Rugby: Mount climb to top of the ladder

Te Puna winger Pomare Pearson is scragged by Mount Maunganui's Andy Devoy. Mount Maunganui v Te Puna Baywide club rugby with the ball. Photo/Andrew Warner

An impressive win and favourable results elsewhere have propelled Mount Maunganui into first place in the Bayfair Baywide premier club rugby competition.

The Mount, whose best has looked better than any other side has mustered so far this season, carried on their merry way to subdue Te Puna and pick up a valuable four-try bonus point to go to the top of the competition.

Three solid wins in the space of a week has cemented last year's finalists as the team to beat with five rounds remaining in the regular season, especially since Te Puke Sports found themselves on the wrong end of a Tauranga Sports resurgence at Tauranga Domain.

The 37-26 result proves Sports' recent struggles, during which the defending champions dropped matches to Greerton Marist, Rangataua and Mount Maunganui in successive weeks, are well behind them.

Whakarewarewa turned it on early away from home at Te Ariki Park, with some patrons not even in their positions before the visitors had twice dotted down following surging runs through the midfield.

The 25-3 halftime scoreline perhaps flattered Rangataua, which could have been staring down the barrel of a proper hiding had it not been for Te Rangi Fraser missing all five of his first half conversion attempts.

He rallied to kick three goals in the second stanza - the last of which came off the ground from the sideline due to the absence of a tee - making the final score 46-17 and further boosting Whakarewarewa's claims for a playoff place. The win was offset by an injury to lock Daniel Ngawhika, who was carried from the field midway through the first half with what appeared to be a neck injury.

Greerton Marist's 39-17 victory over Rotoiti, built on strong efforts from the likes of Bay of Plenty Steamers Tino Nemani and Joe Tupe, keeps them right in the hunt for a semifinal spot, while Rangiuru again fought hard against a rising injury toll before falling 37-25 to Opotiki.