Day 4 of the 2023 Australian Rugby Shield has arrived and it's time for finals - click HERE for full tournament details and read on for reviews, previews, livestream details and more.
Bronze playoffs and ARS deciders will be played on Ballymore Field 1 (see livestream above) with 5th and 7th playoffs held on Ballymore Field 2.
See below for our full Finals schedule + Field 2 livestream - games commence 9:00am AEST.
2:00pm - NSW Country Corellas 18 def QLD Country Orchids 11
A late charge-down try to Emma Bradford has delivered NSW Country its maiden women's Australian Rugby Shield.
Bradford's 72nd minute effort typified the Corellas' relentless pressure all tournament and ultimately proved the difference, NSW Country holding on for the final eight minutes to run out victorious.
Anika Butler and Kayla Jackson traded first-half tries while Reeghyn Beardmore and Sarah Colman did likewise with penalties in a brutal opening term before standout prop Candice Clay broke the game open in the 54th minute with a rollicking run to the chalk.
Another Beardmore penalty closed the gap but Bradford's effort put the margin out to seven with the Orchids unable to rally late in the piece.
1:30pm - Perth Gold Women 31 def ADF 14
A Frieda Ah-Sam double has steered Perth Gold to fifth place in the women's Australian Rugby Shield.
Ah-Sam was a standout alongside fellow try-scorers Numi Tupaea and Shiane Kani with scoring machine Aiysha Wigley also starring in the 17-point win.
Mahalia Ellis and Yolanda Forsyth found the whitewash for ADF, who rounded out their campaign 1-3 after an earlier win over South Australia.
12:00pm - ACT/SNSW Griffins 20 def Perth Gold 13 (Men's Australian Rugby Shield Decider)
ACT/SNSW have made history at Ballymore, defeating Perth by seven points to defend their 2022 Australian Rugby Shield title.
The Griffins and Gold were locked in a 10-all halftime stalemate following early tries to Samuel Thomas and Clay Uyen with kickers Lachlan Day and Serupepeli Vularika nailing a conversion and penalty apiece.
But it was best-on-ground Cameron Holt and his Griffins who prevailed in a second-half arm-wrestle, eventually finding the chalk through Francis Lesa in the 75th minute to secure a dramatic win.
10:30am - QLD Country Heelers 24 def NSW Country Cockatoos 20 (Men's Bronze Final)
QLD Country have earned regional bragging rights for another year, driving home a 17-12 half-time advantage to edge fierce rivals NSW Country 24-20 in the men's bronze final.
Flanker Sam Curran starred with two tries for the Heelers with centre Trent Davidson adding seven valuable points off the tee to go with a penalty try.
Jayden Woolley's 10-point haul wasn't enough to drag the Cockatoos home with Peter Fitzsimmons and Hamish Mckie also crossing the chalk for NSW Country.
10:30am - QLD Suburban 14 def by SA Black Falcons (Women's 7th Place Final)
South Australia have earned their first win in the women’s competition, defeating Qld Suburban 15-14 in a 7th place nailbiter on Field 2.
Tries to Saxon Campbell either side of halftime weren’t enough for Subbies with Black Falcons winger Naomi Caucau scoring the match-winner with eight minutes to play.
Zahn Anthony and Caitlan Stanley also touched down for South Australia in a dramatic encounter that saw the Black Falcons earn a maiden victory for their state at the ARS.
Victoria 5 def by ACT/SNSW Kestrels 19 (Women's Bronze Final)
2022 champions Victoria have been well and truly dethroned after ACT/SNSW secured bragging rights in the women's Bronze Final.
Early first-half tries to lock Jess Grant and fullback Biola Dawa and desperate defence laid the platform before Charlie Brigstocke struck a dagger blow in the 45th minute.
Losalini Gale was Victoria's sole try scorer in a tough outing for the reigning Shield Holders.
QLD Suburban 21 def TAS Jack Jumpers 16 (Men's 7th Place Final)
QLD Subbies have earned their first win of ARS 2023, emerging six-point victors from a brutal clash with Tasmania on Field 2.
Subbies opened the scoring through Troy Stevenson in the 14th minute but found themselves down 10-7 at halftime following an converted Oli Bird try and Jake Harris penalty late in the piece.
A 42m penalty from Peni Ravai briefly extended Tasmania's lead before Subbies hit back, twice turning down shots at goal and crashing over through Arthur Naoupu in the 50th minute.
Another Harris penalty saw the Jack Jumpers back in front but it wasn't to be as Subbies flyer Josua Qaikula went the length with a kick, tackle and regather to break Tasmanian hearts.
