Te Puke Sports take bragging rights in local rugby clash

Te Puke Sports' Jack Hollinshead goes over for the first try of the game in the win over Rangiuru.

There is no bigger rugby match-up played in Te Puke each season than the local premier derby between Te Puke Sports and Rangiuru.

With the two sides scheduled to meet just once during the regular season, Saturday's encounter could well have decided the 2022 season bragging rights.

Jack Hollinshead scored the game's opening points with an early penalty then followed it up with a try, somehow managing to find a gap between both sides' forwards, just after Rangiuru fullback Isaac Te Aute had been sin-binned.

Rangiuru prop Benet Kumeroa hit back mid-way through the half as the game see-sawed. Hollinshead and Rangiuru goalkicker Simon Rolleston traded penalties before Te Puke's Grady Forbes got the first of his brace. Te Aute made amends three minutes later with a try out wide and the game was anybody's at the break, Te Puke leading 16-15.

Isaac Te Aute goes over for the try that brought Rangiuru within a point of Te Puke Sports at halftime. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

Rolleston put his side in front for the first time in the game with two penalty goals before a Pirates' three-try scoring blitz with Leighton Fowler, Masiu Akauola and Forbes going over and Hollinshead adding the extras each time.

Rangiuru's Hinckley Siaosi scored with five minutes on the clock, but there was to be no fairytale finish for the hosts, Te Puke winning 37-21.

The victory saw Te Puke retain the Jordan Cup that will be put on the line at Greerton on Saturday.

The two clubs' development sides met in the curtain-raiser, Te Puke running out victors, 34-10.

Katikati set up a June 21 meeting with Eastern Districts, who had a bye last weekend, to decide the Western Bay of Plenty title race by beating Pāpāmoa 58-19. Before then the two sides will prepare for the big battle with matches in the Western Bay of Plenty Senior A combined competition.

RESULTS
BOPRU Baywide Premier
May 7: Mount Maunganui 33 Tauranga Sports 25 (HT 17-13) Te Puna 18 Rangataua 5 (HT 18-0) Whakarewarewa 55 Arataki 0 (HT 26-0) Greerton Marist 40 Judea 7 (HT 19-0) Te Puke Sports 37 Rangiuru 26 (HT 16-15) Rotoiti 21 Ngongotaha 20.
Points Table: Te Puke Sports 10, Whakarewarewa 10, Greerton Marist 10, Mount Maunganui 9, Te Puna 6, Tauranga Sports 5, Rangiuru 5, Rotoiti 4, Ngongotaha 1, Judea 1, Rangataua 0, Arataki 0.
WBOPRFS Development/Senior Local Rugby
Development: Mount Maunganui 30 Tauranga Sports 17, Rangataua 20 Te Puna 17, Greerton Marist 78 Judea 5, Te Puke Sports 34 Rangiuru 10.
Senior: Katikati 58 Pāpāmoa 19.
Development Points Table (Provisional) Greerton Marist 10, Mount Maunganui 9, Rangiuru 5, Te Puke Sports 5, Rangataua 4, Te Puna 1, Tauranga Sports 0, Judea 0.
Senior Local Points Table: Katikati 5, Eastern Districts 4, Pāpāmoa 4.
DRAWS
May 14: Baywide premier (2.45pm): Tauranga Sports v Rotoiti, Tauranga Domain; Mount Maunganui v Rangataua, Blake Park; Ngongotaha v Arataki, Ngongotaha Domain; Te Puna v Judea, Maramatanga Park; Whakarewarewa v Rangiuru, Puarenga Park; Greerton Marist v Te Puke Sports, Greerton Park.
Development/Local Rugby (1pm): Te Puna v Judea, Maramatanga Park; Pāpāmoa v Rangiuru, Gordon Spratt Reserve; Mount Maunganui v Rangataua, Blake Park; Tauranga Sports v Eastern Districts, Tauranga Domain; Greerton Marist v Te Puke Sports, Greerton Park; Katikati the bye.