Pikiao Warriors race away in second half | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

Pikiao Warriors showed that sometimes size doesn't matter after the Rotorua league side demolished their bigger opponents, Pacific Sharks 42-12.

The Rotorua side's forwards showed they had big hearts when they took on the bigger pack of the Tokoroa side in a front-on battle at Puketawhero Park at the weekend.

It was real, hard semifinal football between the third and fourth placegetters in the Bay of Plenty-Coastline-Gisborne Premier Championship.

Both teams looked to gain dominance by using their forwards as battering rams, with both packs having scant regard for their own safety as they flung themselves at each other.

But it was Pacific giving away silly penalties 15 minutes into the game and a fortuitous missed forward pass to Pikiao's Rob Epapara which saw him score in the corner for the first of a hat-trick of tries for the left wing. The try was converted by Jermaine Muagututia, who kicked six goals from six attempts for the day.

However, five minutes later, Epapara's second came from slick passing by the Pikiao backline.

It appeared Pacific had packed up for the season but their big forwards started running at the Pikiao backs and were able to free their hands and off-loaded passes which lead to two quick converted tries, ending the first half 12-12.

After the break, Pikiao again had the better start of the two teams with the forwards getting good go-forward and giving space for their backs out wide.

The Rotorua side lifted their game and ran in five unanswered tries in the second half and never looked like faltering.

It appeared Pacific forgot their coach Teina Takiri's halftime talk to lift the intensity and never really fired a shot.

Pikiao head coach Selwyn Rikiti said he was pleased with the way his team had come through the tough encounter.

"We talked about going back to the basics this week and that's what they did. We actually had a game plan to take them on in the forwards which you really shouldn't be doing, because they're so big. But we certainly showed a lot of heart out there [on the field]."

One of their hard working forwards and captain Jason Kameta said he was proud of how his team played.

"We changed our game plan from using an expansive back line to just coming up the front with the forwards and keeping it real tight with our forward play before passing it wide and it really worked for us."

Kameta said having senior players returning from injury had also given the younger members in the team the boost that had been lacking in the past couple of weeks.

Rikiti said they now had to focus on next week's game against Ngongotaha, which lost against Otumoetai 36-18 at the weekend.

It means Pikiao will face another do-or-die match against their Rotorua rival on Saturday with the winner meeting Otumoetai in the grand final at Mitchell Park on July 31.

Scores Premier:

Pikiao 42 (Rob Epapara 3, Henare Pitiroi, Matere Simeon, James Ryan, Te Kaiaotea Tahuriorangi tries; Jermaine Muagututia 7, Pirikawana Taiatini goals) Pacific 12 (Teina Pakuru, Nare Hawkins tries; Ashley Fransham 2 goals). Halftime; 12-12