Club rugby: Bridge rivals set to renew their battle

Bay of Plenty's new-found locking stocks will be tested against each other in one of several intriguing sidelines to club rugby's Battle of the Bridge.
Mount Maunganui's Leighton Price will go up against another former Taranaki product, Tauranga Sports' Leon Power, in the middle of the packs tomorrow as the age-old rivals square off again.
Tauranga Sports have 10 players unavailable for the clash, with Steamers Phil Burleigh and Josh Hohneck late losses through injury, but another Bay lock Culum Retallick will start off their bench.
Mount coach Marty Bourke has a couple of injury concerns of his own, with Bay wing Lance MacDonald and New Zealand sevens player Scott Curry named in the reserves but in doubt.
With Tauranga sitting third on the Baywide table on 16 points and Mount fifth just three points back, it's not just bragging rights at stake.
"We've only won one of the last three games we've played at Blake Park, so it is a tough match for us and one that we have been targeting," Tauranga coach Mike Rogers said.
"We always enjoy the game, as the Mount play with a similar willingness to attack and we enjoy the rivalry."
Mount's halfback woes may be eased, with former Hurricanes No9 and All Black tourist Jason Spice possibly making his debut off the bench. The former star is in the twilight of his career, having just returned from Wales, but has ended up just over the hill from where he began his playing career with Waharoa-Walton and Matamata College.
The unavailable roster for Tauranga Sports includes Chiefs players Sam Cane and Dan Perrin, Blues flanker Luke Braid, New Zealand sevens star Toby Arnold and Carl Axtens, who with Cane was named in the New Zealand under-20 side yesterday.
Bourke is keen to see how his skipper Chris Elvin fares against Tauranga loosies Callum Armstrong, Scott McCormick and Adam Robinson.
"That loose forward battle should prove to be a good one, with a lot of experience on both sides," Bourke said. Other games tomorrow see second-placed Rotoiti host fourth-placed Rangataua, while Waikite's big pack will be hosting another handy collection of forwards when Te Puke Sports come to visit.
Opotiki and Te Puna have only won one game each this season, but Opotiki have picked up two draws and Te Puna have grabbed a heap of bonus points, so tomorrow's game is vital to either side wanting to stay in touch with the leaders.
The leader is Whakarewarewa on 20 points and that's a position the Rotorua side should maintain with a game against last-placed Whakatane Marist looming, although Whakarewarewa lost the corresponding fixture last year.
Draws: Premier: Rotoiti v Rangataua, Emery Park; Whakarewarewa v Whakatane Marist, Puarenga Park; Mount Maunganui v Tauranga Sports, Blake Park; Waikite v Te Puke Sports, Bellvue Road; Te Puna v Opotiki, Maramatanga Park.
Division one: Katikati v Reporoa, Moore Park; Greerton Marist v Kahukura, Greerton Park; Ruatoki v Paroa, Tuhoe Park; Te Teko v Marist St Michaels, Dunderdale Park; Rangiuru v Ngongotaha, Jamieson Oval.
Colts: Blue section: Whakatane Marist v Mount Maunganui, Rugby Park; Rotoiti v Ruatoki, Emery Park; Waikite v Te Puke Sports; Te Puna bye. Gold section: Edgecumbe v Opotiki, Edgecumbe Domain; Marist St Michaels v Tauranga Sports, Marist Park; Whakarewarewa v Judea, Puarenga Park; Greerton Marist v Rangataua, Greerton Park.