The Te Awamutu sub-union name will be engraved on the Stan Meads Cup for the fourth time since the SMC competition kicked off in 2011 after the Waikato side won an epic struggle with Piako in the 2015 title decider.
Te Awamutu went into the encounter at Albert Park in Te Awamutu on Saturday as firm favourites and took the game to their opponents from the opening whistle.
At the halftime break, Te Awamutu led 14-3. The defending titleholders appeared to have the game in the bag in the second half, when they stretched their advantage to 24-3.
However, Piako came back with a concerted charge, to put on 17 unanswered points, as the clock ticked down. At the final whistle, Te Awamutu walked off Albert Park with a hard-fought 24-20 victory.
Te Awamutu's latest Stan Meads Cup title has seen the Waikato sub-union side annex four titles in the five seasons of SMC competition, with Eastern Bay of Plenty the only other team to have their name engraved on the SMC trophy. Te Awamutu also locked away the Peace Cup (SMC Challenge Trophy) until 2016.
