Baywide Premier rugby heating up

Greerton Marist will need maximum points from their trip to Whakatane Marist on Saturday. Photo / FIle

With only 10 points separating the top 10 teams vying for eight spots in the Baywide Premier competition, it is time to get serious for many of the clubs just inside and out of the eight.

Te Puna Sports lead the standings (25) ahead of Te Puke Sports (24), Tauranga Sports (24), Whakarewarewa (21), Mount Maunganui Sports (20), Rangataua Sports (20), Paroa (20) and Rotoiti (20).

Arataki (17) and Greerton Marist (15) are ninth and 10th and desperately need points tomorrow. Arataki are home to Rotoiti in a game with a significant bearing on the final placings while Greerton Marist travel to Whakatane to play winless Whakatane Marist.

Greerton coach Brendon Brill knows nothing less than maximum points will do after the disappointment of last week's draw with Tauranga Sports that could easily have been a win.

"We played one of best team games of the season. However, there were some aspects that for us to make the top eight we need to address and we [have been] concentrating on those this week," Brill said.

"We are in a crucial position that winning each week is a priority and we feel we have the team to do that, but it will mean fewer mistakes and holding on to the ball for long periods of time as Tauranga Sports showed last week."

Brill is aware Whakatane Marist can be unpredictable, so his team need to remain focused and not take the game lightly.

"Whakatane Marist is always a hard team to prepare for, and we know they feed off mistakes and make you pay for those mistakes.

"Even though they haven't had the wins as they had last season they are a tough team at home as is the case for all teams and we need to be on top of our game to take the win."

This Sunday marks the start of the Baywide Premier Women's competition.

Bay of Plenty's finest female rugby players will battle it out over a seven-week round robin competition, before splitting into Cup and Trophy Divisions for the second round with semifinals on July 23 and finals on July 30.

Baywide Division 1:
Kick-off: 2.45pm
Kahukura v Ruatoki at Kuirau Park
Te Teko v Judea at Dunderdale Park
Waimana v Opotiki at Waimana Domain
Marist St Michael's v Katikati at Marist Park
Ngongotaha v Rangiuru at Ngongotaha Domain
Waikite v Papamoa at Bellvue Rd

Baywide Premier Women's:
Sunday, kick-off 1.00pm
Rangataua v Te Whanau Apanui at Te Ariki Park
Waimana v Rangiuru at Waimana Domain
Rotoiti v Whakarewarewa at Emery Park
Waikite - Bye