The Daily Post's sports department previews some of the grassroots events happening around the region's sports fields this weekend.
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Baywide rugby
The formula is simple for Rotoiti's premier rugby team: win in Tauranga and pretty much secure a
spot in this year's Baywide semi-finals.
Rotoiti coach Wayne Ormond has had a stellar start to his coaching career, taking a team who finished sixth last year to equal third with Te Puna.
They take on the might of Tauranga Sports at Tauranga Domain tomorrow. Tauranga Sports will be still hurting from their narrow loss to Rangataua last week.
Their coach Mike Rogers will have no lack of motivation to fire up his team despite sitting safely in second on the premier points table. Tauranga won the first round encounter between the two team 21-15 at Emery Park.
There is no respite for Rotoiti or Opotiki - who play Mt Maunganui at Blake Park. Te Puna sits just one point behind the two sides. Te Puna head to Rotorua to take on bottom of the table Waikite at Bellvue Rd.
It's hard to imagine Waikite being able to hold out Te Puna who won a nailbiter 39-32 over Whakarewarewa last weekend.
Te Puna coach Vaughan Bidois will be looking to first-five Te Aihi Toma and fullback Daryl Houia to repeat the devastating form they showed against Whaka.
Whaka still have a mathematical chance of making the playoffs, if Rotoiti, Opotiki and Te Puna fall over tomorrow. The equation also relies on the Rotorua side doing what only Tauranga Sports manage to do way back in round 11 - beat Te Puke Sports.
It could be a tough ask for Whaka who travel to Te Puke's Murray Salt Stadium to take on the competition leaders.
Mt Maunganui will be looking to spoil Opotiki's party when the host the Eastern Bay side at Blake Park. The Mount are a side not to be taken lightly as many teams have found out the hard way.
With the threat of relegation now out of the way, Greerton Marist and Rangataua will be looking for bragging rights, when the two sides meet at Greerton Park tomorrow.
Rangataua won the last encounter 35-27, but Greerton at home are a proud club and will be keen to exact revenge on their opponents.
Division One has an equally intriguing scenario as the top echelon. Rangiuru and Paroa have already qualified for the top four who will contest post section play - with Kahukura, Ngongotaha, Te Teko and Whakatane Marist still in the hunt for the last two semi-final berths.
The form book suggests that Whakatane Marist should beat Reporoa and Kahukura will get past Ruatoki to remain in contention.
Ngongotaha have a tough assignment when they meet Division One leaders Rangiuru in the Western Bay.
However, the former Baywide heavyweight has been in good form in recent weeks and could trouble the Te Puke-based team.
Te Teko will host Marist St Michaels, who in spite of sitting off the pace have caused a couple of upsets during the season. Paroa will travel to meet Poroporo in an Eastern Bay local derby.
A top-of-the-table clash will take place in the Colts title race, with Tauranga Sports hosting Te Puna in the curtain raiser at the Tauranga Domain.
Last weekend, the Tauranga side caused a minor upset when they provided Mount Maunganui with just their second loss of the season, with Te Puna edging out defending colts champions Te Puke Sports.
Mount Maunganui should rebound from last week's loss when they host Marist St Michaels, with Te Puke Sports at home to Greerton Marist in a must-win game for both sides.
In the Colts second section Opotiki and Ruatoki square off in a Eastern Bay derby, Kahukura host fellow Rotorua side Waikite, with Rotoiti and Whakarewarewa going head to head at Emery Park.
PGG Wrightson Baywide Rugby
Premier (2.45pm): Tauranga Sports v Rotoiti, Tauranga Domain; Mount Maunganui v Opotiki, Blake Park; Waikite v Te Puna, Bellvue Road; Greerton Marist v Rangataua, Greerton Park; Te Puke Sports v Whakarewarewa, Murray Salt Stadium.
Points: Te Puke Sports 70, Tauranga Sports 61, Opotiki 49, Rotoiti 49, Te Puna 48, Whakarewarewa 42, Mount Maunganui 39, Greerton Marist 20, Rangataua 18, Waikite 8.
Division One (2.45): Kahukura v Ruatoki, Kuirau Park; Rangiuru v Ngongotaha, Centennial Park; Whakatane Marist v Reporoa, Rugby Park; Te Teko v Marist St Michaels, Dunderdale Park; Poroporo v Paroa, Poroporo Park.
Points: Rangiuru 73, Paroa 66, Kahukura 51, Ngongotaha 48, Te Teko 47, Whakatane Marist 43, Marist St Michaels 34, Poroporo 27, Reporoa 9, Ruatoki 7.
Colts (1pm)
Section One: Mount Maunganui v Marist St Michaels, Blake Park; Tauranga Sports v Te Puna, Tauranga Domain; Te Puke Sports v Greerton Marist, Murray Salt Stadium.
Points: Tauranga Sports 12, Te Puna 9, Mount Maunganui 8, Greerton Marist 6, Te Puke Sports 5, Marist St Michaels 0.
Section Two: Opotiki v Ruatoki, Princess Street Reserve; Kahukura v Waikite, Kuirau Park; Rotoiti v Whakarewarewa, Emery Park; Rangataua the bye.
Pool A: Rangataua 12, Kahukura 10, Ruatoki 9, Whakarewarewa 4.
Pool B: Waikite 14, Opotiki 10, Rotoiti 0.
- Greg Taipari
Football
With the two top teams Taupo and Claudelands Rovers, likely to continue their wining ways more pressure will come on the teams at the bottom of the table.
