Rugby: Baywide leaders Te Puke Sports host Te Puna on charity day

Te Puke Sports co-captain Danny Underwood on the charge against Whakarewarewa last week. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

The Te Puke Sports charity game could not have been planned any better.

The club hosts a charity game every other year but when the date of June 23 for this year's game was pencilled in, no one involved could have realised what a significant game would be scheduled.

Te Puna are the visitors in what is more than just a game between the top two in the Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier Division One.

When the two sides clashed at Maramatanga Park in May, Te Puna managed to hang on to their unbeaten tag by the skin of their teeth with a 22-21 win.

In the Championship round, Te Puke are the only unbeaten side after Te Puna suffered their first loss of the season last Saturday, 32-31 to Tauranga Sports.

It all sets up a potential blockbuster of a game on Saturday when the day will be a fundraiser for Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade.

For the first time, the club's development side has also come on board, with two sets of shirts being made for the game which have been sold to individuals and businesses.

A proportion of the money from the sales and gate takings will go the fire brigade.

Club president Ash Peat said in the past New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation and the local It's Not OK campaign have benefited from the charity game.

He said picking the fire brigade to receive the money this year was an easy decision.

"There are some club members who are members of the fire brigade, but this is really in recognition of the amazing job that they do."

Peat hoped between $4000 and $5000 would be raised. Kick-off times in Te Puke are 1pm for the Development game and 2.45pm for the Premier 1 teams.

This season Te Puke have been quietly going about their business while Te Puna have garnered much of the attention.

As they have got back most of their injured players, the depth in the Te Puke squad has improved as has the team's form in the three Championship rounds. Consecutive victories over Mount Maunganui Sports (34-0), Rangataua Sports (29-12) and Whakarewarewa (46-17) have them leading the division.

How Te Puna bounce back from their first taste of defeat this season will be intriguing and play no small part in the final outcome.

In other Premier 1 games, Rangataua Sports host Rotoiti, Mount Maunganui are home at Blake Park against Whakarewarewa, while Tauranga Sports and Greerton Marist meet at Tauranga Domain.

In Premier 2, a local derby with plenty riding on it will take place at Centennial Park in Te Puke between Rangiuru Sports and Arataki Sports. The two rivals are locked in second equal behind leaders Ngongotaha with the winner of Saturday's game to move closer to a semifinal place.

On Sunday the game everyone has been waiting for in the Baywide women's competition takes place at Centennial Park from 1pm between unbeaten Rangiuru Sports and Rangataua Sports.

Baywide Premier 1 standings
Te Puke Sports 14, Te Puna 12, Tauranga Sports 10, Whakarewarewa 8, Rotoiti 6, Greerton Marist 5, Mount Maunganui Sports 5, Rangataua 2.

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