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Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Top four set to face off
Things are starting to heat up in the Citizens Shield. There are likely to be some red-hot clashes tomorrow as teams return to the park after having last week off for King's Birthday. With three round-robin games remaining in North Otago, it is almost safe to say the top four are locked in. Athletic Marist, Valley, Excelsior and Old Boys have held those spots for much of the season — but the final standings from the quartet is anyone's guess. They have all held the top spot at some stage and there has been a lot of shuffling up and down the ladder in recent weeks. Kurow are still an outside chance to make the top four, but they would need three bonus-point wins and other results to go their way to sneak into the playoffs. Athies are at the top of the table with 28 points from their five wins and two losses, and eight bonus points. Valley are close behind on 27 points from their six wins and just one loss, and three bonus points. Blues, the defending champions, are now third on 25 points with a record of five wins, two losses, and five bonus points. Old Boys hold on to fourth spot with 22 points with four wins, three losses and six bonus points. The top four all face each other tomorrow, which is sure to add another raft of changes to the standings. Blues are home to Athies in round two of the battle of the carpark. Athies ran away with a 36-20 win last time against the defending champions. Old Boys host Valley in another intriguing clash. Valley secured a 26-24 victory in round one and the team from Weston continue to improve. They have won their past five games and only recorded one loss back in week two. Kurow are fifth on the table with eight points from their one win and six losses and four bonus points. Maheno, who have been hampered by injuries all season, are winless after seven games, but have five bonus points. They could be in for a humdinger of a game in Maheno tomorrow. Kurow got home with a 42-40 win in round one and the Red Devils nearly beat Old Boys in their last
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Excelsior snatch lead, but table tight
Excelsior flanker Oli Knopp makes a break up the park in their victory against Kurow last weekend. PHOTO: YAMMIE MCKENZIE PHOTOGRAPHY There has been yet another reshuffle of the Citizens Shield standings after a big weekend. Defending champions Excelsior have jumped back to the top of the competition after a commanding 59-19 win against Kurow last week. That victory put Blues on 24 points — having won five of their six games — to hold an outright lead, at least for now. Athletic Marist and Valley are hot on their heels though, with both sitting on 23 points. Athies snatched second spot with four wins, and two losses — both have been to Valley, and had fewer than three points in them — but the Oamaru club has seven bonus points to hold the edge. Valley, who clinched a nail-biting 32-31 win against Athies last week, are third with their five wins from six games and three bonus points. Old Boys had the week off last week after Maheno were forced to default after a horror run of injuries. The green machine had been forced to play with 14 players for the two weeks prior. That gave Old Boys their third win of the season to sit in fourth spot on 17 points. With just the five round-robin games left, it is safe to assume that will be the top four for the season. Kurow and Maheno have put up some big fights this year and played some good rugby as well. The Red Devils notched one win against Maheno, but have pushed other teams and made it tough to get past them. Maheno, too, have stuck with teams well until their opposition have unloaded their bench. They have collected four bonus points. Valley against Blues shapes as the game of the round tomorrow in a repeat of last year's final. The two have had some great battles in recent seasons, and Blues have already had a 28-16 win in the opening round. Both teams have developed since then, and it could be a close encounter out in Weston. Athies are home to Maheno, while Kurow host Old Boys up the Waitaki Valley.
