Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

Matakana Island rugby supporters could not believe their eyes when an All Black stepped off the barge last Saturday to play for his club's second team against the island side.

Tanerau Latimer showed loyalty in spades to Rangiuru where his rugby career began, to answer the call of duty for the club's second team, who have struggled for numbers for most of the season.

In company with former Bay player Andrew Leota, who is another club stalwart, the pair bolstered the ranks of the Rangiuru second fifteen.

Rangiuru belied their position on the point's ladder to defeat one of the Western Bay's local rugby high flyers.

In spite of the loss, the local supporters were in awe of the visit of the All Black player with Tanerau obliging to sign autographs and have plenty of chat with the locals.

Soon after the advent of professional rugby, club loyalty seemed to go out the window, but the new breed of professional player seemed to have realised where their roots are, and returned to their club base whenever possible.

The value to the game that Tanerau left on Matakana Island was immense.

However, the visit was a two-way street, with the Islanders providing the customary hospitality extended to all visitors to the Matakana Island Rugby Club.

Tables groaning with Kai and warm welcomes are the island way of extending thanks for teams that take the time to travel on the barge to Matakana.

Another example of club loyalty is displayed every week of the Baywide rugby competition.

Wayne Ormond, who is the only Bay of Plenty Ranfurly Shield winning skipper, has returned to where it all started nearly two decades ago, to coach and play for Rotoiti.

A hard-nosed flanker who took few backward steps in his 65 games in the Steamers uniform – Wayne has re-galvanised the Rotorua lakesiders into a team of genuine Baywide contenders.

Always leading from the front, Wayne has inspired a team of youngsters, to the point where the side sits comfortably in the top four.

The measure of the side's progress since the former Steamers leader rejoined his original club can be seen by the weekend defeat of arch rivals Whakarewarewa.

In recent years Whaka have had the best of their annual contests, however the weekend win gives Rotoiti a 2-1 advantage (and bragging rights) in the three encounters this year.

Grassroots loyalty is also alive and well in Western Bay club cricket. During the season local Black Caps Trent Boult and Daniel Flynn were seen in action for their clubs, when national and northern districts obligations allowed.

While Trent Boult earns his New Zealand selection with the ball he is also a hard-hitting batsmen.

Just after Easter he joined his Otumoetai Cadets teammates who had qualified for the National Club Championships in Auckland.

Against the best club players in the country Trent smashed 378 runs, which included two centuries, in six days of cricket against the best club players in the country. Another little known Boult statistic, is that he took two hat tricks in a solitary innings in a Attrill Cup representative cricket game in 2006.

The success of the Bay of Plenty Cricket pathway received further endorsement last week with Kane Williamson, Trent Boult and Daniel Flynn all receiving NZ Cricket contracts for the 2012/13 season.

Seeya at the Game