Rangataua's defeat of competition leader Whakarewarewa has set up a three team race for the Bartercard Baywide Premier first round trophy with just two games remaining in round one.

After a slow start to the season, Rangataua continued its renaissance when they inflicted Whakarewarewa's second loss of the season at Te Ariki Park in the heart of the Western Bay of Plenty.

A 69-nil lead to Rangataua at the break set up a second half where both sides ran in three tries apiece.

With plenty of home crowd sideline support, Rangataua got home 26-20 to move the Western Bay side into third place in the first round title chase – just three points from the top of the table

Siaosi ‘Iongi grabbed his fourth try for Rangataua in three weeks with Tali Veikosa and Daiyu Ishimori also touching down, while Liam Coleman, Hayden Baird and Doug Edwards crossed for five points apiece for Whakarewarewa.

Lurking a solitary point behind Whakarewarewa is defending Premier champion Tauranga Sports, which ran riot against Te Puna – running in 13 tries on their way to an 87-10 victory.

The current titleholder's victory was built upon distributing the ball out wide and the pace of the side's outside backs. Three tries apiece to Tauranga Sports wingers John Stewart and Byron McGuigan, with halfback Lewis Hancock also grabbing a trifecta of touchdowns, was the catalyst for victory.

The Western Bay local derby between Mount Maunganui and Te Puke Sports played in Te Puke was a real thriller that went down to the last minute of play before Mount Maunganui grabbed a 30-28 victory.

The visitors cruised to a 25-7 lead before Te Puke stormed back into the match to hold a three-point advantage with the clock ticking down.

Mount Maunganui played its get-out-of-jail-card when Paul Tietjens crashed over in the last minute of the game to give the visitors a two point victory.

One player to make his presence felt in the Mount Maunganui line-up, was Steamers star Mike Delany, who gave the Mount backline a variety of options with the ball in hand.

Opotiki twins Te Amo and Te Hata Wilbore provided all of Opotiki's points as they defeated Rotoiti 15-10 in Opotiki. Te Amo Wilbore grabbed a double, with Te Hata providing the third Opotiki touchdown. Whakatane Marist and Waikite were unable to be separated at match end with the game finishing in a 22-all draw.

The Marist derby in division one between Marist St Michaels and Greerton Marist produced a score line reminiscent of games four or five decades ago, when St Michaels squeezed home 7-3 at Marist Park in Rotorua. An even closer contest was the encounter between Katikati and Paroa with an 8-all draw the final result.

In other div one match-ups, Reporoa held Te Teko to a 22-17 victory in Reporoa, Kahukura won an entertaining game against Rangiuru 38-23, with Ngongotaha waltzing away from Ruatoki to earn a 57-nil win.

While several one-way contests prevailed in the two colts divisions, Opotiki repelled a brave challenge from Marist St Michaels in the Eastern Bay of Plenty winning 29-11. The significant victories of Te Puke Sports and Te Puna in the blue section, has set up a mouth watering clash of the two unbeaten Western Bay sides next weekend.

Bartercard Baywide Rugby Results May 7

Premier

Rangataua 26 (Siaosi 'Iongi, Tali Veikosa, Daiyu Ishimori tries; Rory McConnochie 2 pen con, Jason Hona dg) Whakarewarewa 20 (Liam Coleman, Hayden Baird, Doug Edwards tries; Kelly Haimona pen, Edwards con). HT: 6-0.

Tauranga Sports 87 (John Stewart 3, Byron McGuigan 3, Lewis Hancock 3, Adam Robinson, Afai Esara, Gareth Brown, Alan McRobbie tries; Nick Evemy 8 con, L Hancock 3 con) Te Puna 10 (Tupu Clarke, Jim Hona tries) HT 47-0

Mount Maunganui 30 (Tutere Waenga 2, Malaki Kisini, Mike Delany, Paul Teitjens tries; Dan Waenga pen con) Te Puke Sports 28 (Andy Lee, Roger Birkin, Craig Donovan, Mark Nicolaas tries; Ben Ward 4 cons) HT 15-7.

Whakatane Marist 22 (Dan Bowater, Tame Terake, Alamoti Te Pou; tries; Craig Edwards 2 can pen) Waikite 22 (Joel Setu-Nanu 2, Tumoana Wijohn tries; Mike Richards 2 con pen)

Opotiki 15 (Te Amo Wilbore 2, Te Hata Wilbore tries) Rotoiti 10 (Maaka Royal, Sikeli Vorenasu tries).

Premier Points Table

Whakarewarewa 26, Tauranga Sports 25, Rangataua 23, Opotiki 19, Rotoiti 18, Mount Maunganui 18, Te Puke Sports 16, Waikite 14, Te Puna 8, Whakatane Marist 3.

Division One: Paroa 8 Katikati 8,Te Teko 22 Reporoa 17, Marist St Michaels 7 Greerton Marist 3, Kahukura 38 Rangiuru 23. Ngongotaha Ruatoki

Colts (Blue) Te Puke Sports 119 Whakatane Marist 3. Te Puna 80 Rotoiti 0, Ruatoki 60 Waikite 5 (Gold) Rangataua 41 Whakarewarewa 14, Tauranga Sports 96 Edgecumbe 0. Greerton Marist 97 Judea 0, Opotiki 29 Marist St Michaels 11.