Te Puke look to protect hard-earned top-spot

Former leader Te Puna’s visit to table-topping Te Puke highlights Baywide club rugby. Photo: BOP Rugby

Te Puke's one week tenure at the summit of Farmlands Co-operative Baywide club rugby will come under serious threat with the visit of previous leader and season form horse Te Puna.

The Murray Salt Stadium-based unit hit the heights with their 46-17 dismissal of Whakarewarewa last week, but face a different level of threat in today's match of the round from the Te Puna side who were enjoying an unbeaten saunter through the competition until falling just short last week at home to Tauranga Sports.

The win lifted Te Puke to 14 points on the table, two above Te Puna, who will be seriously amped to get back to where they feel they belong.

Containing Te Puna's exceptional youth and talent will be the critical for his side, Te Puke head coach Matt Wallis feels.

'Te Puna will be hurting,” he says. 'With us it is about keeping our boys focused against a team that is dangerous everywhere across the paddock. They are a fast, young and fit side that move the ball around a lot, so our defence has been a key focus at training this week.”

Setting up for a match of this magnitude presents its own challenges, Matt says.

'It's a tough one to get prepared for as it's a bit of an unknown for them coming off their first loss.”

That defeat to Tauranga Sports has been weighing on Te Puna head coach Aidan Kuka's mind as well, bringing home to him the importance of going into the game with the intent and purpose they've played with all season.

'Tauranga Sports gave us a timely lesson on what this round is all about,” he says. 'You have to bring your A game every week.”

Both mentors highlighted the collision area as key to the match outcome of the match.

'Last week (against Whakarewarewa) we won the race to the break down,” says Matt. 'But it's something we need to get better at, especially against a team like Te Puna with their good loose forwards and locks. This is an area we have to improve on to compete.”

Aidan also is looking for more aggression from his team in the collision areas, and ensuring they start well.

'Te Puke Sports is a huge team and we must be making our tackles to give ourselves a chance of winning the game,” he says. 'We have faith in our game plan and we know our strengths. Being accurate and staying plugged in for the eighty minutes is essential.”

Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade will be the big beneficiaries of the match. The club is staging a charity day with a specially designed playing strip and proceeds from the $5 entry charge going to the brigade. Several fire engines will also be on display at the ground.

Their 32-31 win at Maramatanga Park last week restored Tauranga to the top four playoff spots, and that's a position they'll be keen to consolidate when they meet Greerton Marist at Tauranga Domain.

A win will lift them to second and in line to host a home semifinal, but is far from guaranteed against a Greerton side that got back into winning ways themselves last week against Rangataua, and got the better of the two teams' first round encounter 31-24 back in April.

Fresh from their opening second round win last week defending champs Mt Maunganui Sports return home to Blake Park to take on Whakarewarewa, while Rangataua will be hurting from their third straight Premier 1 defeat last week at Greerton Marist and will be aiming escape the foot of the table when they take on Rotoiti at Te Ariki Park.

A massive top of the table clash also highlights Sunday's Women's competition round.

Rangataua and Rangiuru each have four straight victories, amassing points differentials of 224 and 291 respectively. The winner of their clash at Te Puke's Centennial Park will take giant strides towards taking the title.

The full rundown on the weekend's senior club rugby:

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier 1:

Premier Kick-off: 2.45pm

Development Kick-off: 1.00pm

Rangataua v Rotoiti at Te Ariki Park

Te Puke v Te Puna at Murray Salt Stadium

Mount Maunganui Sports v Whakarewarewa at Blake Park

Tauranga Sports v Greerton Marist at Tauranga Domain

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier 2:

Premier Kick-off: 2.45pm

Development Kick-off: 1.00pm

Whakatane Marist v Waikite at Rugby Park

Marist St Michael's v Ngongotaha at Marist Park

Te Teko v Opotiki at Dunderdale Park

Rangiuru v Arataki at Centennial Park

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Division One:

Kick-off: 2.45pm

Waimana v Papamoa at Waimana Domain

Kahukura v Poroporo at Kuirau Park

Paroa v Ruatoki at Lawson Park

Judea v Murupara at Maharaia Winiata Memorial Park

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Division Two:

Kick-off: 2.45pm

Eastern Districts v Matata at Paengaroa

Edgecumbe v Katikati at Edgecumbe Domain

Eastern Pirates v Reporoa at Neil Hunt Park

Baywide Women's Draw:

Sunday 24 June

Kick-off: 1.00pm

Rangiuru v Rangataua at Centennial Park

Whakarewarewa v Matata at Puarenga Park

Waimana v Waikite at Waimana Domain

Rotoiti – BYE

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