Matchday Scoring Highlights: Poneke Ruffnuts (30) v Johnsonville Cripples (20)

The Poneke Ruffnuts completed the first round Mike Copeland Cup-second round John Davies Cup double when they beat the Johnsonville Cripples in the Reserve Grade Division 1 championship final on Kilbirnie Park.

In their 30th season, the Ruffnuts came through to win their fifth John Davies Cup title since its inception in 2015, getting off to a strong start by scoring two tries with a player in the sin-bin and later establishing a 27-8 lead.

The Cripples came back to score two tries to trail 27-20 with plenty of time remaining, but the Ruffnuts, with the wind, were able to play for territory throughout the rest of the match and held them off to win 30-20.

Match/scoring highlights below, picking up following an early Johnsonville penalty:

Past Winners:

• 2015 Poneke Ruffnuts
• 2016 Poneke Ruffnuts
• 2017 Upper Hutt Rams Thirstys
• 2018 Upper Hutt Rams Thirstys (presented for Division 2, Johnsonville won the Division 1 final for the Paul Donoghue Memorial Cup)
• 2019 Poneke Ruffnuts
• 2020 Not Played For – covid
• 2021 Oriental Rongotai J8s
• 2022 Oriental Rongotai J8s
• 2023 Poneke Ruffnuts
• 2024 Upper Hutt Rams J8s
• 2025 Wellington
• 2026: Poneke Ruffnuts

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