Opotiki caused another upset in the Bartercard Baywide Premier competition, when they provided Whakarewarewa with their second successive defeat on Saturday (11 June 2011).

The Eastern Bay side always provide a formable challenge at home, and they served it up to the Rotorua visitors from the opening whistle. Opotiki virtually wrapped up the match in the first half taking a 19 nil lead into the break.

The Eastern Bay representatives picked up a valuable bonus point courtesy of the four tries awarded to Sam Gaskill, James Thompson, Rau Rangihua and Kevin Waterson, with Sam Howe converting two of his team’s touchdowns. While Aliki Kisina dotted down for the visitors with Kelly Haimona adding a penalty and a conversion - the game belonged to Opotiki who posted a comprehensive 24-10 victory.

The final score at the Tauranga Domain showed Tauranga Sports 21 - Rory McConnochie 11 in a match where the Rangataua fullback scored all his sides points, with an early try and two penalty goals. An 8-6 lead to Rangataua at the break indicated the closeness of the contest in the first half.

Tauranga Sports winger Byron McGuigan opened the scoring in the second half finishing off a long-range attack, with Portuguese fullback Nuno Penha E Costa also dotting down with his sixth touchdown of the season, as Tauranga Sports took out the encounter 21-11. The Whaka defeat gives the defending champions an eleven-point buffer at the top of the point’s ladder.

While Rotoiti held Mount Maunganui to a 13-10 lead at the break, the visitors to Emery Park cut loose in the second spell to post a convincing 40-10 win. Steamers captain Colin Bourke making a rare appearance for the Mount scored one touchdown with Dan Waenga, Andrew Stead, Mata McGrath and Lance MacDonald also crossing for five points apiece.

The sole Rotoiti try was awarded to Peter White, with Sekeli Vorenasu adding to his season tally with a penalty and a conversion. Mount Maunganui have now joined Whaka in second place on the points ladder, with Rotoiti slipping further down the standings to eighth place.

Te Puke Sports continued there renaissance when they won a tussle with Whakatane Marist in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, After leading 10-3 at the break they went on to record a three try to one 22-10 win. Waikite showed that they are hard to beat at home when they got past Te Puna 20-13, with the Western Bay side picking up their seventh bonus point of the season.

While Te Teko and Ngongotaha lead the point’s ledger in Division one, their respective victories came in contrasting circumstances. The Eastern Bay side continued their roll where they have lost just a solitary game on the field of play, when they despatched Rangiuru 59-19 at Te Teko Headquarters. Meanwhile Ngongotaha trailed Katikati 3 nil for most of the encounter at Moore Park, before the visitors crashed over for a try in the dying minutes of the match to snatch a dramatic 7-3 win.

In other Div One matches Ruatoki belied their place at the bottom of the point’s ladder to snatch a 36 all draw with Greerton Marist, Marist St Michaels won a battle of attrition with Reporoa 20-15, while Paroa posted a solid 32-15 victory over Kahukura in the Eastern Bay of Plenty,

While the final result showed that defending Colts titleholders Te Puke Sports despatched Rangataua 36-11, it wasn’t all one-way traffic, with Rangataua holding an 11-7 advantage at the half way stage of the game. Mount Maunganui hit their straps to defeat Eastern Bay visitors Opotiki 47-5 at Blake Park.

There was a razor thin margin between Greerton Marist and Te Puna throughout their game, with the Greerton prevailing by a solitary point 14-13. Tauranga Sports had to fight for victory before repelling the Marist St Michaels challenge 24-18, in the curtain raiser at the Tauranga Domain.

BOPRU Bartercard Baywide Results 11 June 2011

Premier
Opotiki 24 (Sam Gaskill, James Thompson, Rau Rangihua, Kevin Waterson tries; Sam Howe 2 con) Whakarewarewa 10 (Aliki Kisina try; Kelly Haimoana pen con) HT 19-0.

Waikite 20 (H Hudson, Mike Richards tries; Richards dg, Quaid Langeveltd 2 con pen) Te Puna 13 (Tapene Mika, Murray Turner tries; Darrell Houia pen)

Mount Maunganui 40 (Colin Bourke, Dan Waenga, Andrew Stead, Mata McGrath, Lance MacDonald tries; Waenga 3 pens 3 cons) Rotoiti 10 (Peter White try; Sikeli Vorenasu pen con) HT 13-10.

Te Puke Sports 22 (Nathan Harris, Gideon Uelese, Nick Mc Cashin tries; McCashin 2 con) Whakatane Marist 10 (Mark Camburn try; Craig Edwards pen con) HT 10-3.

Tauranga Sports 21 (Byron McGuigan, Nuno Penha E Costa tries; Nick Evemy 2 pens con) Rangataua 11 (Rory McConnochie try, 2 pens) HT 6-8.

Points Table: Tauranga Sports 49, Whakarewarewa 38, Mount Maunganui 38, , Rangataua 34, Te Puke Sports 34, Opotiki 26, Waikite 25, Rotoiti 24, Te Puna 15, Whakatane Marist 12.

Division One: Ruatoki 36 Greerton Marist 36, Marist St Michaels 20 Reporoa 15, Te Teko 59 Rangiuru 19, Paroa 32 Kahukura 14, Ngongotaha 7 Katikati 3.

Colts (Section One) Tauranga Sports 24 Marist St Michaels 13. Mount Maunganui 47 Opotiki 5, Greerton Marist 14 Te Puna 13, Te Puke Sports 36 Rangataua 11 (Section Two) Whakatane Marist 35 Waikite 30, Rotoiti 38 Judea 7.

For further information contact:
Neil Alton BOPRU Operations Manager 021 570 911