Rugby: Ground switch gives Te Puke boost

Lewis Hancock makes a break for Tauranga Sports against Te Puke Sports in last Saturday's season opener. Photo / Andrew Warner

Last year's Baywide champions Mount Maunganui have had to forgo playing at their home fortress of Blake Park for the next two weekends.

Maintenance work on the usually excellent surface of the Sir Gordon Tietjens Field has meant no play is allowed there. Even Tietjens and his All Blacks Sevens squad were bumped off the field this week.

Mount Maunganui will play tomorrow's home fixture against Te Puke Sports at Mount Maunganui College, which is a far inferior surface without the atmosphere generated at Blake Park. All of which will play into the hands of Te Puke who are still smarting over their home loss to Tauranga Sports in last week's opening round.

Te Puke's front row, which includes NZ Under-20 triallist Aiden Ross, could have an advantage over the Mount side that is down on props at this early stage of the season.

Both teams have outstanding loose forwards and slick backs so hopefully the game will flow enough for them to show their talents and make for an entertaining game.

Across town at Te Puna, the Gilly Bidois Trophy match between the home side and Rangataua Sports should be a beauty. Since 2003, the two teams have clashed in this traditional fixture which is usually played pre-season.

Long-serving Te Puna player Aidan Kuka says Gilly Bidois was a passionate Te Puna rugby player in his time and a staunch club supporter after his playing days.

"He especially enjoyed the Te Puna versus Rangataua game and, regardless of the result, he would enjoy the company of the Rangataua elders at the after-match functions," said Kuka. "The game is sure to be a war of attrition ..."

Rangataua are the holders of the trophy after producing a last-gasp try in the closing minutes of last year's fixture.

Te Puna coach Daniel Quate says it is a huge game after both teams lost in the first round.

"We were disappointed with the way we started the match last weekend [against Greerton Marist] but I was pleased we showed enough fight to give ourselves a chance to win it at the end. Expecting a big step up in physicality this week due to what's at stake."

First round winners Greerton Marist and Tauranga Sports meet in the other Premier fixture at Greerton Park.

WBOP Premier, tomorrow
*Mount Maunganui v Te Puke Sports, Mount Maunganui College.
*Te Puna v Rangataua, Maramatanga Park.
*Greerton v Tauranga Sports, Greerton.
*Premiers: Kick-off at 2.45pm.
*Development: Kick-off at 1pm.