Ngongotaha withdraw team

Ngongotaha have withdrawn their team from this year's Bay of Plenty district rugby league premiership because they have lost so many players.

The club - which was established in 1938 and is the only non-Waikato team to have won the Waico Bay Premiership (in 2004) - have seen several of their premier players either leave for Australia or are now playing rugby.

Ngongotaha club president Paul Nahu told The Daily Post yesterday it was a sign of the times with player numbers dwindling for many of the clubs in Rotorua.

"We're not a big club. We've had 50 players and about 100 club members leave and go overseas. You can't blame them. [Rotorua] is not a growth town.

"Our population hasn't changed much in the last few years, whereas Tauranga has almost doubled," Nahu said.

"So that's why we find ourselves in this situation. We can't invent people, so we are going to focus on one team.

"We want to be competitive rather than just participate. It doesn't do our club any good to just participate. We will do it as a rebuilding stage. It's unfortunate but it's just what we have to do," Nahu said.

Although struggling to find senior numbers, Nahu said their club had record numbers in the junior levels.

However, he was concerned junior players from 17 to 20 were being lost to other sports.

"There is nowhere for them to go. It's too big of a step to move them to reserve grade or premier level. We need possibly an under-20 level to keep that talent in the game."

Ngongotaha has produced many talented players throughout its history. There were the Orchard brothers, Robert, Phillip, Eddie and John.

Robert and Phillip represented New Zealand and Phillip was inducted into the NZRL Hall of Fame.

The club in latter years produced many talented age group players from New Zealand 15s, 16s, 17s, 18s, Junior Kiwis, New Zealand Maori and New Zealand Kiwi (Mark Woods).

Nahu said he was confident the club would survive this setback and return to its glory days.

The withdrawal of Ngongotaha means their scheduled opponents will be credited with a bye.

Ngongotaha were drawn to play Otumoetai this morning.

In the other games in the Bay of Plenty district rugby league competition, Pikiao will host Tauranga Whalers at Puketawhero Park, Pacific play Taupo in Tokoroa and Central travel to Tokoroa to take on Forestland.

In the reserve grade, Pikiao host Tauranga at Puketawhero Park, Pacific play Taupo in Tokoroa, Otumoetai take on Ngongotaha at Mitchell Park, Forestland host Central in Tokoroa, Mangakino play Putaruru in Mangakino and Turangi host Reporoa.

ROUND 3

Premiers: (all games kick off at 2.30pm) Pikiao v Tauranga, Puketawhero Park; Pacific v Taupo, Tokoroa; Forestland v Central, Tokoroa; Otumoetai bye.

Reserves: (all games kick off at 1pm) Pikiao v Tauranga, Puketawhero Park; Pacific v Taupo, Tokoroa; Otumoetai v Ngongotaha, Mitchell Park; Forestland v Central, Tokoroa; Mangakino v Putaruru, Mangakino; Turangi v Reporoa, Turangi.