Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Rugby: Rotoiti win Rotorua Banner and retain Tai Mitchell Shield

Rotorua Daily Post
17 Mar, 2018 09:45 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Rotoiti forward Abraham Tito produces an offload during the Rotorua Banner final against Ngongotaha. Photo / Ben Fraser

Rotoiti forward Abraham Tito produces an offload during the Rotorua Banner final against Ngongotaha. Photo / Ben Fraser

Rotoiti can proudly hang the Rotorua Banner in their clubrooms for the next year, after a comprehensive 44-10 win over Ngongotaha in the pre-season final.

As well as winning the banner, which Whakarewarewa have held for the past two years, the win ensured Rotoiti retained the Tai Mitchell Shield.

Ngongotaha, who have qualified to play in the Baywide Premier division this year, showed plenty of grunt, but were given a timely reminder of the pace the game is played at in the premier division.

Arapo Whata with the ball. Photo/Ben Fraser
Arapo Whata with the ball. Photo/Ben Fraser

As is to be expected during the pre-season, both sides struggled for continuity during the early stages, but Rotoiti opened the scoring after 10 minutes when they created an overlap for Kaipo Brown on the right-hand side.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Rotoiti forward pack were as big and powerful as ever, producing massive hits and dominating the set piece throughout to lay the platform for another three tries and a 20-3 lead at halftime.

During the first 20 minutes of the second half, Ngongotaha started to find their feet and had some decent spells of possession. With 20 minutes left to play, Rotoiti lost a man to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle and Ngongotaha went on the attack with renewed energy.

They made the most of the numerical advantage almost instantly when Leighton Simpkins put William Seywell through a gap to score. The try was converted and the deficit reduced to 20-10.

Rotoiti's Baden Wardlaw. Photo/Ben Fraser
Rotoiti's Baden Wardlaw. Photo/Ben Fraser

Unfortunately for Ngongotaha, that was where the comeback ended as Rotoiti turned the screws and showed why they were Baywide Premier finalists last season.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They scored another four tries, including a great team effort in which first five Whakataki Cunningham put up a midfield bomb and lock Baden Wardlaw leapt to claim it and produced a superb offload from the back of the hand to put Tamati Rhind over under the posts.

Ngongotaha coach Jodie Wharekura said the game showed his players the standard of rugby required to compete in the premier division.

"It was fast and I expected that Rotoiti would come out like that, they're a well structured and well coached side and they certainly showed us the level we need to be at. All credit to them, they have a great squad and Rotorua should be proud of that team.

"Our set piece is [the main work-on]. We were dominated at set piece, at scrum and lineout, and you can't set any sort of platform from there.

Discover more

Lions match earned Rotorua estimated $11.1 million

14 Mar 03:33 AM
Sport

Valerie Adams' sister shines at para-athletics

13 Mar 04:10 PM

Whakatane woman a Tania Dalton scholarship recipient

13 Mar 12:00 AM

Rugby: Rotorua pre-season heats up

15 Mar 04:00 PM
Ngongotaha's Scott Bogan. Photo/ Ben Fraser
Ngongotaha's Scott Bogan. Photo/ Ben Fraser

"I was proud of the boys and the way they stuck at it, we managed to get a try in the second half. They're all still nice and close and tight, that's a sign of a team that's going forward. They can't wait for next week," Wharekura said.

Rotoiti coach Richard Francis said dominance at the set piece set the platform.

"The tight five in the scrum in particular did the job, that goes a long way to winning.

"It was a great occasion too, playing at the stadium and playing Ngongotaha again. The crowd was awesome and the banner is there for a year now. It's all for the community, that's what the boys really play for, the passion and the community," Francis said.

Earlier in the day Waikite beat Kahukura 20-5 to claim the Paul Scott Trophy.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Rotorua Daily Post

Kea Kids News: The small rugby player making big moves

Watch
Rotorua Daily Post

Baywide rugby: Whaka look to break 19-year drought

Sport

Waikato boxers off to Australia for Commonwealth Games qualifier


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Kea Kids News: The small rugby player making big moves
Rotorua Daily Post

Kea Kids News: The small rugby player making big moves

One to watch! Reporter Ollie is in Rotorua, where 12-year-old Kyro’s physical size is no match for his talent, tenacity, and dedication on the rugby field. Video / Kea Kids News

Watch
14 Jul 11:26 PM
Baywide rugby: Whaka look to break 19-year drought
Rotorua Daily Post

Baywide rugby: Whaka look to break 19-year drought

14 Jul 05:17 AM
Waikato boxers off to Australia for Commonwealth Games qualifier
Sport

Waikato boxers off to Australia for Commonwealth Games qualifier

14 Jul 02:21 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP