Ponsonby make it eight on the trot with Gallaher Shield win

Ponsonby are the 2011 Gallaher Shield champions - for the eighth consecutive year. Ponsonby have held off the gallant challenge of Grammar-Carlton to win the final at Auckland Grammar School 20-18.

Cool heads under pressure and outstanding defence were the keys to victory for Ponsonby who kept out the young Grammar Carlton side over the final 10 minutes in a tense finish after their first five-eighth Michigan Lam had kicked his sixth penalty to close the margin to within one scoring play.

In a hotly contested final, Ponsonby outscored Grammar Carlton two tries to none, pulling clear with their second try early in the second half after leading 13-9 at the break.

Ponsonby's? tries were scored by hooker Joe Royal, off a sweetly executed lineout drive, and by replacement wing Paula Kavienga running in support of Chay Raui in a well-worked backline move. Kavienga's try and right wing Rocky Khan's conversion pushed the Ponies out to a 20-9 advantage.

Grammar Carlton came back into the match, but failed to take any of the several chances they created. Instead it was left up to the boot of first five-eighth Lam to keep them in touch with penalties.

Ponsonby's eighth straight Gallaher Shield victory draws them level with Invercargill's Star club who won eight in a row between 1919-26 and again between 1987-1994, and with Buller club Westport who won eight consecutive senior titles between 1963-70.

In reaching the final, Ponsonby beat University 35-7 in last week's semi-final and Grammar Carlton pipped Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield champions Papatoetoe 19-16.

Ponsonby's Gallaher Shield win concluded an exciting 2011 season for Auckland club rugby.

In other Premier finals, Pakuranga edged College Rifles 33-22 in a 9-try thriller to win the Jubilee Cup, Waitemata beat Teachers Eastern 11-9 for the Portola Trophy and Otahuhu beat Te Papapa Mt Wellington 33-29 for the Presidents Cup.

Previously, The Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield concluded in fever pitch circumstances on its last day back on 23 July, with Papatoetoe taking out the title for the first time in the club's history by beating Pakuranga 19-14 and by previous leaders University suffering a shock 14-22 defeat to mid-table College Rifles.

Papatotoe's win without a bonus point and University's loss without a bonus point put the two sides level on 63 points and near-identical points for and points against records. But Papatoetoe collected the spoils by virtue of their 12-0 win over University back in round 8 in the first weekend of June.

With the outstanding Ben Masoe one of two second half try scorers, Papatoetoe pulled clear in the second half after scores had been locked up at 0-0 at the break to also win the Sir Fred Allen Challenge Cup off University. Adding the icing on the cake, Papatotoe also successfully defended the Fred Allen Cup on the last day of the Alan McEvoy season.