Rangiuru open their Baywide Rugby campaign with comfortable win

Rangiuru centre Brandon Mudzekenyedzi gets the ball away in spectacular fashion in the Baywide Rugby game against Ngongotaha. 17 April 2021 Bay of Plenty Times Photo by Stuart Whitaker

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Rangiuru centre Brandon Mudzekenyedzi gets the ball away in spectacular fashion in the Baywide Rugby game against Ngongotahā. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

Rugby
Rangiuru got their Baywide rugby season off to a winning start on Saturday.

The Te Puke club sat out round 1 with a bye, but comfortably accounted for Ngongotahā with a 41-12 home win.

There were eye catching performances from prop and last season's New Zealand under 20 squad member and Chiefs' development player Benet Kumeroa and centre Brandon Mudzekenyedzi, who was part of the Chiefs' development programme last season.

It was Kumeroa who opened the scoring inside the first five minutes with Jayden Green adding the conversion. Chad Isaiah Roberts scored the first of his first half brace on 13 minutes with Green making it 14-0. Wiremu Heyblom went over in the corner before Roberts' second pushed the score out to 24-0 with Ngongotahā replying with the last play of the half through a Byron Kennedy try, converted by Carlo Putaranui.

Terry Wilson, Kiripa Clarke and Jamie Culligan scored second half tries with Green converting one. Ngongotahā had the final say with a try on 80 minutes to winger Reuben Griffiths.

Ngongotahā took out the development clash curtain raiser 27-14

It was Te Puke Sports' turn to have the bye last Saturday. Next weekend Te Puke travel to Rotorua to play Marist St Michael's while Rangiuru have a shorter trip to Arataki.
Development games kick off at 1pm with the premier games starting at 2.45pm.

Eastern Districts and Pāpāmoa are this season playing in the Western Bay of Plenty Sub-Union Senior Reserve competition. They both made promising starts to their campaigns at the weekend.

Eastern Districts followed on from their sterling form of last season to easily defeat Rotorua side Rotoiti 58-15. Due to the fragmented nature of Bay of Plenty rugby competitions this season, the Rotorua lakesiders, are playing in the Western Bay Senior Reserve competition by invitation.

Pāpāmoa, who had a rugby season that they would rather forget last year, showed they will be competitive this year, after running Western Bay power-house club Tauranga Sports relatively close. The Tauranga City side had to work hard for the win points on offer in their 21-7 victory.

In the Women's competition, Rangiuru beat Mount Maunganui 51-12 on Sunday.

BOPRU Results April 17
Premier: Rangiuru 41 Ngongotahā 12, Te Puna 22 Whakarewarewa 13, Greerton Marist 38 Rangataua 0, Tauranga Sports 38 Marist St Michael's 24, Mount Maunganui 32 Arataki 12, Te Puke Sports the bye.
Points Table: Tauranga Sports 10, Mount Maunganui 10, Te Puna 8, Greerton Marist 6, Rangiuru 5, Te Puke Sports 5, Ngongotahā 4, Arataki 1, Marist St Michael's 1, Whakarewarewa 0, Rangataua 0.
Development: Ngongotahā 27 Rangiuru 14, Te Puna 36 Whakarewarewa 27, Greerton Marist 60 Rangataua 17, Tauranga Sports 29 Marist St Michael's 24, Mount Maunganui 85 Arataki 5, Te Puke Sports the bye.
Points Table: Ngongotahā 10, Mount Maunganui 9, Greerton Marist 9, Tauranga Sports 9, Te Puna 6, Te Puke Sports 5, Marist St Michael's 3, Whakarewarewa 2, Rangiuru 0, Arataki 0, Rangataua 0.
WBOPRFS Senior Reserve: Judea 36 Greerton Marist 20, Eastern Districts 58 Rotoiti 15, Tauranga Sports 21 Pāpāmoa 7, Matakana Island the bye.
Points Table: Eastern Districts 4 Judea 4,Tauranga Sports 4, Matakana Island 0, Te Puna 0, Pāpāmoa 0, Greerton Marist 0.