Club rugby action aplenty to finish the season – Colts head into Semi Final territory, Division 2 Final takes place and Melville host the promotion / relegation game against surprise package Putaruru for a place in the 2024 first round Premiership. All this plus our Waitomo Group Waikato FPC team play first home match of the 2023 Farah Palmer Cup.

If you hadn’t seen the hype following the recent weekends action Hautapu stormed to victory last weekend over Hamilton Marist in the Waikato Draught Breweries Shield Premiership Final. Racing our to an early lead the home side could not be reigned in in the second fourty taking a well deserved 41-33 win. Read more here

Te Awamutu Sports upset Hamilton Marist in the Premier B final at Marist Park in an extra time thriller winning 30-28. Both sides were locked up 23 all at the 80minute mark, with a further 20minutes needed to decide the outcome. Hamilton Marist had previously beaten Te Awamutu Sports twice in the regular season, but late try and conversion sealed the win for the Waipa based men.

United Matamata Sports won their big Lone Star Championship Final against University in Matamata storming home 44-13 for their first title in recent seasons in front of the packed Bedford Park faithful.

The big result was the continued impressive form of Putaruru in the Mooloo Shield. Hosting Leamington at Nola Block for the third time in 2023 after qualifying top of the table earning hosting rights for the big dance, the home side finally broke the Cambridge men winning 24-17 in the final 10 minutes. The two teams had previously played out two draws in 2023, and a third looked to be on the cards again with extra time looking likely. A try to the home side sent the crowd into raptures, and some quality defense and lineout steals in the dying minutes broke Leamington hearts to consign them to their second consecutive finals defeat.

This Saturday – 22^nd July, it is all on at Collins Road, where Melville will host Putaruru in a one-off promotion/relegation fixture. The winner will compete in the Premiership come 2024, while the loser will play their part in the Division One Competition. Melville are coming off the back of three weeks of no footy with the bye in the last week prior to play-offs while Putaruru are riding the high of winning their first competition in several seasons.

The colts reach knock-out rugby this weekend with the competition splitting into groups of four playing semi-final footy. An upset for Morrinsville last weekend over Hautapu in Cambridge saw Hamilton Marist quality top and will host Hamilton Old Boys in the 1 v 4 semi-final, while Morrinsville travel back for a Cambridge re-match vs Hautapu in the 2 v 3 match up – winners playing for the famous Elliott Shield next weekend.

Championship semi-finals have Hinuera (5) hosting Pirongia (8) at Wealleans Park in Hinuera, while Suburbs (6) host the young men from Hamilton Boys High (7).

In the Plate play-offs Te Awamutu Sports & Thames Valley United have both won by default vs their respective opponents in University (TA Sports) and Leamington (Thames Valley). They will go head to head to head next weekend for that Plate.

Finally, Matamata & Waitete will square off one last time in 2023 for the Bowl Final. That game will be at Bedford Park in Matamata.

All of those Colts play offs are currently scheduled for 1pm Saturday afternoon.

Wrapping up their season is Hamilton Old Boys Guzzlers hosting Hamilton Marist in the Division 2 Final. This game will be hosted at St Andrews Park due to the Hamilton Old Boys fields not been available due to the Fifa World Cup at FMG Stadium Waikato.

Hamilton Marist upset the Guzzlers in 2022 and put a holt to their dominance of the Division 2 competition. The Guzzlers will be determined come Saturday afternoon to right those wrongs of last year and get their hands back on the trophy they have dominated for several consecutive seasons.

Finally, our Waitomo Group Waikato Farah Palmer Cup side square off against old foes Canterbury this weekend in their first home match of the 2023 Farah Palmer Cup. That game is at St Paul’s Collegiate Saturday afternoon, kick off at 2.05pm.

Stay tunned to our social media and website for more information and team naming.

Article added: Thursday 20 July 2023