Rugby: Crunch-time for Rotoiti

Each remaining game should be treated as a grand final, according to Rotoiti coach Kevin Lee.

Following some mid-season resurgence in form, Rotoiti find themselves just three competition points outside a semifinals spot in the Baywide premier rugby competition.

If they manage to win their remaining two games, it should prove enough to make the semifinals.

However, this weekend's challenge could be their toughest to date, with the home side facing off against top-of-the-table Tauranga Sports at Emery Park tomorrow.

"The Te Puna game [two weeks ago] was our biggest to date and we blew that, so we have one more chance left and the way we are looking at it is the next four weeks are all grand finals for us," Lee said. "If we lose one game we will be out."

Rotoiti will be up against a Tauranga Sports side who, until last weekend, were unbeaten in the competition.

On paper, Tauranga Sports will go into the match as heavy favourites, boasting 12 Bay of Plenty Steamers players compared to Rotoiti's two.

However, Lee knows as good as anyone the game will not be played on paper.

He said they were hoping for another spirited crowd at Emery Park tomorrow for the must-win clash, which kicks off at 2.45pm.

"We got quite a good crowd there last Saturday, so hopefully they come out again and support us this weekend."

Meanwhile, a number of other teams have been playing virtual finals football for weeks, and tomorrow will be no different for the seven teams still in the hunt for a playoffs berth.

Te Puna host Opotiki, with both teams sitting on the verge of the top four.

Greerton Marist play Te Puke Sports at Greerton Park in another match with playoff implications. A Te Puke Sports win would earn the defending champions a home semifinal, while Marist need to win to keep their hopes alive.

Mount Maunganui are another team in desperate need of a win, heading into the competition's final week.

They play at home against Whakarewarewa to put themselves in a good position.

Whakarewarewa have eighth spot sewn up, but are in good form after last week's narrow win over Greerton Marist.

The match between Rangataua and Paroa was shaping as one of the biggest games of the year, but results in recent weeks mean Paroa cannot catch Rangataua in the race to avoid elimination.

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  Division One (all games start at 2.45pm tomorrow):

Kahukura v Ruatoki (Kuirau Park), Katikati v Poroporo (Moore Park), Ngongotaha v Te Teko (Ngongotaha Domain), Rangiuru v Whakatane Marist (Centennial Park), Waikite v Marist St Michael's (Bellevue Rd).