UNLUCKY: Consecutive losses in the Premier 1 division have seen Rotoiti drop down the table. PHOTO/FILE
How fast things can change in the Baywide Premier rugby competition.
A few weeks ago Rotoiti were sitting at the top of the table with three wins out of three.
Now, after successive losses to Rangataua and Greerton Marist, they have toppled down the table to fifth place.
The top of the table is so close that a single win could see them move back towards the top, but they will be feeling the pressure.
Rotoiti coach Willie Royal said the 26-19 loss to Greerton was "really close".
"We were up 19-14 at halftime.
"In the first half we had most of the pressure but they got a couple of breakaway tries from their own line.
"In the second half we had the wind and thought it would help us, but it didn't.
"Greerton Marist came out and started playing rugby, we fell off the pace a little bit and made a few errors," Royal said.
The Rotoiti side would take a lot of positives out of their first-half performance and look to sustain that for 80 minutes in their remaining games, he said.
"Our forwards played really well and had them under pressure, if we played the same way in the second half we would've got the win I think.
"They put us under pressure in the second half and we just went away from what we had been doing in the first half."
In the coming week Rotoiti would work on reducing the errors in their game.
"It's still really close on the table, there's only a few points in it and we will have a hard game against Te Puna next week."
Meanwhile, Whakarewarewa remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier 1 table after a 50-14 loss to Te Puna.
Whaka coach Joe Savage said the competition was getting tougher every week.
"It seems to be the way things are sliding, the other teams are getting better and we don't seem to be getting better unfortunately.
"With players being out and players being injured, we just have to keep trying with the team we've got and enjoy the last few weeks.
"We'll always keep trying to improve, we don't want to go backwards."
A light at the end of the tunnel for Whaka is a game against local rivals Rotoiti and an opportunity to win back the Tai Mitchell Shield in the last game of the round.
"We're just trying to enjoy each others company for the last few games - we know we can create opportunities, it's just a matter of capitalising on them."
Results:
Baywide Premier 1:
Mount Maunganui 35 v Tauranga Sports 18
Te Puke Sports 34 v Rangataua 32
Greerton Marist 26 v Rotoiti 19
Te Puna 50 v Whakarewarewa 14
Baywide Premier 1 Development:
Mount Maunganui 38 v Tauranga Sports 31
Te Puke Sports 62 v Rangataua 5
Greerton Marist 34 v Rotoiti 7
Te Puna v Whakarewarewa - Te Puna won by default
Baywide Premier 2:
Waikite 36 v Whakatane Marist 24
Paroa 17 v Ngongotaha 17
Marist St Michael's 17 v Opotiki 14
Arataki 29 v Poroporo 23
Baywide Premier 2 Development:
Waikite 13 v Whakatane Marist 12
Ngongotaha 17 v Paroa 0
Marist St Michael's 30 v Opotiki 7
Arataki v Poroporo - no result posted
Baywide Division 1:
Papamoa 21 v Ruatoki 15
Kahukura 27 v Katikati 12
Rangiuru 14 v Judea 11
Te Teko 61 v Waimana 17
Baywide Division 2:
Matata 27 v Eastern Districts 24
Murupara 15 v Reporoa 7
Edgecumbe 46 v Eastern Pirates 12
Boxing Day shoppers in Rotorua and Tauranga are happy to be spending.