Last season's Division One winners won a low-scoring thriller against Whakarewarewa to once again leapfrog Rangataua into ninth-place on the table. The two sides will be scrambling for points before they meet for the second and final time this season on July 13 at Te Ariki Park.
Tauranga Sports were well below their best in squeaking past Opotiki 29-24, while Te Puna beat Greerton Marist by a point at Maramatanga Park to keep their post-season aspirations alive.
A loss would have put Te Puna close to falling to the middle of the ladder after a month's worth of disappointing results, but the win places them right back in the hunt with six rounds remaining.
Rotoiti beat Mount Maunganui and in the process complicated a playoff picture. Mount Maunganui remain in fourth place, but Te Puna now sits only four points back, in striking range of a top four birth. In their favour, their last games are against Paroa, Rangataua, Rotoiti, Tauranga Sports, Opotiki and Whakarewarewa.
Rotoiti are three points back in sixth, alongside Whakarewarewa, with Opotiki back point in outright eighth.
Division One
Results in Division One were a little bit more predictable. Competition leaders Rangiuru ran out 29-12 winners over Ngongotaha to remain top, while second-placed Poroporo did their title aspirations no harm by overcoming third-placed Kahukura 34-22.
Ruatoki remain winless, despite putting in a decent effort in falling to Whakatane Marist 30-19, while the round's two other matches both proved tight struggles.
Katikati kept their season rolling by holding off Marist St Michael's 17-14, while Te Teko snuck by Waikite 23-22 to create a real logjam of teams placed third to seventh on the ladder with just six regular season rounds remaining.
Bayfair Baywide club rugby results, June 8
Premier:
Te Puke Sports 31 (Sipa Moimoi, Tim Bond, Jimmy Roberts, Simon Chisholm, Ben Ward tries; Carlos Savage 3 cons) beat Rangataua 22 (Carlin Tata, Noel Rameka, Timoti Gardiner, Daniel Groot tries; D Groot con) HT 12-12.
Paroa 11 (Jason Hona try; McKenzie McGougan 2 pens) beat Whakarewarewa 8 (Chris van der Vlugt try; John Ririnui pen) HT 8-3.
Te Puna 25 (Lance MacDonald 2, Te Aihe Toma tries; Rawiri Kuka 2 pens, 2 cons) beat Greerton Marist 24 (Joe Key, Tim O'Malley tries; T O'Malley 4 pens, con) HT 10-18.
Rotoiti 24 (Jose Tawake 2, Joe Royal tries; Willie Ripia 2 pens, con) beat Mount Maunganui 18 (Zar Lawrence, Sam Gavigan tries; Matt Golding pen, con; Sam Beard pen) HT 18-10.
Tauranga Sports 29 (Lewis Hancock 2, Josh Hall tries; Paul Morris 4 pens, con) beat Opotiki 24 (Dean Elmiger, Tareha Walker, Kiwi Biddle, Maka Smith tries; Te Amo Wilbore 2 cons) HT 8-12.
Points table: Tauranga Sports 58, Te Puke Sports 43, Greerton Marist 35, Mount Maunganui 33, Te Puna 29, Rotoiti 26, Whakarewarewa 26, Opotiki 25, Paroa 13, Rangataua 12.
Division One:
Katikati 17 beat Marist St Michael's 14, Te Teko 23 beat Waikite 22, Whakatane Marist 30 beat Ruatoki 19, Poroporo 34 beat Kahukura 22, Rangiuru 29 beat Ngongotaha 12.