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Home / Whanganui Chronicle / Sport

Rugby league: Boxon hold off Warriors to take first premier title

By Jared Smith
Whanganui Chronicle·
20 Jun, 2016 10:24 PM3 mins to read

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FIVE YEARS COMING: Whanganui Boxon with their Manawatu Rugby League Premier trophy after beating the Kia Ora Warriors in Palmerston North on Saturday.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

FIVE YEARS COMING: Whanganui Boxon with their Manawatu Rugby League Premier trophy after beating the Kia Ora Warriors in Palmerston North on Saturday.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

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It was not the opposition they were expecting, but Whanganui Boxon only had their eyes on history as they clinched the Manawatu Rugby League Premier title with a 32-12 win over the underdog Kia Ora Warriors at a wet Fitzherbert Park on Saturday.

As well as the first premier title for the Boxon club since they were founded five years ago, it also the first time a Whanganui-affiliated team has won the Manawatu league since 1989.

Kia Ora were not expected to be the finalists, but shocked heavy favourites the Linton Cobras 26-24 in the semis.

The Cobras had defeated Whanganui Boxon twice in the round robin.

But they could not repeat the heroics for a second week in a row as Boxon, who pumped Ohakea Magpies 76-14 in the other semifinal, took a 16-0 lead into halftime.

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Club chairman Craig Campbell said the Warriors came back at them, but Boxon made some key substitutions in the fourth quarter and put the game away with three more tries.

"They scored straight after halftime " that put the wind up the boys. We were getting penalised left, right and centre."

Reserve prop Tui Reweti was one of those to lead the charge when he came on, as Boxon having good overall squad depth this year has been a key factor in their success.

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Haze Reweti kicked well and was another tryscorer, while tough little winger Lenny Matapuku got two tries.

Hooker Tane Raupita was another standout in a good overall team effort.

The team will now prepare for the Western Alliance Premiership competition starting this Saturday, which is a combined grade consisting of the top two Manawatu teams and their Taranaki Rugby League counterparts.

This means Boxon will face their rivals the Linton Cobras again, as they qualified by virtue of being the Minor Premiers in the MRL at the end of the round robin and are eager to prove a point by getting their hands on some silverware after choking in the semifinals.

Campbell said their only knowledge of the Taranaki clubs - the Waitara Bears and the Coastal Cobras - will be from the players they saw in the Taranaki Sharks vs Manawatu Mustangs representative game in New Plymouth in May, which was a 38-4 win to the home side.

It would appear their fitness standard could be a little higher, Campbell said.

"We're not going to take a step back. We've got three tough games.

"It will be a yardstick. The boys are dead keen," Campbell said.

Boxon's first game will be against Coastal in Opunake at 2.30pm, while Linton travel to Waitara to face the Bears.

Finals day will be on July 16 with the top two teams meeting to decide the Premiership while the other two meet in the consolation playoff.

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