Baywide rugby: Te Puke Sports continue winning ways

Fletcher Carpenter scored 20 of Te Puke Sports’ 45 points in Saturday’s win over Rangataua.

Te Puke Sports continued their stranglehold on the top spot of the points ladder with an emphatic 45-13 win against Rangataua in enemy territory in the first round of the second, six-team phase of the competition.

But they didn’t have things all their own way, with Rangataua 10-0 to the good inside the first quarter.

However, the hosts were only able to add another penalty to their total as the Pirates took control and scored seven tries.

Fletcher Carpenter continued his incredible season with two more tries and five conversions. Also getting on the try-scoring sheet were Wemin Kapia, Elia Dina, Grady Forbes, Taine Craig-Ranga and Lachlan Devereux.

Te Puke are away again next Saturday, travelling to Te Puna.

Elsewhere, Greerton Marist defeated Tauranga Sports for the second time this season to lay down their credentials as genuine premiership title contenders.

Greerton were led out by Taylor Jones, playing his 150th match in the black and gold uniform, and quickly took the game to the home side. Greerton’s 21-nil lead at the break set the platform for their 28-12 victory.

While Tauranga Sports came back into the contest in the second half, they simply made too many errors, repeatedly handing the ball back to the Western Bay visitors to the Tauranga Domain.

Whakarewarewa moved into third place on the standings, after beating defending Baywide champions Te Puna 25-10 at Puarenga Park in Rotorua.

Mount Maunganui seem to have the Baywide second-tier competition at their mercy after the opening round on Saturday.

A comprehensive 71-17 victory over Judea suggested the Mount should be too strong for the three other contenders. The Rotorua derby between Marist St Michaels and Ngongotahā ended in a 10-all draw.

The Colts competition looks to be a one-horse race, with Mount Maunganui scoring their ninth straight bonus-point win on Saturday, beating Pāpāmoa 80-22. Te Puke Sports got past Tauranga Sports 26-14, while Te Puna won a nail-biter against Greerton Marist 10-8.

There are few bigger rivalries in Western Bay of Plenty local rugby than the matchups between Mount Maunganui and Arataki. The rivalry dates back to 1974, when Arataki established themselves as the second club on the Mount Maunganui peninsula. Honours were with Mount Maunganui at the weekend when they got past Arataki 36-15.

Greerton Marist retained second place in the preliminary competition when they edged Tauranga Sports 25-20 in the early action at the Tauranga Domain.

Rangataua were too strong for Matakana Island in winning 82-7. Te Puke Sports won the derby with Eastern Districts 35-17, Te Puna defeated Rangiuru 38-5, while Pāpāmoa had to work hard to defeat Judea 36-7.

BOPRU AR Plus Club Rugby Results June 15

Premier

Premiership: Greerton Marist 28 Tauranga Sports 12, Whakarewarewa 25 Te Puna 10, Te Puke Sports 45 Rangataua 13.

Points Table: Te Puke Sports 44, Greerton Marist 39, Whakarewarewa 34, Te Puna 33, Tauranga Sports 33, Rangataua 25.

Championship: Mount Maunganui 71 Judea 17, Ngongotaha 10 Marist St Michaels 10.

Points Table: Mount Maunganui 28, Marist St Michaels 12, Judea 6, Ngongotaha 3.

BOPRU Colts/U85kg

Mount Maunganui 80 Papamoa 22, Te Puke Sports 26 Tauranga Sports 14, Te Puna 10 Greerton Marist 8, Kahukura the bye.

Western Bay Senior Men

Mount Maunganui 36 Arataki 15, Rangataua 82 Matakana Island 7, Greerton Marist 25 Tauranga Sports 20, Te Puke Sports 35 Eastern Districts 17, Te Puna 38 Rangiuru 5, Papamoa 36 Judea 7, Katikati the bye.

All points tables can be found at www.boprugby.co.nz.