ROUND-UP: Premiers reach another grand final for Waikato Breweries Shield

Hautapu Sports have reached their sixth Waikato Premier Rugby grand final in seven years, 

The Premier A side will meet Hamilton Marist in a repeat of last season’s final, which Hautapu Sports won to lift the Waikato Breweries Shield for the third time in five seasons.

Marist last won the shield in 2015.

Main photo: The Premier A side … aiming for back-to-back shield wins.

The final is expected to be held at Marist Park on Saturday July 20, 2024.

Hautapu reached the shield final with a 27-14 semi-final win against the University of Waikato, a reversal of the result a week before when Varsity won the last round-robin match.

After a tight first half, when the scores were tied 7-7 at the turnaround, Hautapu finished the semi-final strongest, running in 20 second half points.

In the Rowe Cup, Hautapu’s Development squad ended their season with a 54-24 defeat to Hamilton Old Boys in the semi-final played at Fred Jones Park.

The Hautapu Colts hosted the final of the Elliot Shield at Memorial Park, losing to Hamilton Marist 25-15.

Marist took an 8-3 lead into half-time and then held off a strong second half effort by Hautapu to take the shield.

The Elliot Shield final was streamed by Waikato Rugby and a replay of the game can be watched on their Facebook page here >>>>

Photo gallery: Hautapu Colts finish runners-up in 2024 Elliot Shield >>>>

Results

Games played on Saturday July 13, 2024

Semi-final Waikato Breweries Shield

University of Waikato 14
Hautapu Sports 27

Semi-final, Rowe Cup

Hamilton Old Boys 54
Hautapu Sports 24

Final, Elliot Shield

Hautapu Sports 17
Hamilton Marist 25

Hautapu look to add to impressive shield history

Hautapu have an excellent record in the elite Waikato competition, especially since the introduction of play-off games in 1983.

The club has achieved seven shield wins since 1983 when play-off games were introduced.

In the past 25 years, Hautapu has built an admirable record in the competition with:

• Seven wins.
• Three sets of back-to-back wins.
• Nineteen appearances in the semi-finals.
• Eleven grand finals, including this year.

Recent form

Here are the most recent results from the Breweries Shield:

2018: Runners-up to Hamilton Old Boys.

2019: Winners v Fraser Tech (Hautapu unbeaten during the season).

2020: Winners v Otorohanga.

2021: Runners-up to Fraser Tech.

2022: Semi-finalists, losing to Hamilton Old Boys.

2023: Winners v Hamilton Marist

All the Waikato Breweries Shield winners

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