Rugby's coveted cup battle on again

Te Awamutu sky-scraper Lucas Quinn secured quality two-handed lineout possession in the Stan Meads Cup final against Hamilton at Albert Park last year. Photo / File

The fifth edition of the Stan Meads Cup will kick off on August 15 when six Waikato and Bay of Plenty sub-union sides, King Country and Thames Valley B, will battle for 2015 season honours.

The Stan Meads Cup is named in honour of one of the most dedicated All Black forwards of the 1960s.

Western Bay of Plenty has returned to the SMC after missing last season. The return of Western Bay has removed the dreaded bye round and gives all sides three rounds of round-robin play before the play-offs.

The competition also sees the Peace Cup, a genuine piece of rugby history, on the line each round with the holder's opponents the challengers.

Te Awamutu has made the Peace Cup their own in the four seasons of the Stan Meads competition. As the last winners of the trophy in the old-time competition, the team brought the Peace Cup into the SMC competition, and have repelled all attempts to wrestle it from their grasp during four seasons of SMC round-robin play.

It will go on the line again in their first SMC encounter on August 15 against King Country B, at the Island Reserve in Otorohanga.

In last year's title decider, Te Awamutu won the Stan Meads Cup for the third time beating Hamilton 34-17.

King Country B won back-to-back Stan Meads plates, when they got past a spirited challenge from Thames Valley B in the SMC curtain-raiser.

The final will take place on September 12.