Bartercard Baywide Rugby Review 25 July 2010

While the four Bartercard Baywide semi-finalists have been found, the top four form in recent weeks, would suggest that a crystal ball is needed to select the championship winner.

Rotoiti grabbed a place in the semi-finals, when they got past Opotiki at Emery Park. The victory over the Eastern Bay side was the Lakesiders first win since the last weekend in May.

However Rotoiti had to dig deep against one of real improvers of Premier club rugby this season. Down 8-21 at the break, the home side ran in four second half touchdowns to sneak home 30-28.

For the winners Maka Royal, David Fraser, Kevin Guptil, Luke Cassisdy and Joel Marsters were awarded tries with Te Hata Wilbore, Adrian Day and Maaka Mafi dotting down for Opotiki.

Rangataua could only rue what might have been. The Western Bay side needed a big win over Te Teko, and Rotoiti to fall at the last hurdle, for Rangataua to make the semi-finals.

Leaving no stone unturned with their own performance, Rangataua demolished Te Teko 70-12 in the Eastern Bay, however it was to no avail when news filtered through that Rotoiti had defeated Opotiki.

Defending Premier champions Tauranga Sports, finished the round robin competition that started back in the last weekend of March, at the top of the table. The Tauranga Domain based side who are seeking four successive titles won the right to host a home semi-final (against Te Puke Sports) next weekend.

Facing Te Puna at home Tauranga Sports ground out a 38-24 victory. The defending champions held a narrow 12-7 lead at the break, before running in four further tries in the second spell. A feature of the match was the three touchdowns awarded to Tauranga Sports leading point’s scorer Jason Karauria.

Whakatane Marist capped off a sterling July when they defeated Te Puke Sports 21-19 at Murray Salt Stadium. In four successive games the Eastern Bay Marist side has lowered the colours of Rotoiti, Tauranga Sports, Te Puna and the Te Puke team.

Whakarewarewa were another side that could only rue lost opportunities earlier in the season, finishing just outside the top four. On Saturday, they gave Mount Maunganui, who finished second in the round robin competition, a rugby lesson winning 52-19.

In Division One Waikite and Rangiuru continued their stranglehold at the top of the point’s ledger. Waikite defeated Marist St Michaels 52-12, with Rangiuru getting home against Paroa 36-15.

Kahukura, who sat on the sideline courtesy of the bye, grabbed the last semi-final spot, when Reporoa defeated Greerton at Greerton Park. The home side appeared to have booked a top four berth leading by 12 points with ten minutes remaining.

However a Reporoa blitzkrieg, with Jeremy Ward, Duncan Wills and Leroy Chase scoring tries as the clock ticked down, resulted in Reporoa taking out the encounter 25-20.

In the Baywide Colts title race, Te Puke Sports hade to repel a strong challenge from Ngongotaha late in match, before posting a 22-17 victory. In a replay of last year’s championship final Te Puke made the early running leading 17-5 at the break.

Another Te Puke touchdown extended the visitors lead to 22-5, before Ngongotaha roared back into the game. The last quarter belonged to the home team who ran in two tries with Te Puke having to defend their line to the final whistle.

BOPRU Bartercard Baywide Results 24 July 2010

Premier
Whakatane Marist 21 (Alamoti Te Pou, Abe Tito, Jesse Ram tries; Craig Edwards 2pen) Te Puke Sports 19 (Simon Rolleston, Aaron Sutherland, Ryan Lambert tries; Sutherland 2con).

Tauranga Sports 38 (Jason Karauria 3, Steve Honey, Adam Robinson, Brendon Clark tries; Karauaria 4con) Te Puna 24 (Josh Walker, Daniel Schuster, Junior Bidois, John Brown tries; Darrell Houia 2con). HT: 12-7.

Whakarewarewa 52 (Paula Asaeli 2, Doug Edwards 2, Chris van der Vlugt 2, Aaron Rameka, Theo Heta, Hayden Baird tries; Kelly Haimona 2con pen) Mount Maunganui 19 (Jah Smith, Andy Devoy, Peter Maisey tries; Maisey 2con). HT: 32-5.

Rotoiti 30 (Maka Royal, David Fraser, Kevin Guptil, Luke Cassidy, Jake Marsters tries; Joe Fenton pen con) Opotiki 28 (Te Hata Wilbore, Adrian Day, Maaka Mafi tries; Sam Howe 2con 2pen dg). HT: 8-21.

Rangataua 70 (Timoti Gardiner 3, Roha Dalby-Reidy 2, Quinton Gardiner 2, Matua Parkinson, Alex Jessop, Paroa Gardiner tries; John Ririnui 6 con, Ashley Mason 3, Quinton Gardiner con) Te Teko 12(Scott Sutherland, Anthony Studer tries; Lee Peina con).

Points Table (Final)
Tauranga Sports 71, Mount Maunganui 62. Rotoiti 53, Te Puke Sports 51, Rangataua 50, Whakarewarewa 48, Opotiki 38, Whakatane Marist 38,Te Puna 28, Te Teko 19.

Division One: Ngongotaha 25 Ruatoki 14, Waikite 52 Marist St Michaels 12, Rangiuru 36 Paroa 15, Reporoa 25 Greerton Marist 20.
Points Table (Final)
Waikite 79, Rangiuru 68, Ngongotaha 47, Kahukura 44, Greerton Marist 42, Reporoa 40, Paroa 33, Ruatoki 21, Marist St Michaels 19.

Division Two: Katikati 63 Murupara 14, Kawerau 24 Eastern Pirates 14, Poroporo 15 Judea 12.

Colts Division One: Greerton Marist 18 Mount Maungnaui 0, Te Puke Sports 22 Ngongotaha 17, Tauranga Sports defeated Opotiki.
Colts Division Two: Marist St Michaels 36 Whakarewarewa 13, Te Puna won by default.

Senior Reserve: Mount Maunganui 45 Kahukura 13, Whakarewarewa 44 Ruatoki 10, Opotiki 19 Rangataua 10.

Bartercard Baywide Semi-Finals 31 July 2010
Premier: Tauranga Sports v Te Puke Sports, Mount Maungnaui v Rotoiti.
Division One: Waikite v Kahukura, Rangiuru v Ngongotaha.

For further information contact:
Mike Rogers BOPRU Operations Manager
DDI 07 927 1316 029 478 4292