Rugby: Waikite look to 2015 after tight final

The past season is barely cold yet the post-mortem has been completed and Waikite are already working on 2015. But one goal of coach Charles Te Kowhai is for all Rotorua teams to play against each other.

The Division One club couldn't win their final in Whakatane on Saturday, but not for lack of trying. They went down 6-3 to Paroa in a game remembered for its strong defence and costly decisions.

Coach Charles Te Kowhai said his young side went through "an excellent learning experience", though the result didn't go their way.

"Both sides had a really tight defence and it came down to some key decisions at different times," he said.

"They defended well in the first half - we tested each other out. The second half we were camped out on their line for 20 minutes. We lost a line out and that probably cost us in terms of putting pressure on."

He said there were rumours Paroa might not take the Baywide Premier spot due to not being able to field two sides - the premier club must also field a reserve grade team - but until he heard anything concrete he would continue his preparations for 2015 in Division One.

"We're already planning for next year. We're meeting in two weeks to discuss the bigger picture, to make it more attractive to school leavers. We want to get the kinds of players we need for our future."

He said he would also like for all Rotorua's Baywide teams, irrespective of division, to play a round of matches against each other before progressing to the Premier, Division One or Division two championships,

That would help strengthen rugby in Rotorua," he said. "This is what's important for grassroots rugby."

Result:

Paroa 6 Waikite 3

(Sam Philips pen).