Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Mixed results for Rotorua sides at secondary school finals day

David Beck
By David Beck
Multimedia sports journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
19 Aug, 2017 08:21 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

RAMPAGING: Rotorua Girls' High School No8 Matalena Rapana charges up field against Tauranga Girls' College in the premier girls' final at Rugby Park in Whakatane. PHOTO/DAVID BECK
RAMPAGING: Rotorua Girls' High School No8 Matalena Rapana charges up field against Tauranga Girls' College in the premier girls' final at Rugby Park in Whakatane. PHOTO/DAVID BECK

RAMPAGING: Rotorua Girls' High School No8 Matalena Rapana charges up field against Tauranga Girls' College in the premier girls' final at Rugby Park in Whakatane. PHOTO/DAVID BECK

Western Heights High School have defied their underdog status to beat Te Wharekura o Mauao 24-14 in the Baywide Division 1 final.

It was an action-packed day of rugby at Rugby Park in Whakatane during which the boys' Division 1, 2, under-15 and second XV, and girls' premier finals were played.

TWKM were unbeaten in Division 1 this season - they beat Western Heights 29-17 in the last week of the round robin.

However, Western Heights pulled it together when it counted to be crowned Division 1 champions.

Western Heights High School beat Te Wharekura o Mauao 24-14 in the Baywide Division 1 final.
Western Heights High School beat Te Wharekura o Mauao 24-14 in the Baywide Division 1 final.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In the Premier girls' final Tauranga Girls' College beat Rotorua Girls' High School 20-12 to lift the trophy.

After leading 15-0 at halftime Tauranga made life hard for themselves in the second half, receiving two yellow cards and a red card - inviting Rotorua to make a comeback.

All three cards were for high tackles, although none were malicious in nature - the girls simply got their tackling technique slightly wrong.

Rotorua had their chances to narrow the margin towards the end of the second half but a spirited Tauranga defensive line held strong for the win.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They started the game well, dominating territory and possession, and were rewarded after five minutes when lock Holly Topp crashed over to score.

Tauranga looked a well-drilled side and added to their lead with a brilliant piece of backline play. First five Hope Garner carried the ball left before straightening up, drawing in defenders and creating an overlap for fullback Minardi Daniel to go over on the left-hand side.

Rotorua showed glimpses of attacking brilliance but couldn't quite turn it into points and with 10 minutes left in the half Tauranga made it 15-0. Again it was Garner running the show but this time she threw a dummy and glided threw a gap to score.

They made it 20-0 early in the second half through a second try to Daniel.

Discover more

Redemption for Boys' High at touch champs

11 Dec 12:45 AM
POWER: Tauranga Girls' College prop Angel Mulu attempts to break out of tackles. PHOTO/DAVID BECK
POWER: Tauranga Girls' College prop Angel Mulu attempts to break out of tackles. PHOTO/DAVID BECK

But, that's when the drama began. Tauranga prop Rose Togatogarua was the first to receive a yellow card and Rotorua winger Emma Tonihi-O'Toole scored from the resulting penalty.

Minutes later Tauranga fullback Minardi Daniel was red-carded. Rotorua worked their way up field and their other winger Allanah Tapara scored. Garner received her side's second yellow card for her effort in preventing the try.

Having reduced the lead to 20-12 it appeared to be game on for Rotorua but Tauranga fought off wave after wave of attack to claim the title.

CHAMPIONS: Tauranga Girls' College players celebrate their win over Rotorua Girls' High School in the Baywide secondary school final on Saturday. PHOTO/DAVID BECK
CHAMPIONS: Tauranga Girls' College players celebrate their win over Rotorua Girls' High School in the Baywide secondary school final on Saturday. PHOTO/DAVID BECK

Tauranga coach Jeff Robb said his side controlled the game in the first half.

"In the second half our discipline let us down - we were down to 13 players and struggled. Rotorua came back and punished us, as they should, but generally overall I though it was a good game.

"Our forwards showed a lot of heart, they scrummed well and worked hard for one another. Playing with heart was probably the deciding factor, that's what we've talked about.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It has been a successful season and we've got quite a young side. We've only got a few year 13s, who dominated today, they'll leave but the other girls are coming along well and enjoying their rugby," Robb said.

Results:
Division 1:
Western Heights 24 v Te Wharekura o Mauao 14

Division 2:
Taupo Nui a Tia 26 v Te Puke High School 6

Second XV Division:
Tauranga Boys' College 5th XV won over Western Heights 2nd XV

Under-15:
Tauranga Boys' Under 15 A 31 v Trident High School 12

Baywide Secondary School Girls:
Tauranga Girls' 20 v Rotorua Girls' 12

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Delays on SH1 near Taupō after slip

12 Jun 04:08 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Signatures sought for new State HIghway 2 bridge

12 Jun 02:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Reporoa mum baking to thank the hospital that saved her son’s life

12 Jun 12:37 AM

It was just a stopover – 18 months later, they call it home

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Five stunning coastal golf courses to play around the British Isles
Travel

Five stunning coastal golf courses to play around the British Isles

12 Jun 07:00 AM
Mark Lundy's media silence raises concerns over freedom of speech
New Zealand

Mark Lundy's media silence raises concerns over freedom of speech

12 Jun 06:49 AM
Search continues for New Plymouth woman missing for two nights
New Zealand

Search continues for New Plymouth woman missing for two nights

12 Jun 06:27 AM
 Water cut to 150 Auckland homes after contractor damages main
New Zealand

Water cut to 150 Auckland homes after contractor damages main

12 Jun 06:14 AM
These mushroom, lemon and egg tarts are wrapped in crispy filo
Viva - Food & Drink

These mushroom, lemon and egg tarts are wrapped in crispy filo

12 Jun 06:00 AM

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Delays on SH1 near Taupō after slip

Delays on SH1 near Taupō after slip

12 Jun 04:08 AM

NZTA says SH1 between Taupō and Tūrangi is under stop/go traffic management.

Signatures sought for new State HIghway 2 bridge

Signatures sought for new State HIghway 2 bridge

12 Jun 02:00 AM
Reporoa mum baking to thank the hospital that saved her son’s life

Reporoa mum baking to thank the hospital that saved her son’s life

12 Jun 12:37 AM
Night market cancelled this week ‘as a precaution’ after vehicle incident

Night market cancelled this week ‘as a precaution’ after vehicle incident

11 Jun 07:57 PM
The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE
sponsored

The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search