Rugby: Baywide Division One race still on

Steve Honey, left, and Josh Honey have helped Tauranga Sports to the Premier first round title. Photo / File

The weather was dire throughout Bay of Plenty for the final matches in the Baywide Premier round one competition with Tauranga Sports clinching yet another first-round title.

Tauranga defeated Paroa 22-10 to take top spot from Te Puke Sports, who won the big game of the weekend, and the Jordan Cup against Te Puna 25-17 at Maramataga Park to finish second with Te Puna third.

Mount Maunganui defeated Arataki 20-8 while Rangataua Sports finished ahead of Greerton Marist 23-15 in the charity match at Greerton Park. Rotoiti won the Rotorua local derby 27-14 over Whakarewarewa.

The championship round begins next weekend for the Premier 1 top eight teams.

In Division One the race to make the top four and join Arataki, Paroa, Whakatane Marist and Poroporo in Premier 2 division will be decided next weekend.

Papamoa have a chance of making the grade but they must beat Judea at Gordon Spratt Reserve next weekend and hope Te Teko beat fourth-placed Marist St Michael's. Papamoa grabbed a bonus point 55-7 win over cellar-dwellers Katikati at Moore Park on Saturday.

Judea, Rangiuru and Katikati will contest the Division One Championships in the second half of the season after they all lost. Judea went down to Ngongotaha 35-14 while Rangiuru had few answers against Opotiki in a 54-7 defeat.

Te Puke Sports retained the Western Bay of Plenty Sub-Union Premier Challenge prize of the Jordan Cup, against Te Puna in an old-fashioned game of wet weather rugby at Maramatanga Park. Te Puna led 10-3 at half-time before Te Puke Sports scored three tries to win 25-17.

Te Puke Sports gave the Development first round winners competition winners Te Puna just their second defeat of the season by 22-15. Tauranga Sports ran over Paroa 67-5 at Tauranga Domain to finish in second place in the competition. Mount Maunganui had a good tussle with near neighbours Arataki before prevailing 13-5, with Greerton Marist defeating Rangataua 22-3.

WBOP Senior Reserve rivals Tauranga Sports and Mount Maunganui will decide the first round title next after both emerged at the top of their pools in the post-section crossover competition. Tauranga Sports defeated Greerton Gold 29-7 with Mount Maunganui beating Judea 60-0.

Baywide Premier
Whakatane Marist 20 v Poroporo 13
Te Puke Sports 25 v Te Puna 17 (Jordan Cup)
Rotoiti 27 v Whakarewarewa 14
Tauranga Sports 22 v Paroa 10
Rangataua 23 v Greerton Marist 15
Mount Maunganui 20 v Arataki 8

Baywide Development
Whakatane Marist 53 v Poroporo 7
Te Puke Sports 22 v Te Puna 15
Rotoiti 19 v Whakarewarewa 17
Tauranga Sports 67 v Paroa 5
Greerton Marist 22 v Rangataua 3
Mount Maunganui 13 v Arataki 5

Baywide Division 1
Ruatoki 31 v Waimana 25
Papamoa 55 v Katikati 7
Marist St Michael's 20 v Kahukura 8
Opotiki 54 v Rangiuru 7
Waikite 53 v Te Teko 0
Ngongotaha 35 v Judea 14

WBOP Senior Reserve
Eastern Districts 24 Greerton Marist Black 12
Mount Maunganui 60 Judea 0
Matakana Island 14 Te Puna 7
Tauranga Sports 29 Greerton Gold 7