League: Season opener a nail-biter

Pikiao player Scotty Evans scores against Ngongotaha in a derby match which produced 12 tries on Saturday.

Ngongotaha and Pikiao battled out a 32-all draw in a roller coaster match which saw the lead change several times.

The first round of the new Bay of Plenty Coastline premier competition was played on Saturday.

In the Rotorua derby, defending champs Pikiao scored two late tries to avoid a loss against Ngongotaha at Puketawhero Park.

Ngongotaha went on a good stretch in the second half scoring four unanswered tries, led by play maker Ray Luke..

But Pikiao fought back in the final 10 minutes to score two tries, the final one coming from experienced halfback Te Kaiaotea "Bully" Tahuriorangi.

"I think it was a fair result at the end of the day," Ngongotaha coach Rob Kemp said.

"Both teams dominated certain parts of the game. I thought it was there for us to win but Pikiao took their chances and the rest is history."

Kemp said, while they would have liked to win the first round clash, it was pleasing to see his team come back strong after falling behind early in the second half.

"We had spoken all pre-season about being tight as a group and not panicking and that showed."

New Pikiao coach Thomas Wharerau said it was exactly what he expected from the derby.

Wharerau said they had "seven or eight" new faces this year compared to the team that won the Bay of Plenty District premier competition last season, and they were still building combinations. The derby match was played at a high intensity straight from the kick-off on Saturday.

The first try came off the back of a big tackle from Pikiao winger Scotty Evans, who forced a knock-on.

Evans then scored a few plays later out wide on the right. But Ngongotaha battled well in the first half and it was clear it was going to be a tight match.

With the scores locked at 10-10 at half time, Pikiao came out the stronger side in the second period scoring two tries.

Ngongotaha snapped into life and pushed out to what looked to be a winning lead. Pikiao then showed the same fighting spirit that won them the grand final last year, to claw back the lead for the draw.

-Ngongotaha 32 (Manuele Vito Peato, Esera Filipo, Joshua Albert, Anthony Tataurangi, Ray Luke, Joe Nuku tries; Ray Luke 4 con) Pikiao 32 (Scotty Evans, D'Layni Perham, Otene Te Rangi, Rikihana Te Rangi, Raureti Grace, Te Kaiaotea Tahuriorangi tries; Otene Te Rangi 4 con).