Three teams in the BOPRU Baywide title race have overcame first-half deficits to come back and bank the win points on offer, in AR Plus senior men's club rugby on Saturday.

Defending Baywide premier champions Te Puna trailed multiple Baywide winners Tauranga Sports by fifteen points after 40 minutes, at the Tauranga Domain.

The Blue and Black brigade then showed their resilience coming back to take out the match 31-27 and occupy the  top slot on the standings. 

Greerton Marist relieved Mount Maunganui of the Jordan Cup (WBOPRSU Challenge Trophy) in another come-from-behind victory.

The visitors to Greerton headquarters held a 17-15 advantage at halftime, before Greerton stormed home to grab a solid 39-22 win.

Judea made the early running in the Sulphur City, in their encounter with Whakarewarewa, to hold an 8-7 lead at the break in play. The Rotorua rugby heavyweights then asserted their authority to post a 27-15 victory.

Te Puke Sports posted five first-half touchdowns before going on to beat Marist St Michaels 52-7, while Rangataua got past Ngongotaha 22-3. 

Mount Maunganui sits astride the BOPRU Colts/U85kg competition leader board, with the maximum fifteen points, after round three results were posted. The Mount age group side was in rampant form beating near neighbours Papamoa 55-7.

Tauranga Sports sneaked a paper-thin 6-5 victory over Te Puke Sports while Te Puna put 31 unanswered points on Greerton Marist.

Greerton Marist set the scene for their premier club mates, with a 20-13 triumph over Mount Maunganui in the Western Bay of Plenty local rugby competition.

Rangiuru and Rangataua battled to a 22 all draw while Arataki demolished Matakana Island 83 nil. Other Western Bay competition sides to win were Tauranga Sports, Katikati and Te Puke Sports.

BOPRU AR Plus Senior Club Rugby Results April 20 2024

BOPRU Baywide Premier

Te Puna 31 Tauranga Sports 27 (HT 12-27) Rangataua 22 Ngongotaha 3 (HT 8-3) Whakarewarewa 27 Judea 15 (HT 7-8) Greerton Marist 39 Mount Maunganui 22 (HT 15-17) Te Puke Sports 52 Marist St Michael's 7 (HT 35-7)

Points Table (Provisional) Te Puna 10, Greerton Marist 9, Whakarewarewa 8, Tauranga Sports 6, Mount Maunganui 5, Te Puke Sports 5, Rangataua 5, Judea 0, Ngongotaha 0, Marist St Michael's 0.

BOPRU Colts/U85kg

Mount Maunganui 55 Papamoa 7, Tauranga Sports 6 Te Puke Sports 5, Te Puna 31 Greerton Marist 0, Kahukura the bye.

Points Table (Provisional) Mount Maunganui 15, Greerton Marist 10, Te Puna, 10, Papamoa 5, Tauranga Sports 4, Kahukura 2,Te Puke Sports 1.

WBOPRFS Development/Local Rugby

Tauranga Sports 20 Te Puna 17, Rangiuru 22 Rangataua 22, Katikati 52 Judea 8, Greerton Marist 20 Mount Maunganui 13, Te Puke Sports 34 Papamoa 0, Arataki 83 Matakana Island 0, Eastern Districts the bye.

Points Table (Provisional) Greerton Marist 14, Te Puna 11, Arataki 10, Katikati 10, Tauranga Sports 9, Rangiuru 8, Eastern Districts 6, Mount Maunganui 5, Te Puke Sports 5, Rangataua 3, Matakana Island 0, Papamoa 0, Judea 0.

Jordan Cup 2024

Today, the Jordan Cup is the WBOPRFS Premier Challenge Trophy, which the current holder puts on the line each time they play a fellow WBOPRFS Premier team, within the framework of the Baywide Rugby competitions.

The Jordan Cup engraving says “presented to the Tauranga Rugby Union by Mr JH Jordan in 1913”. The first winner engraved in 1913 was Rangataua Rugby Football Club. 

Rules of Engagement 2024

The Jordan Cup is played for in both home and away fixtures. 

The Jordan Cup is not on the line in post-section games, with the holder of the Trophy at the end of the regular season being deemed the season winner.

Jordan Cup Results 2024

2023 Holder – Mount Maunganui

April 20           Greerton Marist 39 Mount Maunganui 22

Next Challenge April 27 2024

Greerton Marist v Judea, Maharaia Winiata Park.

BOPRU AR Plus Senior Club Rugby Draws April 27 2024

BOPRU Baywide Premier

Te Puke Sports v Ngongotaha, Murray Salt Stadium; Mount Maunganui v Tauranga Sports, Blake Park; Rangataua v Te Puna, Te Ariki Park; Whakarewarewa v Marist St Michaels, Puarenga Park; Judea v Greerton Marist, Maharaia Winiata Park.

BOPRU Colts/U85kg

Papamoa v Tauranga Sports, Gordon Spratt Reserve; Mount Maunganui v Greerton Marist, Blake Park; Kahukura v Te Puke Sports, Kuirau Park; Te Puna the bye.

WBOPRFS Development/Local Rugby

Rangiuru v Te Puke Sports, Centennial Park; Mount Maunganui v Tauranga Sports, Blake Park; Rangataua v Te Puna, Te Ariki Park; Judea v Greerton Marist, Maharaia Winiata Park; Eastern Districts v Matakana Island, Paengaroa Domain; Katikati v Arataki, Moore Park; Papamoa the bye.