Mount recharge Baywide title defence

Mount Sports held out Greerton Marist to edge into playoff contention. Photo: Chris James.

Mt Maunganui's defence of their Farmlands Co-operative Baywide club rugby title, which has looked shaky for much of the season, is back on firmer ground, at least for another week.

The green-and-golds went into the penultimate round of the competition on Saturday in sixth place, four points out of the semifinal race, and behind their opponents Greerton Marist on points differential.

It was always likely to be a tense battle between the two sides at Greerton Park, and so it turned out with Mount edging to a valuable 21-15 away win.

Te Puke's unbeaten second round run was barely threatened at Rotoiti's Emery Park home. The competition leaders took an eight point lead into the game and were untroubled in adding five points to their competition tally with a 66-17 win.

They move to 29 points and will take hosting rights into the playoff series.

Te Puna and Tauranga Sports both showed they also have the title on their minds with matching away wins.

Before travelling to Rotorua's Puarenga Park to take on Whakarewarewa Te Puna's head coach Aidan Kuka said he wanted his troops to start better in away matches, so would have been disappointed to see them concede the early initiative.

A strong second half effort though powered them to a 41-24 triumph.

The result protected their second place on the table and a likely win over cellar-dwellers Rotoiti next week will lock in a home semifinal.

Tauranga Sports stay third, a point behind Te Puna, with a 42-24 defeat of Rangataua at Maungatapu's Te Ariki Park.

Only a train-wreck in next week's final round encounter with Whakarewarewa will shut them out of the playoff action.

That match, along with Mount's home clash with Rangataua, will likely determine the fourth semifinal qualifier. Should both Whaka and Mount lose, though, Greerton Marist could still sneak in, but will need to achieve the monumental feat of a win over top dogs Te Puke at Murray Salt Stadium to do it.

Rangiuru's 62-19 destruction of Whakatane Marist has hoisted them back into the Premier 2 playoff frame. Sitting fifth before the weekend, they are now putting in a major claim to host a semifinal with a just relatively straightforward final round clash with battling Waikite to come this Saturday.

Te Teko continue to lead the division with an 18-17 win over former leaders Ngongataha, who now face the prospect of missing out entirely on the playoffs. Their away match at Arataki Park will decide which of those teams progress.

Opotiki are the other outfit making a strong claim to title favouritism with a 27-8 away win over Arataki.

The full wrap of Saturday's results:

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier 1:

Rotoiti 17 v Te Puke Sports 66

Rangataua 24 v Tauranga Sports 42

Whakarewarewa 24 v Te Puna 41

Greerton Marist 15 v Mount Maunganui Sports 21

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier 1 Development:

Rotoiti 0 v Te Puke Sports 78

Rangataua 17 v Tauranga Sports 51

Whakarewarewa 21 v Te Puna 58

Greerton Marist 24 v Mount Maunganui Sports 29

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier 2:

Arataki 8 v Opotiki 27

Ngongotaha 17 v Te Teko 18

Marist St Michael's 29 v Waikite 15

Rangiuru 62 v Whakatane Marist 19

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier 2 Development:

Arataki 32 v Opotiki 35

Ngongotaha 22 v Te Teko 15

Marist St Michael's 33 v Waikite 14

Rangiuru 43 v Whakatane Marist 14

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Division One:

Kahukura 27 v Waimana 10

Ruatoki 77 v Poroporo 22

Paroa 37 v Murupara 15

Papamoa 7 v Judea 32

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Division Two:

Eastern Pirates v Eastern Districts - no result received

Katikati 55 v Matata 5

Reporoa 59 v Edgecumbe 5

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