Tauranga Sports again showed they are playing rugby at a different level to any other team in the Baywide premier competition when they ruthlessly dealt to a big-hearted Greerton Marist team by 44-15 at the Domain on Saturday.
Greerton will wonder how they competed for much of the game - and contributed greatly to the spectacle - yet got such a battering on the scoreboard. The truth is they did little wrong, except not being clinical enough when they did have Tauranga under pressure, but the credit has to go to the excellence of the unbeaten top-of-the-table team.
Led by Steamers No8 Carl Axtens, they have the ideal mix any coach would want of a tough front row- athletic ball-winning locks, tireless loose forwards, outstanding play-makers at halfback and first-five, and pace to burn throughout the rest of the backline.
Greerton started well to lead 5-3 after an acrobatic finish in the corner from winger Andrew Boyd that sent opponents and the corner flag flying. Tauranga then showed how well drilled their pack is with a try to Axtens, after a perfect driving maul from a lineout. Keepa Mewett then crashed over to increase the lead but Greerton trailed by just five points into injury time in the first half.
Tauranga then scored what would be a crucial try to outstanding halfback Josh Hall to go into the break 27-15 ahead. The try was preceded by a long injury break after Greerton halfback Dan Deveraux hurt his lower back. It was upsetting for his supporters to have to watch him lying on the sideline in agony for an ambulance that took 30 minutes to arrive. When it finally did come, a car had been parked across the gate blocking ground access, meaning a further delay.
The game was over as a contest just six minutes into the second spell when Tauranga winger Nick Thomson sprinted across after prop Kane Hanes and his mates up front had rumbled at the Greerton line.
Steamers hopeful Nick Evemy had a brilliant attacking game for Tauranga, playing at fullback in the absence of the injured Steve Honey, and it was fitting that he should end the game with another searing break up the middle of the park.
Tauranga captain Axtens was not happy with his team's start but was very content with the second 40 minutes.
"The warm-up was lackadaisical I guess and it showed in that first half but I give it to the boys because it was bloody awesome to put a second half performance in like that," Axtens said.
"It shows we have a bit of character this year I guess. It is going real smoothly at the moment and as a team we have just been doing the basics really well and not getting too far ahead of ourselves."
His opposite was obviously less enthused, but Cody Schou conceded there was a gap to reach Tauranga's level.
"I felt it was closer than it was in the end but we just let ourselves down with silly mistakes, those 50-50 passes weren't going to hand and we didn't get the bounce of the ball.
"We played ourselves out of the game. The intent was there and we worked hard, but we were beaten by the better team today," said Schou.
"We set ourselves some targets and goals and we haven't quite achieved them yet, but we are doing a lot better than last year which is something to be proud of. We have to keep training hard and grinding away. Getting points when we can is going to be important."