There's not a lot that's subtle about the way Rotorua's Pikiao Warriors play their rugby league.
Physical intimidation comes in many forms but on the league field it's particularly effective, as the Eels found out on Saturday as their unbeaten run in the Bay of Plenty district rugby league competition ended 24-21 at the hands of Rotorua's, and now the region's, best team.
It was the best game of what's been a fairly ho-hum season so far, with the Eels racking up close to 50 points per game in their cruise through the competition and Pikiao arriving at Mitchell Park averaging just a few points less and also unbeaten. But Pikiao backed up their clear size advantage with slick finishing from their outsides. Eels turned two points up, coughed up the lead midway though the second half, grabbed it back again and then conceded a try in the final minute to lose Bay of Plenty bragging rights.
Eels fullback Lance Rolleston, who capped another steady game at the back with trysaving (but not gamesaving) second-half tackles on Pikiao's Joe Nuku and Te Kaiaotea Tahuriorangi, expects the Warriors to be a renewed force when the inter-regional premiership kicks off next month. "This is the sort of game we needed at this stage of the season and no doubt we'll be seeing more of that from the good sides from over the hill. We knew Pikiao would come at us hard and they showed they should go all right against the best Waikato's got to offer."
Working off the back of Joe Nuku, Jason Kamatea, Ivor Thomas and Te Kahu Huata, halves Pirikawana Taiatini and Tahuriorangi combined superbly, although the star of the show was fullback Connor Hohepa, who picked his time to shine in front of Waicoa Bay Stallions coach Morgan Kutia.
Otumoetai led 14-12 at the break, jumping to a 4-0 led through wing Owen Rhind, going behind 6-4 when Pikiao pounced on a spilled pass and Thomas crossed but regaining the lead when former Canberra Raider Josh Weeden hot-footed the Warriors' defence, converting his own try for a 10-6 advantage.
Pikiao hit back through Reece Hohepa to lead 12-10 but Otumoetai made the most of their numerical advantage after Pikiao loose forward Daniel Biddle-Hunuhunu was sinbinned for felling Phillip Johnston with an ugly punch.
But it was a different Eels that came out after the break. They were gunshy and put together a mistake-riddled 40, not helped by referee Huia Williams' inconsistent rulings. Later, Pikiao stormed home, trapping the home side on their line before Connor Hohepa burst up the right, flicking a miracle ball as he was being bundled over the sideline to Jacob Unawai for a deserved matchwinner after they dominated the second half.
Rolleston said they were the authors of their own demise with their inaccuracy and missed tackles.
"Probably it was fitness that told in the end. Turn the ball over that much against bigger players and you end up making too many tackles. We just put ourselves ourselves under too much pressure."