In a real game of attrition, Rangataua and Tauranga Sports, battled to a 12-all draw at Te Ariki Park in round three of the BOPRU Premier Championship.

The closeness of the contest was shown by the half time score of seven points apiece.

Tauranga scored the first try, with Rangataua touching down before the break to tie up the match at the halfway stage.

The home team drew first blood in the second spell with a second try, before the Tauranga Sports reply again locked up the game.

The Tauranga Sports tries were awarded to Carl Axtens and Afai Esera with Nick Evemy converting his side's first touch down, with Jason Hona and Ray Brown crossing for the home side and Adam McGarvey adding a conversion.

As Tauranga Sports shared points, only Whakarewarewa has posted three victories in the opening rounds of the Baywide top echelon title race.

In an encounter that ranged up and down Puarenga Park in Rotorua, Whaka defeated Eastern Bay contenders Opotiki 46-25.

Six touchdowns and a penalty try, took the Rotorua team to an outright lead at the top of the point's ladder. However, Opotiki never gave up the battle and were rewarded with three tries.

The play of the game came from Opotiki kicker Te Amo Wilbore, who calmly picked up the ball in the face of a Whaka charge down after the ball toppled from the kicking tee, and dropped kicked the conversion.

Waikite, which earned promotion back into the premier ranks last season, moved into third place on the points ledger when they defeated Te Puna at Maramatanga Park.

The visitors led 23-12, at the break and went on to post a 30-24 victory, however, Te Puna picked up two bonus points from the match, courtesy of four tries and finishing within seven points of Waikite.

Rotoiti grabbed its second win of the season overcoming Mount Maunganui 28-17 at Blake Park, with Te Puke Sports running in five tries on its way to a 40-17 win over Whakatane Marist.

Te Teko continued its unbeaten record in division one, in a one sided 63-14 win against Rangiuru.

The Eastern Bay side has laid down the challenge to the other contenders with the big win over last year's beaten div one finalist.

Greerton Marist also posted a large score line as they ran away from Ruatoki 76-5. For the second week in a row Kahukura sneaked home by one point when they defeated Paroa 22-21. Marist St Michaels won a close contest with Reporoa 25-21, with Ngongotaha prevailing 17-8 against Katikati.

Opotiki Colts showed that they could be genuine contenders for the age group crown, with a decisive 67-7 victory in the match-up with Whakarewarewa. Marist St Michaels posted a century of points against Judea, with Te Puna blitzing Waikite 65-17 in the curtain raiser at Maramatanga Park.

Greerton Marist ran away from Edgecumbe 78 nil, Mount Maunganui just got home 22-19 from a vastly improved Rotoiti, Ruatoki beat Whakatane Marist 25-5, while Tauranga Sports proved to strong for Rangataua 34-10.

Bay of Plenty Rugby Baywide Results April 9

Premier

Waikite 30 (Dane Keepa, Joel Setu-Nalo, H Hudson tries; Quade Langeveld 3 pen 3 con) Te Puna 24 (Pomare Pearson, JJ Whaiapu, Gray Gardiner, Chad Tuoro tries; Darrell Houia con, C Tuoro con) HT 23-12

Whakarewarewa 46 (Chris Miller, Hayden Beard, Eiljah Wilson-Hira, Doug Edwards, Trent Sweeney, penalty try, Liam Coleman tries; Kelly Haimona 4 con pen) Opotiki 25 (Francis Cameron 2, Matt Henwood tries; Sam Howe 2 pens con, Te Amo Wilbore con) HT 36-13

Rotoiti 28 Mount Maunganui 17 (Zane Butler, Lance MacDonald, Paul Tietjens tries; Dan Waenga con) HT

Te Puke 40 (Mark Nicolaas 2, Morris Broughton, Ricky Green, Ben Ward tries; Derek Maisey 3 pen 3 con) Whakatane Marist 17 (Des Mapu, Kitty Te Hau, pushover try; Botica Tu Wairua con) HT 23-7

Rangataua 12 (Jason Hona, Ray Brown tries; Adam McGarvey con) Tauranga Sports 12 (Carl Axtens, Afai Esera tries, Nick Evemy con) HT 7-7

Division One

Greerton Marist 76 Ruatoki 5, Marist St Michaels 25 Reporoa 21, Kahukura 22 Paroa 21, Te Teko 63 Rangiuru 14, Ngongotaha 17 Katikati 8.

Colts (Blue)

Mount Maunganui 22 Rotoiti 19, Ruatoki 25 Whakatane Marist 5, Te Puna 64 Waikite 17

Colts (Gold)

Opotiki 67 Whakarewarewa 7, Tauranga Sports 34 Rangataua 10, Marist St Michaels 102 Judea 0, Greerton Marist 78 Edgecumbe 0.