Edgecumbe and Paroa contest a lineout. Photo / Supplied
Whakarewarewa are showing why they have been top of the heap in terms of Rotorua club rugby teams in recent seasons as they are already threatening to run away with the Central Bay of Plenty competition.
A 67-10 win over Kahukura, the only other unbeaten team going into the weekend, sees them sitting atop the table with three wins and a points differential of +106.
Whakarewarewa have comfortably held their spot in the Baywide Premier competition in recent seasons, without setting it alight against tough Western Bay of Plenty competition. It will be interesting to see how things pan out next year and if the season playing against their Central counterparts will hold them in good stead if and when they return to Baywide competition.
Meanwhile, Rotoiti have climbed into second place with a hard-fought 22-20 win over Marist St Michael's, their second win of the season. They sit above Kahukura on points difference.
In the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Paroa sit atop the table with two wins from two. They scraped past Edgecumbe for a 10-5 win at the weekend.
The combined team of Galatea/Waiohau sit second with a win and a loss.
In Western Bay of Plenty, last year's beaten finalists, Tauranga Sports, lead the way with three wins from three. They hammered Rangataua 71-24 at the weekend.
Te Puke, who beat Greerton 36-21, have also claimed three wins in the opening three rounds.
In the women's Premier competition, Black Ferns Sevens stars collided as Mount Maunganui and Rangataua faced off. It was Rangataua who claimed early-season bragging rights with a 36-10 win.
Meanwhile, Rotoiti beat Ōpōtiki 47-0 and Rangiuru brought Te Teko crashing back to earth with a 58-5 win.
Rangataua and Rangiuru sit atop the table with two bonus-point wins each.
(Content supplied by Waiariki Football)
Rotorua International Stadium was buzzing with anticipation from early Sunday morning as the Waiariki women's teams arrived for their first home games of the season.
Waiariki's Bay 1 women kicked the day off against Kawerau and the game looked even. However, Kawerau were hungry for the win and despite a brilliant penalty save by Waiariki goalkeeper Tegan Sutton, Kawerau were able to secure a 2-0 win.
Pāpāmoa's W-League team arrived as league leaders but a dominant Waiariki performance from the outset saw the league positions changed by the end of the afternoon as they romped to a 3-1 win. Waiariki's goal scorers were Danni McKenzie, Annaliese Heuvel and Kate McKenzie.
The next home game for the W-League will now be much-anticipated as they host Tauranga City at Rotorua International Stadium on August 2.
Both of Sunday's games had the privilege of having ball girls – a huge thanks to the Under-13 girls who came along and did a wonderful job of keeping the game flowing.
Both the Women's teams performances showed how far the commitment to women's football through the collaboration has come in just a few weeks. Re-establishing something can be challenging but Waiariki women have shown how the coaches, players and clubs all working together with a common goal is achieving football development locally for both competitive and social players.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Waiariki's Premiership men secured their first win of the season at home against West Hamilton Utd. Waiariki Bay 1 lost away at Pāpāmoa and Waiariki Bay 2 won, also away at Pāpāmoa.
Do you know of more sport that should be featured? Email your ideas, draws, results and photos to david.beck@nzme.co.nz for consideration.
RUGBY
Western Bay of Plenty Men
Premier:
Rangataua 24-71 Tauranga Sports
Te Puke 36-21 Greerton
Rangiuru 58-7 Arataki
Mount Maunganui 11-35 Te Puna
Premier Development:
Rangataua 15-32 Tauranga Sports
Te Puke 35-20 Greerton
Rangiuru 20-38 Judea
Mount Maunganui 24-24 Te Puna
Senior Reserves:
Greerton 7-33 Eastern Districts
Pāpāmoa 0-45 Tauranga Sports
Katikati 29-27 Te Puna
Central Bay of Plenty Men
Premier:
Whakarewarewa 67-10 Kahukura
Ngongotahā v Waikite (No result available)
Rotoiti 22-20 Marist St Michael's
Premier Development:
Murupara 7-61 Whakarewarewa
Ngongotahā Eagles 10-10 Marist St Michael's
Reporoa 35-5 Ngongotahā Hawkes
Eastern Pirates 15-5 Waikite
Kahukura — Bye
Eastern Bay of Plenty Men
Division 1:
Paroa 10-5 Edgecumbe
Whakatāne Marist 34-35 Galatea/Waiohau
Te Teko v Poroporo (No result available)
Ruatoki v Ōpōtiki (No result available)
Bay of Plenty Women:
Premier:
Te Teko 5-58 Rangiuru
Rotoiti 47-0 Ōpōtiki
Mount Maunganui 10-36 Rangataua
Waimana — Bye
FOOTBALL
(Bay of Plenty teams only)
WaiBop Premiership:
Ngaruawahia Utd 4-0 Tauranga City AFC
ninetyblack Taupō 1-2 Flying Mullet Pāpāmoa
Waikato Unicol 6-1 Ōtūmoetai
Waiariki 1-0 West Hamilton Utd
WaiBop Championship:
Whakatāne Town 6-0 Tauranga Old Blues
Claudelands Rovers 3-0 Tauranga City AFC
Te Puke Utd 0-0 Cambridge FC
Waikato Unicol 0-9 Ōtūmoetai
Taupō 4-1 Pāpāmoa
Roundwood Tokoroa 2-0 Hamilton Wanderers
WaiBop W-League:
Melville 1-1 Whakatāne Town
Waiariki 3-1 Pāpāmoa
Tauranga City 4-1 Ōtūmoetai FC
Bay 1:
Ōtūmoetai FC v Ōtūmoetai Legends (No result available)
Kawerau Sports 5-2 Tauranga City Relics
Katikati 3-1 Whakatāne Town
Pāpāmoa 9-1 Waiariki Bay 1
Bay 2:
Ōtūmoetai Special 1-1 Tauranga Old Blues
Tauranga City 2-1 Pāpāmoa Old Boys
Pāpāmoa DouBros 1-5 Waiariki
Taupō Lakers 0-0 Plains Rangers
Women's Bay 1:
Tauranga City 0-9Te Puke
Waiariki 0-2 Kawerau Sports
Plains Rangers — Bye
Ōtūmoetai FC 0-7 Blue Rovers Vintage
Police have said he was evading arrest, but a family member disputed that.