Playoff battles loom

Both sides are assured a spot in next week's Bayfair Baywide Premier Club Rugby semifinals but you can be assured there will be no love lost between Tauranga Sports and Mount Maunganui.

Tomorrow the two sides headline the final round of the regular season at the Tauranga Domain in what is the ‘Battle of the Bridge'.

Mount Maunganui and Tauranga Sports rekindle their ‘Battle of the Bridge' rivalry. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Competition leaders Te Puke Sports and Tauranga Sports will both host semifinals next week, while Mount Maunganui Sports (40 points), Rotoiti (37) and Whakarewarewa (34) are left to scrap over the final two placings

Defending champions the Mount, are assured one of the two spots, while Rotoiti is away to Rangataua and Whakarewarewa likely to cruise past bottom placed Waikite.

Tauranga Sports will be looking to redeem themselves at home against Mount Maunganui, following their humiliating loss to Te Puke Sports last weekend.

Tauranga Sports coach Mike Rogers conceded it was a disappointing loss to Te Puke last Saturday, their first of the season, but this will only sharpen their focus.

'We are back at Tauranga Domain this weekend which will be great after two away games. The key for us will be to get our set piece right and play with tempo. We have a club supporters and sponsors day at the club which we are really looking forward to,” says Rogers.

Mount Maunganui coach Rodney Voullaire says they are looking forward to the battle of the bridge, in what is another opportunity to continue building towards the semifinals.

'We will be focusing on maintaining the same style of rugby we have been playing over the past couple of weeks, and will be looking to attack up front. The game will be a good test for the semi-finals,” says Voullaire.

In other matches Greerton Marist hosts Opotiki, Paroa is at home to Te Puna, Rangataua hosts third place Rotoiti, and Waikite clashes with Whakarewarewa at Bellevue Road.

Division One's final standings will also be decided tomorrow with Rangiuru hosting Kahukura at Centennial Park a key game.

Rangiuru are tied at the top of the table with Te Teko, while Kahukura are in fifth one point behind fourth-placed Arataki.

Kahukura coach Ron Preston says the side is looking forward to the match, in what could be their last of the season.

'We will be put everything into it as we have nothing to lose,” says Preston.

'We had a much improved performance against Te Teko a few weeks ago, and we will be looking to up our performance again against Rangiuru this weekend.”

Rangiuru coach Hika Reid notes their opponents will be wanting the win to keep them in contention for the top four, but his side also needs to win to secure a home semifinal.

'We will be sticking to our game plan. We haven't perfected it just yet, but once we have, it will hopefully be right for the playoffs,” says Reid.

Other matches see Galatea versus Arataki, Judea hosting Reporoa, Ngongotaha at home to Marist St Michael's, Katikati travelling to Poroporo, and Ruatoki versus Te Teko at Tuhoe Park.

This Saturday's draw:

Premier:

Greerton Marist vs Opotiki at Greerton Park

Paroa vs Te Puna at Lawson Park

Rangataua vs Rotoiti at Te Ariki Park

Tauranga Sports vs Mount Maunganui at Tauranga Domain

Waikite vs Whakarewarewa at Bellvue Road

Whakatane Marist vs Te Puke Sports at Rugby Park

Kick off at 2.45pm

Premier Development Kick off at 1pm

Division 1:

Galatea vs Arataki at Galatea Domain

Judea vs Reporoa at Maharaia Winiata Park

Ngongotaha vs Marist St Michael's at Ngongotaha Domain

Poroporo vs Katikati at Poroporo Park

Rangiuru vs Kahukura at Centenial Park

Ruatoki vs Te Teko at Tuhoe Park

Kick off at 2.45pm

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