Rugby: Mount slip as Tauranga rule in wet

Tauranga Sports halfback Josh Hall clears the ball against Whakarewarewa at Tauranga Domain on Saturday. Photo / Andrew Warner

A blast of spiteful winter weather added further intrigue into Saturday's fourth round of the Bayfair Baywide Premier competition.

Mount Maunganui Sports were beaten 32-22 at Blake Park by Rotoiti in an upset result that adds to the pressure on the defending champions after a sluggish start to the season.

But Tauranga Sports stepped up to a new level to beat second-placed Whakarewarewa 40-10. Before the match the speculation was if any club could give Tauranga a shake-up it was Rotorua's top team, but their players left the rain-swept Domain pitch with a thousand-yard stare in their eyes after being totally outclassed.

Whakarewarewa started well enough with an opening minute try to fullback Te Rangi Fraser that Ryubyn Vaipo converted from touch. Some trickery from halfback Josh Hall set up a try for lock Ati Olive to even the scores. Vaipo kicked a penalty to regain the lead for the visitors after 22 minutes but that proved to be their lot for the match.

The first of two yellow cards given against them proved costly as the impressive Tauranga pack took control as the rain intensified. Tries to Olive, Lewis Hancock and Nick Evemy, aided by Evemy's top class goalkicking, had Tauranga well ahead 28-10 at the break.

Whakarewarewa dominated territory and possession for the opening 20 minutes of the second spell but could not break down the resolute Tauranga defence well marshalled by the impressive loose forward trio of Carl Axtens, Hamish Gosling and Dan Crowther.

The first chance Tauranga got to run the ball into Whakarewarewa's half they scored through Hancock after sharp interplay between Evemy and flanker turned tighthead prop Jeff Thwaites.

A slick passing move which belied the dire conditions sent Philip Togotogorua in for the last try of the day to complete the rout.

Tauranga coach Mike Rogers said it was pleasing to see his side put together their best performance of the season against a very good side.

"To put it together against them in tricky conditions was particularly pleasing," he said. "Our ball handling was better today than it has been all year. It was about intensity and attitude for us. It was another level to what we have played this season.

Whakarewarewa second-five and captain Doug Edwards was full of praise for Tauranga, who he says are the benchmark of the competition.

"We didn't adjust quickly enough to what they were doing and their class showed today even in the wet weather. Precision, skill and superior systems just got around us. We fought hard to get in there and started with a quick try but they just ground us down," Edwards said.