Tauranga Sports will host next week's grand final of the Bayfair Baywide Premier rugby competition after they beat Opotiki by 42-20 in a much closer game than the score indicates at the Tauranga Domain on Saturday.
Yes, Sports did run in six tries to three and a 20-point victory margin is comfortable, but for 20 minutes in the second half it was the noisy Opotiki supporters making all the din as their team camped inside the Tauranga half.
When their fine attacking fullback Te Amo Wilbore crossed for his second try near the posts the momentum swung Opotiki's way, but he missed the easy conversion and a few minutes later an even simpler kick in front that would have closed the gap to just 10 points with 15 minutes to play.
Next play Tauranga's Paul Morris was late-tackled after kicking a long punt down field, and from the lineout option, halfback Josh Hall and centre Aifsi Esera combined well with livewire flanker Jeff Thwaites to set up an attacking ruck from which tighthead prop Pingi Tala'apitaga crashed over for the matchwinner.
There was time for a final Tauranga try to Nic Evemy and a late consolation for Opotiki through fullback Wilbore but Tala'apitaga's try effectively sealed the game. He was one of three Steamers given a late clearance to play and was effectively the man of the match. Opotiki have dominated every team all season at scrum time but Tala'apitaga was rock solid and showed why the Steamers think so highly of him.
The game's early stages followed a similar recent pattern of Tauranga starting slowly and Opotiki were 8-0 up after 10 minutes with a penalty then a smartly taken try by halfback Sam Howe. Tauranga finally settled into their traditional well-organised game plan and were ahead 14-8 with 10 minutes to play in the first half after tries to No8 Callum Armstrong and speedy winger Philip Togotogorua, who added another in the second spell.
Right on the break an unusual incident led to another Tauranga try and a commanding 21-8 lead that Opotiki never managed to haul in. First five Te Hata Wilbore dropped out from his 22 but overcooked the kick so much it was forced in the Tauranga in-goal area, which meant a scrum feed to Tauranga on the Opotiki 22. The ball was fed left and Gareth Brown, in his 101st game for Tauranga, scored with a diagonal run under the bar.
The main areas of concern for Tauranga team and supporters ahead of next week's final against Mount Maunganui will be to get more accurate with their lineout throwing and to ensure they take the points when available.
Morris has been the best goalkicker in the comp all season and his six conversions from six attempts - three from out wide - made the difference in the end and broke the club record for points in a season.
Morris has now scored 214 to go past Eruera Haimona's previous record of 209 points.
Tauranga won the round robin by 30 points and have just one game left to round off a memorable season.
However, Mount Maunganui is the one side with the firepower out wide to match them. Next Saturday's final should be a high-scoring, entertaining finale.
Tauranga Sports 42
(Philip Togotogorua 2, Callum Armstrong, Gareth Brown, Pingi Tala'apitaga, Nic Evemy tries; Morris 6 cons) Opotiki 20 (Te Amo Wilbore 2, Sam Howe tries; Te Hata Wilbore con, Te Amo Wilbore pen)