The Baywide Premier rugby competition, typified by tight tussles in the opening two rounds, promises much more of the same this weekend.
Seven of the ten matches played in the two rounds so far have been decided by seven points or less, suggesting the unparallelled pre-season training regimes put in place by a number of clubs are paying dividends in the form of stoic defences that have been difficult to breach.
Promoted Paroa, which got their first win in the premier division with a hard fought 24-21 result against Greerton Marist at home last week, will look to keep the ball rolling against a Whakarewarewa side beaten handily by Tauranga Sports in round two.
Paroa have proven the competition's early surprise package of the opening two rounds after narrowly going down to Te Puke Sports 24-18 on opening day.
Winless Greerton Marist will look to get their campaign on track at home against an impressive Te Puna side unlucky not to have tipped over defending champions Te Puke Sports last week.
The sides lost their respective round two clashes by a total of six points and Greerton Marist, which has a points differential of just -10 despite losing both matches so far, will be especially keen to come away from the contest with something other than a bonus point.
Greerton Marist coach Kane Parker said his side is in for a big test this week against a Te Puna side sporting a big pack and more structure than in years gone by.
The cavalry, though, is coming.
"We've got through the first two weeks with a few players missing, but a number of them are back this weekend."
Six first choice backline players are back on board, meaning Parker's side is likely to be vastly different to the one that suffered close losses in the earlier rounds.
He believes his young side was extremely unlucky not to have taken the points against Paroa, adding stern words from the leadership group and vigorous training sessions during the week have left his players in good shape heading into the weekend.
Mount Maunganui will look to keep their season rolling against Rotoiti following a last gasp come-from- behind victory against a desperately unlucky Rangataua side last weekend.
The Mounties, on the back of a controlled display from pivot Matt Golding, ran down their rivals in the final 20 minutes at the picturesque Te Ariki Park, and will be looking to continue that form at home against Rotoiti, which squeaked by Opotiki 24-22 last week.
The sides are two of five teams locked in the middle of the table on five points after the opening two rounds, with early season points likely to be of upmost importance later in the season in determining the semifinal and relegation races.
Competition front runners Tauranga Sports will be looking to keep their unblemished record intact on a tough away trip to Opotiki. The trip to Princess Street Reserve is one that few players look forward to, which is not likely to change this season following Opotiki's 30-10 dismantling of Rangataua in round one.
Life without stand-out fullback Nick McCashin begins for Te Puke Sports at Murray Salt Stadium on Saturday against a winless Rangataua side. A massive adjustment in game plan will be required from the hosts, who relied on the peerless McCashin's all round contributions. .
In his final game for the club last Thursday night under lights in Te Puna, it was McCashin who flew across in cover to deny what looked like a certain try that would have tipped the game in Te Puna's favour.
In first-five Simon Rolleston, and last year's Tauranga Boys' First XV halfback Carlos Savage, Te Puke look to have the quality to cope with McCashin's absence, but that is not to say that other sides will not look to exploit the large hole left by the departing Steamer.