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 that they were able to win at home at Western Springs after having to play all of last season’s games away due to damage caused by the flooding.

The team was once again 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.

The Coleman Shield has been the pinnacle of women’s club rugby for 26 years since 1998 when it was donated by Chris Coleman.

In winning their third title, the Ponsonby Fillies denied Marist what would have been a record 14^th title, the most of any club in Coleman Shield history.

Article added: Friday 05 July 2024