Rugby: Vital showdown for Te Puke, Opotiki

Baywide Rugby

If you're a gambler then odds on you'd put $10 on a Te Puke and Tauranga Sports, Baywide premier final.

But you only have to go back to semifinals time 12 months ago, to know nothing is guaranteed in rugby.

Tauranga Sports were odds on to overcome Whakarewarewa on Tauranga Domain to book themselves into another grand final appearance then go on and rack up their seventh Baywide crown.

Mount Maunganui were also expected to roll Te Puke Sports to make it a battle of the bridge final.

However, both Tauranga sides were sent packing and it was left to eventual winners Te Puke Sport and Whaka to claim the prize. At the halfway mark of that particular grand final, Whaka looked ready to carry the trophy back to Rotorua but a spirited 40 minutes of rugby meant the prize stayed in the Western Bay.

Fast forward to tomorrow and you have Te Puke who have lost just one match this season at home to Opotiki and the almighty Tauranga Sports hosting a vastly inexperienced and young Rotoiti side.

In the Te Puke and Opotiki match it's hard to push past the form book. Opotiki have a nine-win, two-draw and seven-loss record compared with Te Puke's solitary one loss and 17 wins.

Te Puke were methodical against Te Puna last week, thanks to the class of first-five Jamie Nutbrown and the Dan Carter like boot of Nick McCashin. But Opotiki have one of the hardest, uncompromising packs in the Bay of Plenty led by veteran front rower Dean Elmiger. They also have class in the backs with Te Amo and Te Hata Wilbore.

Although a number of sides have come close to upsetting Te Puke, their game last week against Te Puna shows they are on song and unbeaten at home.

It's hard to see Tauranga making the mistake they made last year against Whaka. The side simply didn't show up in the first 30 minutes and were never able to come back.

However, the home side were the leading point scorers piling on an impressive 778 points, thanks to players like Jeremy Cave, Phillip Togo Togo Rua and Nick Thompson among the season's leading try scorers.

But Rotoiti have enjoyed the underdog tag this season and have turned around their 2011 seventh place finish to third this year. A lot of that can be credited to Steamers legend Wayne Ormond. He has taken a group of young no-names, mixed with a few wily veterans, and turned them into title contenders.

In Division One Rangiuru, will be shooting for a remarkable 18th straight win, when they square off against Te Teko at Centennial Park in Te Puke. Their only loss was inflicted by Paroa back in March. Te Teko have had a rollercoaster season and left it to last weekend to finally book a semi-final berth. While the Te Puke side will enter the encounter as odds on favourites, post-section rugby often inspire the underdogs to victory.

Paroa, have also been in outstanding form finishing in second place in the qualifying competition, to earn the second home semi-final place. The Eastern Bay side will host Kahukura at Lawson Park, in a match where the home side will be expected to post a victory.

There is always real desire to win the Division Two competition where the prize is a Division One place next season. Katikati showed their wish to return to a permanent Baywide place last weekend, when they ran over Murupara 82-7. The team from one of the Bay Union borders will face Edgecumbe, while Arataki will meet former Division One contenders Kawerau in the Eastern Bay.

The one certainty in this year's Baywide competition, is that a Western Bay side will take the honours in the age group championship, with all four semi-finalists coming from the Western Bay. Tauranga Sports will host defending champions Te Puke Sports with Mount Maunganui at home at Blake Park to Te Puna.

There will be little regional loyalty shown in the Reserve Grade playoffs with Rotorua and Western Bay local derbies taking place. Ngongotaha will square off against Whakarewarewa at the Ngongotaha Domain, with Tauranga Sports at home on the Tauranga Domain to arch Western Bay rivals Mount Maunganui.

The first Baywide Final of the year will take place when Waikite play Rangataua in the Colts Section Two final.

Football

Three points and a bonus of the WaiBop Challenge Shield are on the line when Ngongotaha play WaiBop Federation League leaders Taupo at Crown Park tomorrow.

It is a big ask for the Villagers but they are in form having won their last five games. With Claudelands Rovers likely to take three points from their game against Old Blues, Taupo will not lack for motivation. Just one point separates Taupo and Claudelands who have made it a two-horse race for the title.

Rotorua United, after two consecutive wins, have clawed their way out of the bottom two and they can go a long way to avoiding relegation if they can beat Tauranga Boys' College at Southey Park. United have left their run late and there is no doubt the threat of relegation which has been hanging over them has affected their on-field performance, but they should have gained confidence from their recent form.

Otorohanga have been bottom of the table since round one and while host AFC Fury have not been in the best of form they should be too good for the home side.

At Rex Morpeth Park, Whakatane Town host Melville United in what promises to be a close encounter. Melville are third on the ladder but their away record is not flash and Whakatane have a good home record.

Otumoetai, who went down to Claudelands last week, have home advantage against Waikato Unicol. One point separates the two teams but Otumoetai will favoured to win narrowly.

In Division two, Tauranga City who have wrapped up the second division title, play their last game against Te Awamutu while Cambridge can take second and earn promotion if they beat Katikati.

In other games Rotorua United host Matamata and West Hamilton are at home against Tokoroa.

League

Bay of Plenty rugby league sees a top of the table clash in Division one tomorrow, at Puketawhero Park. Mangakino take on Ngongotaha in a clash that sees the best attacking side (Mangakino) taking on the best defensive side.

The Rotorua side have only had 174 points scored against them this season with the next best defensive side being Mangakino with 264. The host have won eight from 13 games scoring 372 points. While Mangakino have won nine from 13 their attacking ability is unmatched with the side piling on 507 point this season. with Pacific the next best on 454.

Officials have had to move the time of this game to 1pm, so it didn't clash with the Waicoa Bay Premier match between Pikiao and Pacific at 2.30pm.

The premier side clash is a sudden death round with the winners going through to play Hamilton City Tigers next week in the semi-final in Hamilton.

In the other sudden death match, between Otumoetai Eels and Taniwharau at Davies Park, the winner goes through to take on Ngaruawahia Panthers in Ngaruawahia next weekend.