A blast of spiteful winter weather added further intrigue into Saturday's fourth round of the Bayfair Baywide Premier competition.
Mount Maunganui Sports were beaten 32-22 at Blake Park by Rotoiti in an upset result that adds to the pressure on the defending champions after a sluggish start to the season.
But Tauranga Sports stepped up to a new level to beat second-placed Whakarewarewa 40-10. Before the match the speculation was if any club could give Tauranga a shake-up it was Rotorua's top team, but their players left the rain-swept Domain pitch with a thousand-yard stare in their eyes after being totally outclassed.
Whakarewarewa started well enough with an opening minute try to fullback Te Rangi Fraser that Ryubyn Vaipo converted from touch. Some trickery from halfback Josh Hall set up a try for lock Ati Olive to even the scores. Vaipo kicked a penalty to regain the lead for the visitors after 22 minutes but that proved to be their lot for the match.
The first of two yellow cards given against them proved costly as the impressive Tauranga pack took control as the rain intensified. Tries to Olive, Lewis Hancock and Nick Evemy, aided by Evemy's top class goalkicking, had Tauranga well ahead 28-10 at the break.