Tauranga Sports were ruthlessly dumped out of the top four of the Bayfair Baywide premier competition by Mount Maunganui Sports in a 37-3 hiding at the Tauranga Domain on Saturday.
Die-hard Tauranga supporters wandered off shaking their heads in dismay at what has happened to the defending champions. One quipped, "We were lucky to get three", as he eyed up a cold beer.
Tauranga were sloppy and turned over so much ball they stifled every one of the promising moves set up by their hard-working pack. They trailed 13-3 at the break but the Mounties could hardly believe their luck as Tauranga bombed two golden try-scoring chances and usually accurate Paul Morris looked like he had the wrong boots on.
The game changer came with Tauranga trailing 10-3. Centre Byron McGuigan burst down the touchline after a clever pass from George Honey, but with two players unmarked inside him, he decided to go himself and lost the ball in the tackle.
Mount Maunganui have played the most enterprising rugby all season and with a policy of running the ball from everywhere - including behind their own goal line - are great to watch.
