Mount surge to lead in Baywide rugby

210516aw11bop Baywide club rugby Mount maunganui v Tauranga Sports Mount's Jonty Wood. 21 May 2016 The Bay of Plenty Times Photograph by Andrew Warner.

Mount Maunganui Sports defeated Tauranga Sports 17-12 on Saturday to move to the top of the Baywide Premier table.

The Mounties came through their toughest test against Tauranga with renewed confidence and the Jordan Cup after they scored the only two tries in the match to win more comfortably than the scoreline indicates.

Had usually accurate goal kicker Pera Gibbs brought his kicking boots the margin would have been far greater.

It was a fascinating clash between two competitive teams that struggled to get going until a freakish individual try to Mount Maunganui winger Doug Law split the game open.
He took the ball at pace at first receiver from a set scrum play 42 metres out and skinned the inside defence before out-pacing the cover defence for a memorable try.

Law normally struggles to get game time but with Mason Walker and Danny Kayes in France with the New Zealand Development team, coached by Paul Tietjens, this was his chance. And he nailed it.

Mount Maunganui secured the win when from another set scrum move Gibbs served up a peach of a pass to put centre Marnus Hanley in under the bar.

Whakatane Marist's dream run leading the Premier division came to a shattering end at Murray Salt Stadium.

For eight weeks the dynamic attacking outfit has confounded expectations by continuing to win and hold off Tauranga Sports and Mount Maunganui Sports from the top spots.

But Whakatane Marist's bubble was well and truly burst by a fired up home side that finally put together 80 minutes of rugby. Te Puke Sports won easily 42-7 scoring six tries to one after leading 27-7 at the break. Chulain Mabbett-Sowerby was named player of the day.

In other games, Hunter Mokomoko scored six tries and Bay of Plenty Steamers rep Shane Eru three as Te Puna thrashed Opotiki 99-3, while Whakarewarewa beat Rangataua 13-8 in a tight battle at Te Ariki Park. Greerton Marist beat Paroa 52-19 and Rotoiti defeated Arataki 24-11.

Results:
Baywide Premier
Mount Maunganui 17 (Doug Law, Marnus Hanley tries; Pera Gibbs 2 con, pen) Tauranga Sports 12 (John Dodd 4 pen) HT 10-3
Te Puke Sports 42 (Luke Campbell, Chulain Mabbett-Sowerby, Connor Hirini, Ryan Lambert, Dan Hollinshead, Carlos Savage tries; Luke Campbell 3 con, 2 pen) Whakatane Marist 7 (Lewis McKay try; Leethan Rawiri con) HT 27-7
Whakarewarewa 13 (Te Rangi Fraser try; Ryubyn Vaipo 2 pen, con) Rangataua 8 (Teina Hika try; Sasu Wihapi pen) HT 13-3
Te Puna 99 (Hunter Mokomoko 6, Shahn Eru 3, Tana Tuhakaraina 2, Tavana Lutui, Kaydin Budd, Ryan Henstock, Wally Mill tries: Keegan Long 12 con) Opotiki 3 - HT 33-3
Rotoiti 24 Arataki 11 (Warrick Lynn try; Marty Bourke 2 pen)
Greerton Marist 52 Paroa 19

Division One:
Te Teko 31 Ruataoki 14, Rangiuru 33 Papamoa 10, Ngongotaha 19 Poroporo 19, Waikite 14 Kahukura 5, Marist St Michaels 10 Judea 10.
Development: Mount Maunganui 43 Tauranga Sports 20, Te Puna 84 Opotiki 12, Te Puke Sports 57 Whakatane Marist 15, Rangataua 31 Whakarewarewa 22, Greerton Marist 32 Paroa 27, Rotoiti v Arataki - result not available.

Points tables:
Premier:
Mount Maunganui Sports 37, Whakatane Marist 35, Tauranga Sports 35, Te Puna 28, Te Puke Sports 27, Rangataua 23, Rotoiti 23, Greerton Marist 22, Whakarewarewa 21, Opotiki 7, Arataki 7, Paroa 4.
Development
Te Puke Sports 43, Mount Maunganui Sports 39, Tauranga Sports 36, Whakatane Marist 34, Arataki 31, Te Puna 26, Rangataua 17, Greerton Marist 14, Whakarewarewa 11, Rotoiti 10, Opotiki 9, Paroa 4.
Division One
Judea 29, Ngongotaha 29, Poroporo 28, Waikite 27, Rangiuru 26, Marist St Michael's 21, Te Teko 23, Kahukura 11, Katikati 10, Ruatoki 8, Papamoa 5.