Rugby: Baywide sees second-half flourishes

Just two Baywide Premier teams have unblemished records after the second round of the Bay of Plenty Rugby Centennial Year competitions.
Defending champions Tauranga Sports, ran in seven tries on their way to a 46-6 win, over Whakatane Marist in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. The Tauranga team's two Portuguese players, Franciso Appleton and Nuno Penha A Costa, both touched down for tries. Lewis Hancock dotted down twice, with Dan O'Rourke, Carl Axtens and Nick Evemy also crossing the try line.
The match wasn't all one-way traffic, with the visitors holding a narrow 15-5 lead at the half way stage, before cutting loose with five further tries in the last quarter. Nick Evemy added four conversions and a penalty goal for the Tauranga Sports.
Whakarewarewa posted their second consecutive victory, when they dashed away from Te Puna 48-18, at Whaka headquarters in Rotorua. However it was another game where the opposition made a spirited bid in the first half. While Whaka quickly put on 17 unanswered points, Te Puna stormed back to lead 18-17, before a Kelly Haimona late first half penalty resulted in a 20-18 advantage to the home team at the break.
The second half belonged to Whaka who posted a 30-point victory. The best try of the match was started by Alijah Wilson-Haira deep in Whaka territory, with the ball distributed through a number of hands, before Aleki Kisina dived over the line for the five pointer.
Opotiki retained their unbeaten record when they battled to a 38-all draw with Rangataua in the Eastern Bay.
The home team who were led by inspirational skipper Dean Elmiger, who grabbed two tries, held a 26-17 advantage at the break in play - with the encounter finishing with the two sides being unable to be separated.
The match-up in Rotorua between Waikite and Mount Maunganui was a close run affair, with the Mount side sneaking home by three points 18-15. Waikite led 10-3 at the half way stage with their forward pack taking control, before the Mount settled down to grab the narrow win.
Team management singled out the performance of Mount skipper Chris Elvin who led by example all day.
Rotoiti kicked a last gasp penalty to defeat Te Puke Sports 21-19 at Emery Park.
After leading 13-10 at the break, Te Puke were still front with the clock ticking down, until a late match Rotoiti penalty resulted in the home side sneaking home by two points.
Te Teko showed they will be the team to get past in Division One, when they posted a second comprehensive victory.
At home to Greerton Marist, the Eastern Bay side posted a solid 36-14 win, against the perennial Division One contenders.
Katikati who won promotion to the second echelon last season, showed that they will be a force to be reckoned with, when they drew 23-all with last year's runner-up Rangiuru.
Marist St Michaels defeated Ruatoki 31-12 in a game that finished late in the afternoon, Kahukura sneaked home from Reporoa 23-22, while Ngongotaha had a good battle with Paroa before winning 32-22.
Te Puke Sports Colts started their chase of a second successive age group title with an emphatic 87 nil victory against Rotoiti, with Mount Maunganui also posting a large score when they defeated Waikite 80 nil. The closest Colts match was between Te Puna and Ruatoki, with Te Puna sneaking home 32-30.
Bay of Plenty Rugby Baywide, April 2
Premier: Rotoiti 21(Rob McCann, Ziggy Fisiihoi' tries; Sikeli Voranusu 2 pens con, EJ Robinson pen) Te Puke Sports 19 (Hugo Bernard try; Simon Rolleston 3 pen con, Andrew Miller dg) HT10-13. Tauranga Sports 46 (Lewis Hancock 2, Dan O'Rourke, Francisco Appleton, Carl Axtens, Nuno Penha E Costa tries; Nick Evemy 4 con pen) Whakatane Marist 6. HT 15-5. Opotiki 38 (Dean Elmigier 2, Te Amo Wilbore 2, Matt Henwood, Kevin Waterson tries; Sam Howe 3 cons) Rangataua 38 (Jason Hona 2, Timoti Gardiner, Ryan Hika, Ruki Tipuna tries; Tipuna 5 con pen) HT 26-17. Whakarewarewa 48 (Doug Edwards 2, Trent Sweeney, Aleki Kisina, Arika Mako, Liam Coleman tries; Kelly Haimona 6 con 2 pens) Te Puna 18 (Hamish Ross, Pomare Pearson tries; Darrell Houia 2 pens con) HT 20-18. Mount Maunganui 18 (Lance MacDonald, Malaki Kissini tries; Paul Tietjens 2 pens con) Waikite 15 HT 3-10.
Div One: Te Teko 36 Greerton Marist 14, Katikati 23 Rangiuru 23, Kahukura 23 Reporoa 22, Ngongotaha 32 Paroa 22, Marist St Michaels 31 Ruatoki 12.
Colts: (Blue) Te Puke Sports 87 Rotoiti 0, Mount Maunganui 80 Waikite 0, Te Puna 32 Ruatoki 30, Whakatane Marist won by default; (Gold) Opotiki 41 Rangataua 12, Marist St Michaels 54 Whakarewarewa 0, Tauranga Sports 30 Greerton Marist 10, Judea won by default.