Even though Taupo have not played to their potential in recent weeks the Challenge Shield should stay in the in the trophy cabinet at Crown Park as a loss to bottom-of-the-table Otorohanga would be the upset of the season. It is also hard to see Tauranga Boys' College overcoming Claudelands Rovers, even though they have home advantage.
Melville United and AFC Fury, who have hung tenaciously to third and fourth place for some time, both have demanding away games. Melville play Otumoetai at Fergusson Park, and after a poor performance against Ngongotaha last week the home side will be looking to bounce back, while Fury face Whakatane Town, who have regained their early season form, and are difficult to beat at Rex Morpeth Park.
Old Blues and Ngongotaha, who are tied with Whakatane in mid-table meet at Waipuna Park. It has been an up and down season for both teams and a repeat of their first round draw would not be a surprise result.
It is yet another critical game for Rotorua United against Waikato Unicol. United have eight games to play and it is likely they will need a minimum of fifteen points if they are to avoid the ignominy of relegation. United and Unicol drew 3-3 earlier in the season which suggests they are evenly matched, however Unicol are seven points above United on the table.
In division two, Tauranga City who are assured promotion should be untroubled to beat bottom of the table Matamata while Rotorua United host Clube Alegria at Neil Hunt Park. Cambridge who are looking likely to take the second promotion spot are away against Te Awamutu, while West Hamilton host Katikati.
Division one points: Taupo played 37, Claudelands 36, Melville 24, Fury 21, Whakatane, Ngongotaha, Old Blues 18, Otumoetai 16, Unicol 15, Tauranga Boys' 13, Rotorua United 8, Otorohanga 5.
Division two points: Tauranga 36, Cambridge 27, Alegria, Katikati 24, Tokoroa 16, Te Awamutu 15, Rotorua 10, West Hamilton 8, Matamata 5.
- Brian Smith
Motocross
A combination of icy grass, deep ruts and high speed should make for some very close and exciting dirt bike racing near the sleepy lakeside tourist town of Turangi tomorrow.
It was edge-of-the-seat racing at the New Zealand Motorcycle TT Championships near Turangi last season and it is expected to be more of the same when the bike racers hit Kuratau for the 2012 edition tomorrow and Sunday.
TT racing is like superbike racing on soil instead of tarmac - there are no jumps to slow down the dirt bike racers.
The entry list includes the stars of motocross, cross-country, enduro and even road-racing, All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and super motard and they will hit eye-watering speeds as they chase glory at this 13th annual Bike Torque-sponsored national TT championships at Kuratau.
The racing in the premier motorcycle category, the open class bikes, went right down to the wire last season before Wairarapa racer Mason Wilkie (Yamaha) finally tipped the balance of power his way, winning the open class ahead of Taupo's Cameron Dillon (Honda).
It is likely to be these two talented young riders who battle for top honours again in the open class this weekend, although they will also have to contend with riders such as former national TT champion Brad Groombridge, from Taupo, Ngatea's Luke Temple, Pukekohe's Scott Wilkins and Auckland's Toby Summers.
In the ATV class it was Amberley's Ian Ffitch leading all the way last year.
The Honda star drove up from quake-ravaged Canterbury to do a little earth-shaking of his own at Kuratau last year, romping to his first outright win.
The then 41-year-old scored a clean sweep in the ATV Open class, recording a string of five convincing wins at the two-day event, and eclipsing three-time previous champion Quentin Palmer (Suzuki) in the process.
Ffitch will no doubt be the leading contender again this weekend but he will likely face a stern challenge from Rotorua's Jason Jepson, Napier's Wade Taylor and Tauranga's Mark Goldstone.
There is also racing this weekend in the women's, juniors' and veterans' categories.
Organised by the Taumarunui Motorcycle Club, the venue is just off State Highway 41, and will be signposted from the Kuratau Junction, SH 41 and 32.
- Andy McGechan
League
With the top two teams in the Waicoa Bay premier league getting a week off, it falls to teams such as Otumoetai Eels and Pikiao Warriors to start building towards securing themselves a semi-final spot.
The Eels will host the Pacific Sharks at Mitchell Park tomorrow with the home side grabbing the favourites tag after a tight 39-36 win over Pikiao last week. Pacific will equally be wanting to grab the win after losing to Taniwharau 22-20.
Thanks to a top two finish in the Black Pool, Taniwharau host the Warriors at Davies Park.
It has been a tough couple of weeks for the boys from Mourea - after being given a lesson by Ngaruawahia two weeks ago and then the close loss to the Eels, the Selwyn Rikiti-coached side are desperate to get a tick in the win column.
But they will need all the help they can from their experienced players such as BJ Raroa, Ivor Thomas and captain Jason Kameta.
A loss here and it could be an early exit for the only Rotorua team in the competition.
Tauranga Whalers will take a trip to Taupo tomorrow to take on a well-rested Phoenix side at Hickling Park.
The Whalers were another team given a lesson by Ngaruawahia, who beat the boys from Tauranga 42-12.
In the other match in the round, Turangawaewae should be too strong for Hukanui at Paterson Park.
All four games are expected to kick off at 2.30pm.
Waicoa Bay Premier Club Competition
(2.30pm) Taniwharau v Pikiao, Davies Park; Otumoetai Eels v Pacific, Mitchell Park; Taupo Phoenix v Tauranga Whalers, Hickling Park; Turangawaewae v Hukanui, Paterson Park; Ngaruawahia and Hamilton City Tigers *bye*.
- Greg Taipari