Ponsonby Rugby Club has won the Auckland Rugby premier women’s club final for the second year in a row, defeating Marist Brothers Old Boys 26 – 13 to retain the coveted Coleman Shield on Saturday 29 June.
It is the first time in Coleman Shield history that Ponsonby has won consecutive finals and the victory was made even more special with a win at their home ground of Western Springs after having to play all of last season’s games away due to damage caused by the flooding.
Captained by former Black Fern and Auckland Storm stalwart Eloise Blackwell and coached by Jack Huch who came out of retirement to answer the call for a new head coach at the beginning of the season. Huch is a longtime member of Ponsonby Rugby Club, having led the men’s premier team during part of an era when the club won fourteen Gallaher Shield titles over two decades.
In winning their third title, the Ponsonby Fillies denied Marist what would have been a record 14th title, the most of any club in Coleman Shield history.
With five weeks to go until the premier men’s club final, the Gallaher Shield, on Saturday 3 August, Ponsonby Rugby Club is in pole position with 12 wins from 12 games. Pakuranga United Rugby Club is in second place on the ladder with just one loss so far.
