Baywide rugby: Greerton Marist win thriller against Te Puke Sports

Referee Ryan Waite awards the late try to Greerton Marist against Te Puke Sports. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

Getting the home fans right behind you in your debut match could not have gone better for Neil Burns.

The first-five from Derry in Ireland kicked a conversion deep into injury time to give Greerton Marist a comeback 22-20 victory over Te Puke Sports in the Baywide Premier season opener at Greerton Park.

There was a fair bit of the luck of the Irish involved with the wide angled conversion as Burns missed his first attempt. But in their desperation to put him off, the Te Puke players charged early and included some verbals not allowed in the rules, so Burns was allowed to retake the kick.

The Ulsterman made no mistake and, after the game, immediately thought of the famous kick Aaron Cruden slotted on the second attempt in Dublin for the All Blacks to break Irish hearts in 2013.

Burns was there that day and smiled at history repeating in his first game for his new club.

"You are not allowed to charge and scream at the same time so the referee called it back.

"I just thought to keep my weight through the ball and follow through, stick to my routine and that was it. You just have to back yourself," he said.

"I am just happy to get a chance to start the first game and show the people the Irish boys can play a bit."

Neil Burns kicked the winning goal for Greerton Marist. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

Greerton started the game brilliantly with a wonderful long-range try in the opening minute set up by Niko Masirewa and finished off by Kody McGovern. They held the lead into a stiff breeze 7-3 until the final 10 minutes of the half when Te Puke scored three well-worked tries for a 20-7 lead at the break.

Underrated winger Declan Barnett combined superbly with new import from Japan Jason Robertson for the first then a barnstorming run from lock Heiko Van Zweiten saw him score a memorable try on debut. Captain Danny Underwood added a third to give the Pirates a handy lead.

But they were kept scoreless in the second half against a Greerton side well led by lock Taylor Jones. Te Puke had a chance to hold on to possession in the final minute but turned over the ball to give Greerton one last chance and they took it with Jones crashing over to jubilant scenes.

In other games, on day one of the new club season the Eastern Bay clubs were thrashed with Paroa losing 117-0 to Mount Maunganui Sports and Whakatane Marist beaten 72-33 at home by Whakarewarewa.

Paroa were unable to field a development team against Mount Maunganui and often struggle early season with getting players available. But certainly these are ominous signs for the lack of depth in the Eastern Bay as the economic downturn has seen so many of their young men leave for work opportunities elsewhere.

Te Puna and Rotoiti played out a 24-24 draw, Tauranga Sports were too good for Rangataua Sports 31-12 and Ngongotaha won a thriller over Arataki 24-20.

In Baywide Divison 1 Rangiuru showed their early season pedigree with a 76-15 win over Judea.