Canterbury duly defended their national title, but not without a struggle against the tenacious Auckland team, which put up much sterner opposition than they had against the same opponent the previous day.

The day’s play started with the last round robin game. Both teams had been unable to claim a win the previous day, and while Canterbury B started strongly, taking an early lead, they were unable to assume control of the game and Wellington/Counties Manukau fought their way back, gradually accumulating points through the rest of the game that their younger foes were unable to match. In the end the greater experience of the North Islanders was the telling factor.

Canterbury B then had to back up against their senior team in the first semi final. The underdogs put on their best showing of the tournament, scoring much more easily than in previous games, leading for much of the first half and stifling the attack of their elders and supposedly betters. Canterbury A eventually took a slender lead into half time, before breaking the will of their younger compatriots with three quick goals at the start of the second half. From that point both teams knew there was only going to be one outcome, and Canterbury A duly progressed to the final.

The second semi final took even longer to determine, with Wellington/Counties Manukau matching Auckland far better than they had done in round robin play the previous day, the teams trading goal for goal most of the way, before the Northerners managed to finally edge clear by four at the end.

In the play off for third, although Wellington/Counties Manukau and Canterbury B had both used most of their energy putting up such spirited resistance in their respective semi-finals, the pattern of play and the result were both similar to the day's earlier game between the two. Canterbury B again putting together some good attacks, but proving unable to convert, then allowing their opponents to take advantage of inexperienced defence at the other end, and eke out what proved to be a comfortable win.

Canterbury A started the final against Auckland in the same vein as they had played that opponent the previous day, going into a quick two goal lead. However, the scoring slowed dramatically after that as the defence at each end was able to put the clamps on the attack, and Auckland in particular, dominated in the rebound, maintaining most of the possession, but to little effect. By half time the score was a miserly 4-2 to the host. While the second half started with the same theme, Auckland finally managed to draw level with two accurate long shots in reasonably quick succession, and threatened a repeat of last year’s Canterbury NPC, when they hijacked the host in the deciding game to go home with the title. However, there was to be no repeat in 2009. Without managing to re-assume the dominance they had enjoyed the previous day, Canterbury edged just far enough ahead to hang onto the trophy.

Scores
Final game of round robin:
Wellington/Counties Manukau 13 Canterbury B 4

Semi-finals
Canterbury A 17 Canterbury B 9
Auckland 12 Wellington/Counties Manukau 8

Third/Fourth play off
Wellington/Counties Manukau 13 Canterbury B 3

Final
Canterbury A 8 Auckland 5