Rugby: Leading lights shine the brightest

Te Puke Sports and Tauranga Sports have underlined their playoffs credentials in the PGG Wrightson Baywide club rugby premiership, although the two frontrunners' bonus-point wins on Saturday came in contrasting circumstances.

Defending Baywide champions Te Puke Sports were involved in a close contest with Rotoiti at Murray Salt Stadium in Te Puke.

Te Puke had a 10-3 lead at halftime which they extended to a 14-point advantage.

However, Rotoiti charged back to tie up the game at 17-all before Te Puke grabbed their fourth try to scrape home 24-17, Gideon Uelese scoring twice and Simon Rolleston and John Corbett once each.

Baywide rugby followers were struggling to remember a bigger premier scoreline after Tauranga Sports thrashed hapless Waikite 118-0 at Tauranga Domain.

Tauranga Sports' scoring spree started soon after the opening whistle and they never let up, spinning the ball wide at every opportunity.

Tauranga halfback Lewis Hancock brought up 100 points for the season with his four tries, while Johan Mientjies and Nick Thompson grabbed three tries each.

Blues Super 15 skipper Luke Braid returned to rare winning form with two tries for Tauranga.

First-five Nick Evemy took his season points tally to 143 with two tries and eight conversions.

Whakarewarewa kept their playoff chances alive with a hard-fought 20-18 win over Opotiki in the Sulphur City.

Whaka started brightest, with Chanse Ritete-Perham and Tofu Pomale running in first-half tries. Ritete-Perham's was a beauty, the talented youngster involved in the build-up on several occasions before dotting the ball down under the posts.

Opotiki grabbed a one-point lead in the second spell before Maurice Stone slotted a penalty to clinch the match for the home side.

Te Puna's high-scoring 38-all draw with Greerton Marist at Greerton Park ensured both sides made progress on the ladder.

Te Puna moved to within one point of the top four, while Greerton took a significant step towards avoiding relegation.

Mount Maunganui won a relatively even contest against Rangataua, running in two late tries for a 37-23 victory.

Te Teko were desperate to get their division one playoff hopes back on track but had to settle for a 17-all draw with second placed Paroa at Dunderdale Park.

Ruatoki belied their place at the bottom of the standings when they led Whakatane Marist for much of the contest, before Marist got home 24-21.

Rangiuru took their unbeaten run to 14 straight games when they dispatched Poroporo 53-10 in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Mount colts continued their outstanding form when they beat defending titleholders Te Puke Sports 22-8 in the curtain raiser at Blake Park.