EAGLES COMPLETE CANTERBURY CUP TREBLE

Eastern Eagles have taken out the Canterbury Cup for the third year in a row, outlasting Linwood Keas 32-20 in the CRL Sidekick Chartered Accountants Conference League grand final at Ngā Puna Wai.

The Eagles put one hand on the silverware with a dominant first-half display on CRL Snap Fitness Grand Final Day, leading 20-0 at the change of ends. But the Keas rallied admirably in the second stanza to create a tense finish.

Eastern scored four tries in the first 21 minutes, with centres Jerome Taefu and Henare Nukunuku crossing, before hooker Jordan Wawatai grabbed a double.

Linwood regrouped to stem the flow of points – then made a spectacular start to the second half through unconverted tries to centre Giovanni Manuseuga and second-rower Ezrah Molioo. Taefu responded for Eastern with his second, but the Keas refused to throw in the towel.

Nathan Manuofetoa and Michael Fili dotted down in quick succession to cut the deficit to just six points with eight minutes to go.

The Eagles belatedly sealed their retention of the Canterbury in the dying minutes when fullback Riley Williams went over.

2026 CRL SIDEKICK CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS CONFERENCE LEAGUE CANTERBURY CUP GRAND FINAL – Eastern Eagles 32 (Jordan Wawatai 2, Jerome Taefu 2, Henare Nukunuku, Riley Williams tries; Nukunuku 4 goals) defeated Linwood Keas 20 (Giovanni Manuseuga, Ezrah Molioo, Nathan Manuofetoa, Michael Fili tries; Jackson Foster 2 goals) at Ngā Puna Wai