Dan Goodwin played his 100th game for Te Puke Sports and was named player of the day. Photo / Stuart Whitaker
Spectators were treated to 40 minutes of razzle-dazzle rugby at Tauranga Domain on Saturday as Tauranga Sports and Te Puke Sports served up 51 first-half points.
Tauranga Sports opened the scoring with a Lucas Cashmore penalty goal after two minutes before the visitors ran in two touchdowns, the first to winger Wemi Kapia who burst through the heart of the Tauranga defence, followed up with a five-pointer to fullback Kase Meyer. Taine Craig-Ranga was on target with both conversions, but couldn’t add the extras to Grady Forbes’ try on 16 minutes after Tauranga had clawed one back.
The hosts then added 19 points of their own before Josh Baxter went over out wide to make it 27-24 to Tauranga at the break.
After the action-packed, eight-try first spell, a more subdued second half unfolded. Tauranga Sports went on to take out the match 41-31 to re-ink their spot at the top of the Baywide standings. Te Puke added just a Danny Underwood try and Jack Hollishead conversion to their total.
Te Puke’s Dan Goodwin and Tauranga Sports Ricoh Flavell, playing their 100th game for their respective premier sides while Pirates Kapia and Alex Thrupp were playing their blazer (30) games
Greerton Marist moved to within touching distance of the top four after a close-quarters battle with Rangiuru in Te Puke. The visiting side led 19-14 after the first 40 minutes before going on to take home a narrow 24-21 victory.
Hooker Taine Kolosi opened the Rangiuru account with Fletcher Carpenter adding nine points of his own before the break. Benet Kumeroa scored Rangiuru’s only, successfully converted, try of the second half.
Rangataua moved clear of the dreaded relegation zone after a 22-all draw with Ngongotahā at Te Ariki Park.
Judea went down 50-0 to Whakarewarewa, Te Puna swept aside Katikati by 109 points with Mount Maunganui posting 66 unanswered points against Rotoiti.
In Western Bay of Plenty rugby action, Mount Maunganui came from mid-table in the standings to provide Eastern Districts with their first loss of the season at Paengaroa Domain. Mount Maunganui led 16-12 at halftime, before ED came back to level the score at 24 points apiece as the clock ticked down to full time.
Right on the final whistle, Mount first-five Villi Sabani calmly slotted a near-50m penalty goal to give the visitors a 27-24 win. The ED loss sets up what could be a winner-takes-all match against Arataki in the last round of the regular season, with a Baywide playoff berth on the line.
Te Puna remains the only unbeaten Western Bay team after they defeated Katikati 67-5, in the early matchup at Moore Park. Tauranga Sports cemented their place in the top four with a 34-14 win over Te Puke Sports.
Arataki beat Pāpāmoa 42-0, Greerton Marist got past Rangiuru 29-7, with Rangataua defeating Matakana Island 65-7.
RESULTS
Baywide
Tauranga Sports 41 Te Puke Sports 31 (HT 27-24), Greerton Marist 24 Rangiuru 21 (HT 19-14), Whakarewarewa 50 Judea 0 (HT 24-0), Te Puna 109 Katikati 0 (HT 42-0), Rangataua 22 Ngongotahā 22 (HT Rangataua 12-3), Mount Maunganui 66 Rotoiti 0 (HT 26-0).
Points table (provisional): Tauranga Sports 35, Mount Maunganui 34, Te Puna 33, Whakarewarewa 30 Te Puke Sports 30, Greerton Marist 27, Rangiuru 23, Ngongotahā 12, Rangataua 11, Rotoiti 6. Judea 2, Katikati 0.
WBOPRS Development/Local Rugby
Tauranga Sports 34 Te Puke Sports 14, Greerton Marist 29 Rangiuru 7, Te Puna 67 Katikati 5, Rangataua 65 Matakana Island 7, Mount Maunganui 27 Eastern Districts 24, Arataki 42 Pāpāmoa 0, Judea the bye.
Points table (provisional): Te Puna 32, Eastern Districts 32, Tauranga Sports 28, Arataki 28, Greerton Marist 26, Te Puke Sports 25, Mount Maunganui 25. Rangiuru 18, Rangataua 13, Pāpāmoa 10, Matakana Island 9, Katikati 1. Judea 0.
WBOPRS Baywide Promotion Competition (provisional): Eastern Districts 32, Arataki 28. Pāpāmoa 10, Matakana Island 9.
DRAW
Baywide (2.45pm)
Mount Maunganui v Katikati, Blake Park; Rotoiti v Rangataua, Emery Park; Greerton Marist v Tauranga Sports, Greerton Park; Whakarewarewa v Te Puke Sports, Puarenga Park; Te Puna v Rangiuru, Maramatanga Park; Ngongotaha v Judea, Ngongotaha Domain.
WBOPRFS Development/Local Rugby Draw, June 10 June,1pm
Greerton Marist v Tauranga Sports, Greerton Park; Papamoa v Te Puke Sports, Gordon Spratt Reserve; Te Puna v Rangiuru, Maramatanga Park; Judea v Eastern Districts, Maharaia Winiata Park; Mount Maunganui v Katikati, Blake Park; Matakana Island v Arataki, Matakana Island; Rangataua the bye.
BOPRU Colts Competition, June 10, 1pm
Kahukura v Mount Maunganui, Westbrook Park1; Greerton Marist v Te Puke Sports, Greerton Park; Te Puna v Taupo United, Maramatanga Park.