Rugby: Meads Cup scores extra cause for celebration

The Stan Meads Cup annual meeting in Te Awamutu put in place two significant initiatives for the 2013 SMC season.

King Country Rugby Union asked that the Stan Meads Cup (SMC) finals day be held in Taupo on September 14 this year.

The request for finals day is to coincide with a ceremony to recognise the region's All Blacks (including Stan Meads) on the same day.

The SMC committee agreed to the request.

Breaking new ground, a Stan Meads Cup representative XV is to be selected at the conclusion of SMC finals day and it is anticipated the team will play a provincial union side.

The SMC committee are calling for nominations for the Stan Meads Cup XV team management.

The seeding for the 2013 competition was confirmed.

Last year's SMC champions Te Awamutu head Pool A, with Western Bay of Plenty who finished third, along with Hamilton and Central Bay of Plenty.

Runners-up Piako are the top seed in Pool B with Eastern Bay of Plenty and the two provincial B teams from King Country and Thames Valley. In keeping with the recent tradition of the Stan Meads competition, the first round of pool play will kick-off on the third Saturday in August, with round two and three on successive weekends.

The crossover matches, where the top two from each pool will square off to find the 2013 finalists, will take place on September 7, while the other four teams will battle for a place in the Stan Meads Cup Plate final.

Stan Meads Pools 2013:

Pool A: Te Awamutu, Western Bay of Plenty, Hamilton, Central Bay of Plenty.

Pool B: Piako, Eastern Bay of Plenty, King Country B, Thames Valley B

Stan Meads game schedule:

August 17 - Round One pool play

August 24 - Round Two pool play

August 31 - Round Three pool play

September 7 - Crossover games

September 14 - Finals Day, Owen Delaney Park, Taupo