22-05-2025
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.
