OPOTIKI are in the hunt for a Bay of Plenty rugby premier two play-off place.
They kept their play-off hopes alive with a 27-22 win over previously unbeaten Ngongotaha on Saturday. After successive defeats, the win reclaimed momentum for Opotiki who are third equal on the table, with Arataki, with two games remaining.
Opotiki have not been beaten at Princess Street Reserve this season and coach Richard Howe attributed Saturday’s win to playing at home.
“We play really well when we’re home. If we could take that energy, the attitude, everything with us when we play away, that’d boost us by at least 20 percent.
“When we play away, we seem to slack off a little bit. It’s the same for a lot of teams I think. It was good to beat Ngongotaha; they were on top before that game,” Howe said.
Competition leaders Te Teko are on 18 points, Ngongotaha are a point further back and Opotiki and Arataki are both on 16 points.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this close, even the games,” Howe said.
“Teams are losing by just two or three points. It’s a really close competition, but I guess that’s how competitions should be,” he said.
Opotiki play Arataki in the penultimate round at Mount Maunganui on Saturday and have six injured players, including goal kicker Mana Howe.
“It’s going to be a make or break game. In this second round we’ve been hit with a lot of injuries.
“The players we have just need to take that energy we have at home with us,” Howe said.