An impressive bonus point win has helped Paroa back to the top of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Premier Men’s standings with their 53-27 victory over Tāneatua.

Tāneatua are a much-improved side to the one that suffered a 90-5 defeat to Paroa in the first round, with the players putting in a more complete effort this match and scoring some good tries.

Paroa captain Kurt Baker was pleased they managed to get the victory in what was a physical battle.

“We’re very pleased to get a win against a strong Taney side; they came out of the gates humming early in the first half and caught us napping with two quick tries.

Baker said his team rebounded well from the early wake-up.

“The boys stepped up a notch later in the first half and started to win the points battle, then found a good rhythm throughout the second half to close the game off.”

He said there was still plenty for Paroa to work on in the coming weeks.

“It was definitely not our best game of the year, but that come down to Tāneatua’s strong forward pack dominating the middle of the field, and set pieces and the bounce of the ball didn’t seem to go our way.”

Paroa will have little time to look over things as they face a big battle this weekend against neighbours Poroporo.

“We’ve got a big weekend coming up battling our Poroporo whānau. The two great taonga that we’re playing are Josh Smith for the B’s and Wawi Hohapata for the A’s.

“We know that Poroporo are going to come out to play their best, and we just know we have to give it everything we can to be better. It’s going to be a great weekend of rugby.”

In a tough contest at Dunderdale Park, Rūātoki all but confirmed their semifinal spot with a hard-earned 28-17 win over Te Teko.

The yellow-and-blacks can still make the playoffs but will have to be extremely clinical in their final few pool matches and score maximum points each game.

Rūātoki took it to Te Teko and managed to score some good tries.

In the final game of the premier men’s competition, a hattrick to nippy halfback Cole Scott helped Whakatāne Marist to an impressive 81-17 demolition of Poroporo.

Winger Cody Neale also helped himself to three tries, while Ryshawn Kereama-Vercoe and Sitiveni Uitalia scored two each, and Tamati Te Pou, Keyham Kafalava and Pauliasi Raqatima also dotted down in the victory.

Marist ran in 13 tries and showed they can’t be counted out of the championship race.

The 2024 defending champions showed a willingness to throw the ball round and look to be pacing their charge for back-to-back titles perfectly.

Poroporo, to their credit, toiled hard for the entire contest and were rewarded with three tries; two of them to club stalwart Jordan Rakuraku and the other to hard-working loose forward Jackie Ryan Clarke.

In the senior reserve grade, Ōpōtiki B scored a narrow 24-20 win over Edgecumbe at Princess Street Reserve.

It was a much needed win for Ōpōtiki B, who kept up their hopes of a top-two finish and a home semifinal, but slightly stalled Edgcumbe’s impressive run of late. Both teams scored four tries but it was the goal-kicking of Ōpōtiki that proved the difference.

Waimana continued to set the standard in the reserve division as they ran out 48-24 victors over Paroa B.

They ran in an impressive eight tries with four of them going to the Tuwairua whānau and the others to Kaedyn Marshall, Tama Titoko, Jayden Brown and Jesse Arbuckle.

Paroa managed three tries of their own through Campbell Ponini, Hennessy Osooso-Biddle and Taurian Pomana.

Matatā outscored Poroporo four tries to two to secure a 22-10 victory. Poroporo’s Lucas Coake helped himself to a brace of tries in a losing effort.

In the final senior reserve clash, Te Teko B produced a barn-storming performance to outmuscle Rūātoki B 46-0, running in seven tries.

This weekend in the senior reserve grade, Te Teko B host Matatā, Poroporo senior reserve welcomes Paroa B, Ōpōtiki B travels to Tiwi Black Park to face Rūātoki B and Edgecumbe battle Waimana at the Edgecumbe Domain.

In the premier grade, Poroporo and Paroa face off, Whakatāne Marist battle Te Teko and Rūātoki play Ōpōtiki.