There's a school of thought that Rangataua could play Timoti Gardiner at tighthead prop and he'd still find his way to the tryline.
As it was, the 24-year-old midfielder started on the wing on Saturday, collecting two tries in a strong 22-0 win over Te Puna in Maungatapu and continuing his streak of scoring in every game so far this season.
Though he only stands 1.75m, Gardiner is a clever, natural line- breaker. His fortunes have coincided with the rise of his club as a force in Bay of Plenty club rugby in the four years he's fronted at senior level.
Nurturing their strong Colts ranks, Rangataua have steadily progressed, until last year they made the Baywide championship final.
Gardiner, who works for Bay Engineers Supplies, scored his side's only try in that 13-8 grand final loss to Tauranga Sports, and his skilful play saw him subsequently picked for the Bay of Plenty development side.
"It was good to play develop ment last year but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't aiming higher," Gardiner admitted. "I'm pretty focused on playing well for Rangataua first and foremost, however, and if that gets me any where, so be it.
"As a club, we don't want last year to be a one-off and we want it to carry on _ and that will natur ally mean we'll get more recogni tion from selectors."
Rangataua have built steadily in the local club round this season after losing to Te Puke first-up. They've since beaten Mount Maunganui, Greerton and now Te Puna, and face an interesting clash with Tauranga Sports this week end.
"After last year, we thought we might pick up a few more outside players in the offseason but it hasn't been the case," Gardiner said.
"It's actually taken a while to get into it because we were strug gling for numbers pre-season. It's only just started coming together the past few weeks."
Saturday's win owed as much to resolute defence as it did to Gardiner's finishing touches.
Te Puna attacked for long periods of the game but couldn't breach the black-jerseyed wall in a scoreless second half with the wind behind them.
Rangataua's first half showed a willingness to attack out wide, although Gardiner's second try was an old-fashioned poach, intercepting from 60m out.
The good news for the club is that inspirational halfback Ruki Tipuna returns this week, just in time to play the competition front- runners, after nearly 15 weeks out with a shoulder injury.
Tauranga Sports warmed up with a 73-12 trouncing of Greerton Marist, with new dad Toby Arnold scoring four tries on the wing to take his season tally to nine already.
Steve Honey started at fullback _ his fourth game in seven days after featuring for both Western Bay teams midweek _ and also had a blinder, scoring his fourth and fifth tries of the season.
Te Puke accounted for Mount Maunganui 41-17, while Rotoiti continued their Central Bay dominance by beating Ngongotaha 37-9. Whakarewarewa flattened Kahukura 66-0 and Reporoa beat Marist St Michaels 19-0, while Opotiki and Kawerau were the big winners in the Eastern Bay.
Gardiner's try-scoring streak continues
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