Te Puke Sports top Baywide rugby table

Te Puke Sports' Jayden Tane scored a try and was named player of the day in his club’s win over Te Puna last Saturday.

Te Puke Sports returned home from the Te Puna fortress at Maramatanga Park victorious last Saturday after a tussle that went down to the wire.

The visitors led by three at the halfway stage of the encounter, courtesy of an Allen Holland touchdown, and the subsequent conversion and a penalty booted home by Jack Hollinshead.

The encounter was well and truly on the line with five minutes left on the clock, with the visitors holding a narrow 23-17 advantage thanks to a penalty try and two further penalties to Hollinshead.

Te Puke then ran in two tries, to player of the day, Jayden Tane and Grady Forbes, both converted by Hollinshead, which resulted in Te Puke Sports taking out a 37-17 victory.

Rangiuru travelled to Rotorua and got back to winning ways with a 36-21 win over Ngongotahā. Fletcher Carpenter (2), Kane O’Connor (2), Peter Sullivan and Hinckley Siaosi were the try scorers with Riaihe Jacobs adding three conversions.

Whakarewarewa joined Te Puke Sports at the top of the standings after a titanic struggle with Greerton Marist at Puarenga Park. A converted first-half try resulted in the Western Bay side leading 7-0 at the break.

The Rotorua side took the game to the visitors in the second spell and were rewarded with a 21-14 win. After four weeks of the regular season, Te Puke Sports and Whaka are the only two unbeaten sides in the Baywide title race.

Mount Maunganui will take the Jordan Cup into the weekend’s big game against Te Puke Sports after defeating Judea 75-7 at Blake Park. Mount fullback Taylor Haugh impressed with his pace and positioning contributing to a number of Mount Maunganui five-pointers.

Nine-time Baywide champions Tauranga Sports reminded the other title contenders they are right in the mix to book a post-section spot after beating Rangataua 50-10. Katikati lost 65-5 at Rotoiti.

Pāpāmoa laid down the gauntlet to the other sides seeking a place in the Baywide promotion series, played within the Western Bay of Plenty Sub-Union competition.

The Pāpāmoa troops ventured to Arataki Park to square off with the home team that played Baywide rugby last year. Arataki made a solid start and led 7-0 after the first 40 minutes.

The second spell belonged to Pāpāmoa who held Arataki scoreless, and breached the Arataki defence to post a 10-7 win.

Eastern Districts banked maximum points for the fourth successive week in the Western Bay combined competition, with a 35-12 victory over the Greerton Marist Development team.

Tauranga Sports beat Rangataua 27-10, Mount Maunganui posted a cricket score against Judea, while Te Puna held on to second place in the combined title race after getting past Te Puke Sports 19-12.

RESULTS

Baywide

Tauranga Sports 50 Rangataua 10 (HT 17-0), Rotoiti 65 Katikati 5 (HT 31-5), Mount Maunganui 75 Judea 7 (33-7), Rangiuru 36 Ngongotaha 21 (HT 24-0), Te Puke Sports 37 Te Puna 17 (HT 10-7), Whakarewarewa 21 Greerton Marist 14 (HT 0-7)

Points table: Te Puke Sports 19, Whakarewarewa 18, Mount Maunganui 15, Tauranga Sports 15, Te Puna 13, Rangiuru 11, Ngongotaha 10, Greerton Marist 7, Rotoiti 6, Rangataua 4, Judea 1, Katikati 0.

Development/local rugby results

Tauranga Sports 27, Rangataua 10, Te Puna 19 Te Puke Sports 12, Eastern Districts 35 Greerton Marist 12, Pāpāmoa 10 Arataki 7; Mount Maunganui defeated Judea; Matakaka Island v Katikati — no result posted, Rangiuru the bye.

Points table (provisional): Eastern Districts 20, Te Puna 18, Arataki 16, Te Puke Sports 15, Mount Maunganui 12, Greerton Marist 10, Tauranga Sports 10, Pāpāmoa 9, Rangiuru 5, Rangataua 1, Judea 0. Matakana Island 0, Katikati 0.

WBOPRS Baywide Promotion Competition (Provisional): Eastern Districts 20, Arataki 16, Pāpāmoa 9, Matakana Island 0.