Waikite player Courtney Marsters runs the ball up against Mount Maunganui at Bellvue Road on Saturday Photo/Stephen Parker
Waikite player Courtney Marsters runs the ball up against Mount Maunganui at Bellvue Road on Saturday Photo/Stephen Parker
When you're getting beaten by about 50 points every game you must start to wonder why you turn up on a Saturday.
But for Waikite Rugby Club's premier side it's all about trying to rebuild the proud Rotorua club.
The players have continually pulled on the black and yellow jersey with pride this season and given it plenty, despite not winning a match in the Baywide premier rugby grade. Waikite returned to the top flight this year after a couple of seasons playing in Division One and are trying to build for the future, to become a force again in Bay of Plenty rugby.
Waikite's latest fixture saw them host defending Baywide champions Mount Maunganui at Bellvue Rd on Saturday, losing 80-8.
In patches the Waikite forwards matched Mount Maunganui's big men but the local side were often scrambling in defence as Mount shifted the ball wide.
Waikite coach Charles Te Kowhai said one of the big differences he had noticed, comparing his team to other premier sides like Mount, was conditioning.
Mount Maunganui player Ben Tyler. Photo/Stephen Parker
"The thing I've learned with these teams here is off-season conditioning. They are quicker and stronger," he said. "If you're quicker and stronger at the contact then you can see what is happening out wide."
Te Kowhai said a big need for his team would be to get together after the season ends next month and put in work on strength and conditioning.
"The season ends in July, and these guys want to have a six-month conditioning programme so that next year they are just fine-tuning their fitness and conditioning for the start of the season. But they'll have to do a lot of work in the off-season, which will take a lot of commitment. That's where the challenge is."
Te Kowhai said they had targeted this Saturday's match against Opotiki as a game they could win this year.
Waikite's only try against Mount came when Tutaka Williams crossed in the last 10 minutes, following some nice build-up play from the forwards.
Meanwhile, across town, Whakarewarewa were far too strong for Opotiki at Puarenga Park, beating the visitors 90-26.
It was an important bonus-point win for Whaka, who remain within striking distance of the top four. Whaka star Te Rangi Fraser took his 2015 Baywide try tally to 15 with a hat-trick on Saturday.
Whaka will have a colossal clash this coming Saturday against Rotorua rivals Rotoiti.
-Waikite 8 (Tutaka Williams try; Nerehana Tarei pen) Mount Maunganui 80 (Mason Walker 4, Zar Lawrence 3, Adam McGarvey 2, Pera Gibbs 2, Doug Law, Chris Elvin, Ben Tyler tries; A McGarvey 4 con, P Gibbs con). HT: 0-48.
Rotoiti edge bogey side at long last
Rotoiti have snapped their terrible run of results against fellow premier side Te Puna, with a late 27-25 victory.
Rotoiti have also held on to their spot in the top four of the Baywide premier rugby competition by beating their bogey team on Saturday at Maramatanga Park. Going into the match, Te Puna had won all of their past four matches against Rotoiti.
The visitors led 17-10 at the halfway stage of the encounter, before Te Puna roared back to lead by a solitary point with five minutes remaining in the match. Willie Ripia calmly stepped up and slotted a penalty goal as the clock ticked down to give his team the narrow victory.
Chanse Perham also grabbed a hat-trick of tries for the Rotorua club, helping Rotoiti secure a four-try bonus point.
Rangiuru 44 Marist St Michael's 7, Te Teko 39 Katikati 5, Arataki 33 Ruatoki 26, Judea 41 Galatea 20, Kahukura 57 Reporoa 7, Poroporo won by default against Ngongotaha.
