B’s buzzing, but A team toppled

Leamington senior B half back Todd King braces for impact against Southern United. Photo: Jeremy Smith.

Leamington Rugby Sports Club’s senior B side capped off an undefeated season on Saturday.

Playing at home, Leamington took on Tokoroa’s Southern United in the Division 1 B final and ran away 36-12 winners to be crowned 2023 champions.

The South Waikato was cheering in the other finals match involving Leamington though. The Stags were beaten 24-17 by Putaruru in the Mooloo Shield clash which decided who would meet Melville in a promotion-relegation battle next Saturday.

Putaruru, playing at home, led 17-7 at the break. The South Waikato side lost just once – in the derby against Southern – and clocked up three draws during the season. Two of those were against Leamington, including  a 34-all battle the week before.

On that occasion, Putaruru came back from 34-8 down at half time.

Jeremy Smith was at Leamington to watch the B final.

Leamington Senior B player Neihana McKinnon crashes over for a try in the team’s final against Tokoroa’s Southern United Football Club. Photo: Jeremy Smith.

 

More Recent Sports

Key players out for final

Waikato rugby’s grand final tomorrow has been robbed of seven players who have been “rested” because provincial rugby kicks off next week. Hamilton Marist is set to host Cambridge-based Hautapu at Marist Park with kick…

Hautapu-Marist in shield final

Hamilton Marist will host the Breweries Shield grand final on Saturday against a well-drilled Hautapu. Hautapu will be a force to be reckoned with this weekend after Marist just beat Fraser Tech 21-20 in their…

Historic win for Cambridge kayaker

Cambridge kayaker Nick Collier has become the first New Zealander to win gold at the Junior and Under-23 Canoe Slalom World Championships. “Standing on the podium, hearing the New Zealand national anthem, watching the New…

Olympians take on African roads

When Olympic silver medallist Nicole Shields found a gap in her competition schedule, she saw an opportunity to pursue a long-held dream: a major cycling adventure. Shields, 25, fresh off her podium finish in the…