Rotorua has been knocked out of this year's Tai Mitchell competition after an unexpected loss to Te Puke.
The Te Puke Tai Mitchell side produced a boil-over at Blake Park yesterday, toppling previously untroubled Rotorua Maroon 22-7 in a gripping semifinal to set up an all Western Bay of Plenty final today.
The Rotorua side prevailed 27-10 in a meeting between the two teams earlier in the tournament and were widely tipped to meet Tauranga West in the competition decider after picking up maximum points in all of their round robin matches.
Someone evidently forgot to tell fourth-placed Te Puke, as they ripped into it from the outset to overwhelm the Rotorua side.
A concerted effort at the breakdown - highlighted by effective counter-rucking and superior body position - combined with a swift back division and impressive kicking game broke down the previously unbeaten competition favourites. The flying Coolio Williams scored for Te Puke in the opening moments. Tamaikoha Teaute, who caused havoc all day while running on to wide and short balls alike, nailed the conversion to make it 7-0. The frontrunners grew an extra collective leg after that, pouring into everything with even greater energy to go into the break with a seven-point advantage.
It was 14-0 soon after the resumption, thanks to Tre Pohipi ghosting up the middle and under the horns to make the conversion a foregone conclusion. Teaute delivered the dagger midway through the half, making it 19-0 with precious few minutes remaining.
The Rotorua side managed to pick up a consolation try, but even that was answered by a late penalty goal.
Earlier, Tauranga West won the battle for Tauranga in the first semifinal, running out 34-5, winners against a Tauranga East side that may well have been feeling the effects of a bruising encounter with Rotorua Maroon on Monday.
West scored six-tries-to-one to take the first spot in the final, but will be more than wary of a Te Puke side riding high.
In the rest of the day's action, Whakatane snuck past Rotorua Gold 29-26 in an extra time thriller and Opotiki beat Rangitaiki 71-0.
Results:
Tauranga West 34 (Jack Broadley-Ryan, Eldo Pasi, Kobe Rogers, Logan Karauria, Lachlan Haycock, Neitana Tapiata-Smith tries; Jay Gardiner 2 cons). Tauranga East 5 (Mileno Fotu try)
Te Puke 22 (Coolio Williams, Tre Pohipi, Tamikoha Te Aute tries; Wipori Tuanau 2 cons, pen) Rotorua 7
Opotiki 71 Rangitaiki 0
Whakatane 29 Rotorua Gold 26
Today's draw:
9/10th playoff: (9.30am - Blake 2)
Galatea v Apanui
7/8 playoff: (11am - Blake 2)
Rotorua Gold v Rangitaiki
5/6th playoff: (9.30am - Blake 3)
Opotiki v Whakatane
3/4th playoff: (11am - Blake 1)
Rotorua Maroon v Tauranga East
Final - 12.30pm: (12.30pm - Blake 1)
Tauranga West v Te Puke