Te Puke replied with a penalty before a converted try apiece saw the visitors lead 14-10 at the break.
The second half see-sawed before the Te Puke Pirates took the lead by five as the clock ticked down. Tauranga Sports hit back with a try in the 38th minute with Lucas Cashmore sealing the win when his conversion attempt sailed between the posts.
Whakarewarewa will host Tauranga Sports in the grand final at Puarenga Park on Saturday.
Tauranga Sports came from fourth place in the Baywide Development qualifying rounds to defeat the number one qualifier, Te Puna, at Maramatanga Park.
The scoreline was one game apiece in the regular season, with Te Puna winning the first encounter by 31 points, before Tauranga Sports got their revenge 27-20 in the second stanza.
Tauranga Sports owned the first half on Saturday and led 21-0 at halftime. Te Puna came back with two converted touchdowns, but the visitors to Maramatanga Park took out the encounter 28-14.
Mount Maunganui will host the Development final after they returned home from the cauldron at Puarenga Park in Rotorua with a 37-17 victory.
In the Central Bay of Plenty Senior A division, Ngongotahā and Rotoiti will meet in this weekend’s final after hard fought wins in their semifinals.
Ngongotahā scrapped home 28-24 at Marist Park while Rotoiti prevailed 33-21 over Reporoa.
In the Baywide Premier Women’s competition semifinal, Ngongotahā beat Poroporo 36-0 to set up a grand final against Rangataua, who pipped Mount Maunganui 17-15.
In the Baywide Championship Women’s competition, Te Puna beat Ōpōtiki 17-12 to set up a grand final against Whakarewarewa in Rotorua this weekend.
BOPRU/WBOPRS Rugby Results July 12:
Baywide Premier semifinals: Whakarewarewa 25 Greerton Marist 17, Tauranga Sports 31 Te Puke Sports 29.
2025 final: Whakarewarewa v Tauranga Sports at Puarenga Park
Baywide Development semifinals: Tauranga Sports 28 Te Puna 14, Mount Maunganui 37 Whakarewarewa 17.
2025 final: Mount Maunganui v Tauranga Sports at Blake Park
Central Bay of Plenty Senior A semifinals: Ngongotahā 28 Marist 24. Rotoiti 33 Reporoa 21
2025 final: Rotoiti v Ngongotahā at Haumingi Park
Baywide Premier Women semifinals: Ngongotahā 36 Poroporo 0, Rangataua 17 Mount Maunganui 15
2025 final: Ngongotahā v Rangataua at Ngongotaha Domain
Baywide Championship Women semifinals: Te Puna 17 Ōpōtiki 12, Whakarewarewa v Greerton (no score available)
2025 final: Whakarewarewa v Te Puna at Puarenga Park
Baywide Colts/U85kg: Pāpāmoa 38 Te Teko 12, Mount Maunganui 41 Te Puke Sports 26, Tauranga Sports 17 Greerton Marist 10, Taupō defeated Marist St Michael’s.
