Tough pack paves the way for Rotoiti to reclaim shield

Rotoiti captain Joe Masters believes his side is making gains at the right end of the season.
On Saturday in constant rain they successfully beat Whakarewarewa 16-11 and in the process reclaimed the Tai Mitchell Shield they lost to their fellow Rotorua club in the first round of the Baywide competition.
The presentation was sealed with a traditional hongi and haka as Whakarewarewa's Eru Haimona handed over the 91-year-old wooden shield to Masters for safekeeping.
"Motivating and emotional - it [the shield] not only means a lot to the boys but a lot to the supporters who stick by us week after week," Masters said of securing the spoils.
It's unsure if the trinket - Rotorua club rugby's premier challenge trophy - will go on the line again this season with neither side scheduled to meet any more, although there is a chance if they both make the semifinals of the Baywide championship.
Rotoiti could pin their latest success on a superior forward effort where their tight and loose forwards held an advantage over the visitors to Emery Park.
"For the second round we've set some goals and this is just one step up our ladder", said Masters after his team scored their second win of the championship round.
"We're taking it step by step, starting to play it game by game, practice by practice till we start getting some consistency in our game", he said.
"Our problem was being first half wonders - we scored all our points in every single game in the first half in the first round. This round we're trying to turn things around and be a little more consistent through the 80 [minutes] rather than just 40."
Rotoiti's consistency certainly showed through on Saturday with their forwards, still minus Wayne Ormond, imposing and effective at all set pieces.
The solid platform up front, where they always seemed to get more numbers to the breakdowns, allowed the hosts to score two tries to one and moved them solidly into the top half of the championship table.
"We had prepared either way [wet or dry], were starting to gel with our backs and have some good links with forwards and back moves but if anything it favoured us today our strength is our forwards and it just meant a tighter, closer game", Masters said
The loss puts Whakarewarewa, who have won just one game this round, under pressure to come up with points with just four matches remaining before the top four sides go into the finals series and the others hang up their boots.
Whakarewarewa's plight is made tougher with Tongan internationals Aleki Latui and Tau Filise away on international duty for at least one more week but Steamers Nili Latu and Jeff Irome are expected back again next week when they face leaders Mount Maunganui in Rotorua.
Latu's presence was missed on Saturday with Rotoiti's openside flanker Israel Rangataawa able to turn over some crucial ball in tandem with fellow loosies Niki Nepia and Jason Emery.
Locks Ngakara Daniella and Joshua Katene were very mobile while Rotoiti's various frontrowers made life tough for the Whakarewarewa scrum.
Halfback Glen Martin acted like another running forward for Rotoiti, sniping away around the fringes, ensuring his backline quality ball.
Both of their tries were the result of fluent passing, the first to right winger Vesi Rauluni coming via a midfield bust from left winger Tommy Teaeki, who floated a long pass to the flying Fijian.
Second five Walter Trevianus scored the second after Katene ran 25 metres through the Whakarewarewa defence only to be dragged down inches short of the tryline. With the defence back- pedalling, five eight Joe Fenton looped around Trevianus who crossed on the inside with the defence bamboozled.
Whakarewarewa's try came from some smart play by winger Teu Nefe and fullback Kelly Haimona as they sent second-five Pauli Asaeli diving over in a flash of speed and brilliance.
Whakarewarewa coach Peter Spry said his side were outplayed and grateful to come away with a valuable bonus point.