Club Rugby by CRAIG TIRIANA
Kahukura and Waikite top the billing as the Baywide rugby competitions become desperate affairs for Rotorua sides this weekend.
The two proud clubs, with more than 200 years of history between them, take each other on at Waikite's Bellvue Rd venue tomorrow.
At stake is obvious Sulphur City pride but more importantly are crucial competition points as both clubs look to stay in the top echelon of Bay of Plenty club rugby in the future.
The two teams started the season in the premier grade but were relegated to the first division after the grading competition and they now sit in fifth and sixth place respectively in the official standings with the result of the Kahukura versus Kawerau game, won by the Rotorua side, not recorded as yet.
With top-of-the-table and unbeaten Te Puna scheduled to play and likely to beat fourth-placed Judea tomorrow, a win by Kahukura gives them a home semifinal once the Kawerau result is ratified by the union. Success for Waikite tomorrow should see them close in on the top four, a position they must hold for the last round to rejoin the premier grade at the beginning of 2006.
Kahukura coach Brett Fell is torn between club and city loyalties.
"It's important for us to get up, not just for Kahukura but for Rotorua rugby if we [Kahukura and Waikite] go down we'll only have two Rotorua teams [Rotoiti and Whakarewarewa] left in the premier grade ... It's bloody desperate," he told the Daily Post
Neither club is lacking in motivation, needing to look no further than neighbours Ngongotaha for inspiration.
The former Baywide champions were relegated last season and are now struggling to attract playing resources in the second division.
The Villagers have won just one game this round and had to register a default earlier this season. Tomorrow Ngongotaha take on bottom-placed Papamoa at Western Heights High School with a bonus point win giving them a minute chance of a semifinal spot.
Things are much rosier for Marist St Michael's in that division. The Saints are heading towards a finals appearance on top of the second grade but they have to overcome the challenge of Murupara's Painoiho in Rotorua tomorrow afternoon to keep their unbeaten record going in the championship round.
Tauranga's Greerton Marist are ahead in the third tier but are being chased by Reporoa with the Cowboys hosting contenders Apanui tomorrow in another important match.
Meanwhile, in the Bay of Plenty Rugby's premier grade Rotoiti can sew up a home semifinal with a win over Te Puke Sports in the kiwifruit town tomorrow.
The Lakesiders are in joint first place with competition favourites Mount Maunganui, who are expected to account for defending champs Whakatane Marist tomorrow and book their home ground advantage for July 23's knockout round.
Rotorua's giant killing Whakarewarewa travel away for the last time this round with a match against Rangataua on their plate at Te Ariki Park.
A win to the red and blacks will have them well placed for a semifinal position and an outside chance at a home venue should either Rotoiti or Mount stumble home.
In the other match fifth-placed Rangiuru should paste bottom-of-the-table Tauranga Sports and set up an intriguing last round clash with Mount Maunganui in eight days' time where a semifinal spot could be claimed.
Club rugby draws
(All Baywide senior games are at 2.45pm and all Colts games are at 1pm unless otherwise stated)
Premier: Mt Maunganui v Whakatane Marist, Blake Park, P Barnett; Te Puke Sports v Rotoiti, Murray Salt, M Peters; Rangataua v Whaka, Te Ariki Park, K Greer; Rangiuru v Tauranga Sports, Jamieson Oval, S Goodhew.
Division 1: Waikite v Kahukura, Bellvue Road, S Bootten;
Kawerau v Opotiki, Firmin Field, T Kora; Arataki v Te Teko, Grenada Park, A Lee; Judea v Te Puna, Judea Park, G Hamilton.
Division 2: Marist St Michaels v Painoaiho, Te Ngae Road, M Pidduck; Poroporo v Matata, Poroporo Park, M Fluker; Edgecumbe v Eastern Pirates, Rangitaiki Reserve, B Kidd; Ngongotaha v Papamoa, WHHS, P Marks.
Division 3: Ruatoki v Eastern Districts, Tuhoe Park, J Bicknell; Reporoa v Apanui, Reporoa, G Steele; Greerton Marist v Taneatua, Greerton Park, B Green; Paroa v Murupara, Lawson Park, R Hereora.
Colts: Tauranga Sports v Waikite, Tauranga Domain, G Worboys; Reporoa v Ngongotaha, Reporoa, D Ronald; Te Puna v Rangataua, Maramatanga Park, S McCarthy; Te Puke Sports v Greerton Marist, Murray Salt, I Crowe; Taneatua v Kahukura, Taneatua, G Wilson; Rotoiti v Eastern Districts, Emery Park, M Burton; Taupo v Mt Maunganui, Rotorua Venue TBA, T Whittle.
Central Senior: Waikite v Kahukura, Bellvue Road, 1pm, G Kaye; Rangitahi OB v Marist St Michaels, Galatea Domain, 2.30pm, P Tai; Whaka Red v Ngongotaha, Puarenga Park, 1pm, M Peta; Eastern Pirates v Whaka B, Neil Hunt Park, 1pm, M Waiomio
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Division 1: WHHS v Trident, WHHS, 12pm, O Arnold
Division 2: WHHS 2 v RBHS 3, WHHS, 12pm, V Kaitani
Division 3: Tauranga C v Reporoa, Tauranga, 12pm; Mt Maunganui v RBHS U15, Mt Maunganui, 12pm
Division 4: WHHS 3 v Taupo-nui-a-Tia, WHHS, 12pm, C Cunningham; Bethlehem v WHHS U15, Bethlehem, 12pm
Club Rugby by CRAIG TIRIANA
Kahukura and Waikite top the billing as the Baywide rugby competitions become desperate affairs for Rotorua sides this weekend.
The two proud clubs, with more than 200 years of history between them, take each other on at Waikite's Bellvue Rd venue tomorrow.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.