Te Puke Sports' captain Luther Hirini tries to skip around the Ngongotahā defence. Photos / Stuart Whitaker
Te Puke Sports' captain Luther Hirini tries to skip around the Ngongotahā defence. Photos / Stuart Whitaker
Rugby The significance of next Saturday's derby clash between Rangiuru and Te Puke Sports can't be under estimated.
Not only could the game determine whether or not either club progresses to the Baywide Rugby play-offs, it will also determine the close-season home of the Western Bay challenge trophy, the JordanCup, currently held by Rangiuru.
On top of that there will be plenty of emotion in the game with Rangiuru, for the first time in many seasons, taking their near neighbours' scalp when the teams met earlier in the season, and Te Puke Sports marking the 200th club game of stalwart prop Matt Wallis.
Rangiuru jumped into third place on the standings after coming from, behind to beat bottom-placed Mount Maunganui 27-22 at Centennial Park last Saturday.
The home side was on the board early through an Isaac Te Aute try but the Mount drew level within three minutes.
Simon Rolleston pushed Rangiuru out to an 8-5 lead on the quarter hour before a Carlos Price try and conversion and a Dyvontae Tippett try, also converted by Price, right on the halftime whistle, gave the visitors a 19-8 halftime lead.
As they did in the first half, Rangiuru scored early in the second, No 8 Jack Sturmey going over, but this time there was no reply with Tanerau Latimer and Jamie Culligan going over for tries, both converted by Rolleston.
The Mount scored the final points with a penalty five minutes before the end, but Rangiuru held on for the win that also saw them retain the Jordan Cup.
Te Puke Sports sit in fifth, but still have chance of play-off rugby in two weeks time after they got past Ngongotahā at Murray Salt Stadium.
Te Puke Sports' captain Luther Hirini tries to skip around the Ngongotahā defence. Photos / Stuart Whitaker
A first half arm-wrestle was broken when Te Puke Sports were awarded a penalty try at the 30-minute mark. Ngongotahā got on the board with a late first spell penalty, to see Te Puke Sports leading 7-3 at the break.
Two Pirates' tries to Micah Rauhala and Alan Holland saw the home side lead 21-3. A brace of Ngongotahā tries narrowed the gap to six, before Ash Moeke slotted a penalty goal.
Right on fulltime, the visitors grabbed a further seven points, with the game finishing with Te Puke Sports taking out a 24-22 victory. Danny Underwood was named player of the day.
Te Puke Sports will host next Saturday's crucial game.
A win for Rangiuru will see them clinch a semifinal berth and retain the Jordan Cup. If Te Puke win, then bonus points and the results of other games will come into play to determine if either or both teams' seasons come to an end.
Te Puke Sports Development side cemented a narrow lead at the top of the competition standings after they blitzed Ngongotahā 38-5, in the curtain-raiser at Murray Salt Stadium.
Te Puke Sports player of the day Danny Underwood chases his own kick.
Victory over Rangiuru next Saturday will give them the top spot in the qualifying championship competition, and home ground advantage in the playoffs. Rangiuru's development side went down 32-12 to Mount Maunganui.
In the Western Bay Senior Reserves competition, Eastern District's beat Greerton Senior Reserves 32-20 last Saturday and will travel to Tauranga to take on Tauranga Sports Bs next Saturday, kick off 1pm.
BOPRU Results July 31 Premier One: Te Puke Sports 24 (penalty try, Micah Rauhala, Alan Holland tries; Ash Moeke 2 con, 1 pen) Ngongotahā 22 - HT 7-3. Rangiuru 27 (Isaac Te Aute, Jack Sturmey, Tanerau Latimer, Jamie Culligan tries, Simon Rolleston, 2 con, 1 pen) Mount Maunganui 22 - HT , Te Puna 19 Tauranga Sports 8, Whakarewarewa 18 Greerton Marist 16. Points Table: Te Puna 28, Whakarewarewa 23, Rangiuru 18, Greerton Marist 17, Tauranga Sports 17, Te Puke Sports 15, Ngongotahā 5, Mount Maunganui 2. Development One: Te Puke Sports 38 Ngongotahā 5, Mount Maunganui 32 Rangiuru 12, Tauranga Sports 17 Te Puna 12, Greerton Marist 21 Whakarewarewa 12. Points Table: Te Puke Sports 22, Greerton Marist 20, Mount Maunganui 20, Tauranga Sports 19, Whakarewarewa 14, Te Puna 12, Ngongotahā 10, Rangiuru 5. Baywide Premier/Development Draws August 7. Draw Te Puke Sports v Rangiuru, Murray Salt Stadium. Development 1pm, premiers, 2.45pm.
