The Te Awamutu sub-union name will be engraved on the Stan Meads Cup for the fourth time since the SMC competition kicked off in 2011 after the Waikato side won an epic struggle with Piako in the 2015 title decider.
Te Awamutu went into the encounter at Albert Park inTe Awamutu on Saturday as firm favourites and took the game to their opponents from the opening whistle.
At the halftime break, Te Awamutu led 14-3. The defending titleholders appeared to have the game in the bag in the second half, when they stretched their advantage to 24-3.
However, Piako came back with a concerted charge, to put on 17 unanswered points, as the clock ticked down. At the final whistle, Te Awamutu walked off Albert Park with a hard-fought 24-20 victory.
Te Awamutu's latest Stan Meads Cup title has seen the Waikato sub-union side annex four titles in the five seasons of SMC competition, with Eastern Bay of Plenty the only other team to have their name engraved on the SMC trophy. Te Awamutu also locked away the Peace Cup (SMC Challenge Trophy) until 2016.
Central Bay of Plenty held aloft their first piece of SMC silverware in victory after beating King Country B in the SMC Bowl, the entree to the SMC title decider, After holding a narrow 10-7 advantage at halftime, the Rotorua representatives went on to post a 20-14 victory.
Stan Meads Cup finals day results Stan Meads Cup: Te Awamutu 24 Piako 20 HT: 14-3 SMC Bowl: Central Bay of Plenty 20 King Country B 14 HT: 10-7
Stan Meads Cup champions 2011 Te Awamutu 2012 Te Awamutu 2013 Eastern Bay of Plenty 2014 Te Awamutu 2015 Te Awamutu
