Te Puke Sports have tough start to season

• Published date: 18 April 2024
• Author: RUGBY Stuart Whitaker
• Publication title: Te Puke Times

A rusty first half performance by the visitors saw them fail to gain a foothold in the game, with Greerton Marist chipping away with three penalties and a converted try, giving them a 16-0 halftime lead

The second half opened better and with hope for Pirates when replacement Josh Baxter scored in the 46th minute, but Greerton regained their stranglehold on the game with another penalty and converted try. A final-minute penalty to Greerton made the final score 29-12.

Kolinio Gonebale’s try, converted by Fletcher Carpenter, was just a consolation, with Te Puke Sports now looking to regroup before a second away game at Marist St Michael’s on Saturday.

Elsewhere, nine-time Baywide champions Tauranga Sports provided Marist St Michael’s with a reality check in their return to Baywide rugby at the Tauranga Domain.

While the Rotorua visitors opened the scoring with a penalty, after 12 minutes it was mainly one-way traffic for the remainder of the contest. Tauranga Sports led 21-3 at the break before piling on 38 points in the second half to post a 59-3 victory.

Mount Maunganui also posted a big start to the new season, putting on 59 unanswered points against Ngongotahā at Blake Park.

In other premier action, Rangataua grabbed a point in their close-run matchup with Whakarewarewa who won 15-12 while Te Puna accounted for Judea 36-0.

In the Western Bay Senior men’s competition, titleholders Te Puna ran rampant in beating Judea 87-0 following a 33-point win over Arataki the previous week.

Arataki bounced back at the Tauranga Domain on Saturday when they defeated Tauranga Sports 33-15. Rangiuru and Mount Maunganui made successful season debuts with victories over Pāpāmoa (38-3) and Eastern Districts (24-19) respectively.

The Mount scored a try in the final minute to take the win in what Eastern Districts coach Jason Marra describes as a “hard-fought battle”.

Jared McKenzie scored ED’s only try with the other points coming from the boot of Devon McNaughton with four penalties and a conversion.

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