Rotoiti's Cunningham shows class | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

There are not too many better sights in the Baywide premier competition than Rotoiti five-eighth Whakataki Cunningham in full flight.

On Saturday, the talented playmaker, who is in the Bay of Plenty Steamers wider training group, produced two moments of unique skill and class which led to Rotoiti's opening two tries and an opening of the floodgates against a seemingly helpless Te Puna.

The first glimpse saw the 21-year-old jink his way through the midfield defence before freeing Luke Cassidy for a gallop to the tryline. The second was an equally piercing run by the 2009 Bay of Plenty Development player that opened up the defence on the right-hand side and allowed centre Josevata Tevake to score.

There is no other five-eighth currently playing in the premier Baywide competition capable of the footwork, sleight of hand or game breaking cheekiness Cunningham displays. He's not the perfect player yet, there are some limitations to his general kicking, but in his fourth season of senior club play, he is progressing towards bigger things.

Rotoiti went on to win the game 56-21, running in nine tries to three, the confidence shown by their backline general was infectious on the Rotoiti team as they overran Te Puna. The visitors were left chasing shadows and playing bit parts at Emery Park while the locals produced some outstanding attacking football.

Cassidy scored a double while fullback Sikeli Vorenasu picked up a hat-trick including one 100m effort which started with a wink and instruction from Cunningham to bullocking No 8 Siegfried Fiishoi.

It was a try very few other teams could have scored, let alone considered. It started with a set move among the loosies from a 5m defensive scrum. Then Cunningham fed the ball to his backline behind their goalposts, outflanking the visitors expecting a kick for touch, then freeing the flying Vorenasu for an end-to-end finish while the a Te Puna side trudged back shaking their heads and one of the visiting reserves remarked: "you can't do anything about
that".

Rotoiti coach Kevin Lee was satisfied with the overall effort which was a notch up on their last outing in Opotiki.

"We finally got some fluidity in our attack," he said.

"We've been managing to win games [earlier] but haven't always been able to get the same team out there."

Rotoiti's win keeps them at second behind leaders Tauranga Sports but its unlikely to stop the inquiries from other unions to pick up some of their squad for representative duty.

Lee said they had been fielding some offers for players to go to other provinces but so far all had be rejected with the individuals more focused on trying to win a first Baywide premier title for the club. "This is a real young side, about a third of them could still be playing colts," said Lee who has been involved with some of the team at Bay under-20 and representative sevens levels previously.

At the Tauranga Domain Tauranga Sports ran in five tries against arch rivals Te Puke Sports to win their match 37-10 with Jason Karauria outstanding, scoring two tries and kicking three conversions and two penalty goals.

Mount Maunganui enjoyed a seven tries to one blitz of Opotiki at Blake Park although they had to repel several Opotiki attacks on the line late in the first half.

Rangataua grabbed a narrow victory over Whakarewarewa at Te Ariki Park, the home side coming from a 7-3 deficit at half time to grab a 14-10 win while the Eastern Bay local derby was won by Te Teko, 19-14, over Whakatane Marist.

In division one Rangiuru's All Black Tanerau Latimer turned out for his club at Te Puke against Kahukura, the home side cementing second on the points table with a 28-13 win.

In other division one games Waikite remained unbeaten after squeezing home 9-5 over Greerton Marist, Marist St Michaels defeated Ruatoki 30-19 and Reporoa got past Paroa 28-19.

In the Baywide Colts competition both frontrunners continued their winning streaks, Te Puke Sports toppling Te Puna 42-0 and Greerton Marist beating Mount Maunganui 19-10. Greerton also annexed the Oliver Cup (Western BOP challenge trophy.

Results - Baywide Premier:

Rangataua 14 (Ash Mason try; John Ririnui 3pen) Whakarewarewa 10 (Kelly Haimona try pen con).

Te Teko 19 (Luke O'Brien, Dan Godbold tries; Scott Sutherland 3pen) Whakatane Marist 14 (Kite Paonga try; Craig Edwards 3pen).

Rototiti 56 (Sikeli Vorenasu 3, Luke Cassidy 2, Josevata Tevake, Elijah Hira-Wilson, Luther Robinson, Kevin Guptil tries; Whakataki Cunningham 2con, pen, Vorenasu con, Joe Fenton con) Te Puna 21 (Tai Maniatata, Hori Leef, Taroia Kuka tries; Tahjon Mailata 2 con, Daryll Houia con)

Tauranga Sports 37 (Jason Karauria 2, Matt Hodson, Sam Cane, Gareth Brown tries; J Karauria 3 con 2 pens) Te Puke Sports 10 (Ryan Lambert, Craig Donovan tries)

Mt Maunganui 45 (Sam Maisey 2, Grant McQuoid, Ted Tauroa, Tutere Waenga, Troye Elvin, James Riddell tries; Dan Waenga 5 cons) Opotiki 13

Points: Tauranga Sports 43, Rotoiti 42, Mount Maunganui 34, Te Puke Sports 28, Opotiki 23, Rangataua 23, Whakarewarewa 22, Te Puna 16, Whakatane Marist 13, Te Teko 11.

Division One: Waikite 9 Greerton Marist 5, Reporoa 28 Paroa 19, Rangiuru 28 Kahukura 13, Marist St Michaels 30 Ruatoki 19.

Colts: Te Puke Sports 42 Te Puna 0, Greerton Marist 19 Mount Maunganui 10, Te Teko 69 Whakatane Marist 0, Marist St Michaels 14 Whakarewarewa 5, Tauranga Sports 52 Rotoiti 32, Ngongotaha 34 Opotiki 12.