing and Gas Men’s Premiership fixtures kick off at 2.45pm on Saturday, preceded by the corresponding CRL Sidekick Chartered Accountancy Canterbury Cup Conference League fixtures at 1pm.

The Greyhounds are looking to knock over the ladder-leading Eagles and stay in the hunt for the playoffs, while the winner of the Hornets-Keas clash will finish the weekend in second – or potentially top spot.

The Tigers are still in the final mix and take on the bottom-placed Knights.

CRL Division One co-leaders Northern Bulldogs and Linwood Keas have a five-point break on the pack and are both at home in Round 10.

The Keas welcome fourth-placed Ashburton Barbarians to Linwood Park (1pm kick-off), while the Bulldogs host third-placed Eastern Eagles (2.45pm).

Meanwhile, Shirley Hawks could jump into fourth spot with a home win over Halswell Hornets at Macfarlane Park (1pm).

In CRL Happy Hire Women’s Premiership Round 7 action, Hornby Panthers’ unbeaten record goes on the line at Leslie Park in a huge clash with Linwood Keas.

The Panthers won 22-18 at Linwood Park in Round 2.

Third spot on the ladder is up for grabs when Eastern Eagles host two-time defending champs Sydenham Swans at Wainoni Park.

The Swans were too good at Wainoni Park five weeks ago, prevailing 42-16.

Both CRL Happy Hire Women’s Premiership matches get underway at 1pm on Sunday.

Photo Credit: Abraham Atherton Photography