Competition took place at Cowles Stadium, with teams vying to represent New Zealand in the International University Sport Federation’s (FISU) World University League.

The University of Auckland were the runners-up in the men’s event back in 2017, when their team fell to defeat to Lincoln University.

They avenged the loss in the semi-finals this year, securing a 14-7 victory.

Otago University beat Canterbury 20-18 to book their place in the final.

Auckland produced a strong performance in the final, as they ultimately secured a 21-15 win over their rivals.

Auckland were the top seeds in the women’s event but were beaten at the semi-final stage of the competition.

Lincoln went head-to-head with Canterbury and started quickly in the contest to open up a clear advantage.

They maintained their lead in the competition to seal a 20-13 victory in the final.

"The standard of play has jumped to another level," Josh Thompson, Lincoln University women’s head coach, said. 

"We lost two pool games this year and could have folded, so I’m especially proud of how the team pulled through mentally to finish on top.

"We’re excited to get another go on the international scene, with three players returning to China where we should be much more prepared for what we will face there."

FISU are set to cover the majority of costs for the winning teams to compete in the World University League in Xiamen.