Rugby: Papamoa impressive in defeat

New Baywide Division One recruits Papamoa showed resolve to take their game against Eastern Bay of Plenty heavyweight Te Teko down to the wire on Saturday.

Playing with home field advantage at Gordon Spratt Reserve, the Western Bay side served it up to the former premier division team. While Te Teko returned home with a hard fought 21-17 victory, Papamoa impressed their fans by fighting to the end.

Rangiruru continued their charge to play in the Baywide premier two competition in the second half of the season when they beat former Baywide premier contenders Kahukura in a Division One battle at Centennial Park. The Te Puke team posted a comfortable 30-15 win to remain at the top of the standings with Ngongotaha on 16 points.

Katikati claimed their first win of the season, winning an arm wrestle with Judea. The encounter at Katikati headquarters at Moore Park see-sawed up and down the field, with the game finishing with a narrow 17-15 advantage to the home side.

Tauranga Sports Development side, continued to post 50-plus scorelines, when they beat Greerton Marist in the curtainraiser at the Tauranga Domain. The Greerton visitors made the home side work hard in the first spell, with Tauranga Sports taking relatively narrow 17-5 lead into the break.

However, Tauranga Sports upped their work rate in the second 40 minutes to take out a 53-5 win. Levi Tofa scored two tries with Benjamin Courtney, Dan Stroud, Matt Ensor, Luke Allen, Marco Van Dyke, Alex Pohla and Manny Santos also dotting the ball down. Chris Davies and Darren Heiman slotted two conversions apiece with Jarrod Wright scoring a try for Greerton Marist.

Te Puna Development scored a come-from-behind victory against Paroa in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Paroa shot out to a 20-0 lead early in the first half and led 20-7 at halftime. Te Puna dug deep in the second spell to level the scores at 27-27 with 10 minutes to go and then ran in two further tries to win 41-27.

Te Puke Sports and Mount Maunganui posted big wins over Rotorua opponents. Te Puke sports ran over Rotoiti 59-7 with Mount Maunganui defeating Whakarewarewa 57-5. Arataki posted 52 unanswered points against Opotiki, with Rangataua tasting defeat against Whakatane Marist, going down 62-12.

Western Bay of Plenty rugby results, April 16:

Division one: Te Teko 21 Papamoa 17, Katikati 17 Judea 15, Rangiuru 30 Kahukura 15,

Points table (provisional): Ngongotaha 16, Rangiuru 16, Poroporo 14, Judea 12, Te Teko 11, Waikite 8, Kahukura 5, Katikati 5, Papamoa 5, Marist St Michaels 2, Ruatoki 2,.

Development: Te Puke 59 Rotoiti 7, Mount Maunganui 57 Whakarewarewa 5, Tauranga Sports 53 Greerton Marist 5, Arataki 52 Opotiki 0, Te Puna 41 Paroa 27, Whakatane Marist 62 Rangataua 12.

Points table (provisional): Te Puke Sports 20, Tauranga Sports 20, Mount Maunganui 20, Whakatane Marist 17, Te Puna 16, Arataki 11, Whakarewarewa 5, Rotoiti 5, Opotiki 5, Greerton Marist 4, Paroa 2, Rangataua 0.