Rugby: East meets West in semifinal clash

Tauranga will be divided this morning as Tauranga East and West come together in the first of two Tai Mitchell semifinals at Blake Park.

It was always going to prove difficult for either side to qualify top of the table following their opening 17-17 draw on Friday, meaning they were always likely to meet in the clash between the second and third placed finishers in the round robin competition.

The Tauranga and Rotorua sides split a double header yesterday - meaning the Tauranga teams had conflicting fortunes against their Rotorua counterparts.

Exactly 100 points were scored in West's match with Rotorua Gold - with the Tauranga side responsible for 97 of them.

The 97-3 win was built on strong running by backs and forwards alike, and could not have been any different preparation for today's crucial knockout match than East's tussle with Rotorua Maroon at Arataki Park.

The East succumbed 24-0 to a side that looks primed to lift the silverware on Wednesday.

The better of the two Rotorua sides have secured a four-try bonus point in each of their matches so far, and will start as favourites at 1.30pm today against fourth seeds Te Puke.

Opotiki will play Rangitaiki at Blake Park at 12.15pm in a battle between the fifth and eighth ranked teams, with sixth-placed Whakatane to meet seventh seeds Rotorua Gold at 11am.

The ninth and 10th ranked sides - Apanui and Galatea - have a bye but will in action against each other on finals day on Wednesday.

Day four results, Monday, July 15

Galatea 13 Opotiki 19

Te Puke 93 Rangitaiki 0

Apanui 0 Whakatane 38

Tauranga East 0 Rotorua Maroon 24

Rotorua Gold 3 Tauranga West 97

Tai Mitchell semifinal draw for Tuesday at Blake Park

11am - Whakatane (6) v Rotorua Gold (7), Blake 2

11am - Tauranga East (3) v Tauranga West (2), Blake 1

12.15pm - Opotiki (5) v Rangitaiki (8), Blake 2

1.30pm - Rotorua Maroon (1) v Te Puke (4), Blake 1