Canterbury rugby league: Emotional and tense round

By Will Evans

Northern Bulldogs paid tribute to club stalwart Glenn Scott on a memorable and emotional afternoon at Murphy Park during round 3 of the ISC Canterbury Cup and Bartercard NZ CRL Men’s Premiership.

Burnham Chevaliers and Riccarton Knights graciously moved their home fixtures against Northern to Kaiapoi, allowing the Bulldogs to honour ex-player, former president and Life Member ‘Scotty’, who passed away last week after a brave battle with illness.

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Northern players in both grades wore black armbands, while the respective teams linked arms for a moment’s silence before each game.

The Bulldogs’ premier reserves team piled on 13 tries – including a hat-trick to veteran forward Ross Turi – in a 68-4 defeat of the Chevaliers.

A bumper crowd witnessed a Massetti Cup thriller, with Riccarton chalking up its first victory of the season, 16-14. The Knights led 16-10 at halftime and hung on in tense second stanza.

Fullback Keeghan Woolley’s second try with 10 minutes remaining cut the deficit to two points, but Bulldogs halfback Josh Endacott was unable to level the scores from the sideline.

Meanwhile, perennial heavyweights Linwood Keas and Hornby Panthers find themselves in the familiar territory of being the only unbeaten teams after three rounds of the Bartercard NZ CRL Men’s Premiership – but only after withstanding fierce challenges on Saturday.

The Keas led Papanui Tigers just 16-10 at halftime, before clicking into gear and running out 34-16 winners.

Fullback Ketesemanu Pouli and centre Penitito Ilalio both finished with doubles for the five-time champs.

Hornby was on course for a big win over previously unbeaten Celebration, powering out to a 16-0 advantage at the break.

But the Panthers only escaped with a 22-20 victory at Leslie Park as the surprise-packet Lions came home with a wet sail.

Halswell Hornets seemed set for a tough arm-wrestle at home against Eastern Eagles, ahead just 14-10 at halftime.

But the Hornets snared their second win of the campaign 36-10 after running in four tries to none in the second half.

BARTERCARD NZ CRL MEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 3 RESULTS

• Riccarton Knights 16 (Byron Robertson, Jahrome Clarke, Justin Lynch tries; Matariri Halpert-Pere 2 goals) defeated Riccarton Knights 14 (Keeghan Woolley 2, Ethan Plaskett tries; Josh Endacott goal) at Murphy Park.
• Linwood Keas 34 (Ketesemanu Pouli 2, Penitito Ilalio 2, Phil Wahnig, Graeme Patu-Vaega’au tries; Kyle Amer 4, Ilalio goals) defeated Papanui Tigers 16 (Jamie Nicholas, Roger Tafua, Kasiano Petelo tries; Hayden Thompson, Nicholas goals) at Papanui Domain.
• Halswell Hornets 36 (Ken Tofilau, Thomas Campbell, Caleb Scott, Matt Black, Callum Donaldson, Tahemaka Nu tries; Jamie Nuttridge 6 goals) defeated Eastern Eagles 10 (Simi Petelo, Daniel Hartley tries; Hartley goal) at Halswell Domain.
• Hornby Panthers 22 (Charlie Charlie, Eti Collins, Jordan Campbell, Devaun Thompson tries; Sincere Harraway 3 goals) defeated Celebration Lions 20 (Faafetai Tuuu, Kalolo Tuuu, Taneila Leka tries; Leka 2 goals) at Leslie Par.

ISC CRL CANTERBURY CUP PREMIER RESERVES – ROUND 3 RESULTS

• Halswell Hornets 54 defeated Eastern Eagles 12 at Halswell Domain.
• Shirley Hawks 38 defeated Hornby Panthers 20 at Leslie Park.
• Northern Bulldogs 68 defeated Burnham Chevaliers 4 at Murphy Park.
• Marist-Papanui 40 defeated Woolston Rams 16 at Woolston Park.
• Linwood Keas 20-0 Ashburton Barbarians.