Te Teko may still play spoiling role

BAYWIDE CLUB RUGBY
Dan Godbold's big boots will be tapping out a Te Teko tune tomorrow, though his ticker will have a couple of camps to call home.
As the last round of club rugby draws to a close, the 35-year-old former Chiefs and Steamers prop will breathe a sigh of relief. His Te Teko side have endured a tough season in the Baywide premier division and will be relegated for next year.
But Godbold and his Eastern Bay teammates can still have a major bearing on the championship race.
They face Rangataua at home tomorrow with the Tauranga club desperately needing a bonus-point win to sneak into the playoffs, at the same time hoping Rotoiti crash at home to Opotiki.
The clincher? Godbold has also turned out for both Rangataua and Rotoiti during his 10-year stint in the Baywide competition and he knows exactly what's at stake.
"Rangataua have got a pretty good chance to sneak in there but we want to finish on a good note," Godbold said. "You always joke that you should roll over and let them win but then you get out on the field and the natural instinct to win just takes over.
"Rotoiti will be up for their match given it's at home too but they don't need to worry - we'll have a good go at it tomorrow."
Te Teko haven't been nearly as bad as their lowly 19 points suggest. They've managed just two wins and a draw from 17 matches, though many results have been close and lost in the final minutes.
Godbold, who works in Mount Maunganui, travels down each week to Thursday night training with a car-load of Tauranga-based players, including former Northland halfback Lee Peina, former Mount wing Ray Forbes, Luke O'Brien and Sharleszane Mareiku.
"We've been good one week and terrible the next. It's a bit hard to work on any team moves when you don't get the numbers to training. We've played well in patches but just don't have the depth there to cover the guys going to work or getting injured. There's a few older guys in the team so injuries are a bit more frequent these days."
Godbold isn't sure if this will be his last season or not. He's shied away from playing prop this year because of nerve damage to his neck and is booked in for an operation at the end of the year.
One of the most mobile forwards in the province, the prospect of continuing his rugby at lock - or even wing - doesn't faze him, however.
He's just not sure the new Baywide competition - which has been salvaged by an enthralling finish - is the best remedy for everyone.
"Because we're at the bottom end of the competition, we would have preferred to see how we went in that first round like in previous years and then dropped back down to that next tier."
 Tomorrow, leaders Tauranga Sports will be searching for some lost form after having 11 players stripped from their squad to play for the Steamers.
Tauranga head north to play Te Puna at Maramatanga Park, while Whakarewarewa host Mount Maunganui, and Te Puke Sports host Whakatane Marist. The only thing riding on those games is the top-four finishing order. Waikite and Rangiuru are guaranteed home semifinals in division one but Greerton Marist and Ngongotaha are hunting the final two spots, along with Kahukura who have the bye.
 Draws:
Premier (2.45pm) Te Teko v Rangataua, Dunderdale Park; Te Puna v Tauranga Sports, Maramatanga Park; Whakarewarewa v Mount Maunganui, Puarenga Park; Rotoiti v Opotiki, Emery Park; Te Puke Sports v Whakatane Marist, Murray Salt Stadium.
Division one (2.45pm) Ruatoki v Ngongotaha, Tuhoe Park; Waikite v Marist St Michaels, Bellvue Road; Rangiuru v Paroa, Jamieson Oval; Greerton Marist v Reporoa, Greerton Park; Kahukura the bye.
Division two (2.45pm) Katikati v Murupara, Moore Park; Eastern Pirates v Kawerau, Neil Hunt Park; Poroporo v Judea, Poroporo Park.
Colts (1pm)
Division one: Opotiki v Tauranga Sports, Opotiki Reserve; Mount Maunganui v Greerton Marist, Blake Park; Ngongotaha v Te Puke Sports, Ngongotaha Domain. Division two: Marist St Michaels v Whakarewarewa, Marist Park; Te Puna v Rangataua, Maramatanga Park.
Senior Reserve: Mt Maunganui v Kahukura, Blake Park (2.45pm) Whakarewarewa v Ruatoki, Puarenga Park (1pm) Opotiki v Rangataua, Opotiki (2.45pm).