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

The future of Bay of Plenty Rugby appears to be in safe hands, after the six Bay of Plenty Secondary School Rugby finals were played out on Saturday at the Paengaroa Domain.

There has been much muttering outside the Western Bay of the (supposed) dominance of Western Bay teams in Baywide Club rugby.

The results of the secondary schools' rugby showed that rugby is alive and well throughout the Bay.

The main event on the day was the First Fifteen Division One match-up, between Rotorua's John Paul College and Trident High School from the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

JPC who sat in the bottom half of the standings, entering the resumption of competition after the July holiday break, squared off against their Eastern Bay rivals in the final title decider at the Paengaroa Domain. In what turned out to be a battle of attrition - both sides looked to find dominance in their forward packs.

Trident made the early running and led 10-3 at the break. A Trident revival in the second half saw the Eastern Bay side tie up the match, with a converted try as the clock ticked down.

In spite of the JPC kicker missing an easy penalty in front of the posts, they crashed over for a touchdown in the last minute of the game to post a 15-10 victory - to give John Paul College the Division One championship for the first time.

JPC have appeared to come from nowhere to be a real force in Bay schools rugby, outside of Tauranga and Rotorua Boys' firsts and seconds, who play in the North Island Super Eight competition.

There is usually a reason for the emergence (and disappearance) of individuals and teams in the sporting world.

Passion for the game plays a large part of in excellence in sport - with coach Brendan Webby the catalyst for the success of the Rotorua School. His coaching skills have also been recognised by Bay of Plenty Rugby, who has appointed him to the head coach responsibilities of the Bay under-16 A team for the current season.

In the Division Two playoff, Reporoa College also came from fourth qualifier to win the title decider against Aquinas College. While the team from the southern Bay of Plenty border lead 12-nil at the halfway stage, they cut loose in the second spell to post an emphatic 38-nil victory.

Like JPC, the College from the Bay of Plenty border languished in the lower echelons of Bay school rugby, until a former Bay legend got involved a few years ago.

Steve Axtens known to all as Axe, took the Reporoa School from the lowest grade available to the team to the First Fifteen Division One playoffs. On the way Axe developed the talents and skills of current All Black Sam Cane and current Steamers loose forward Carl Axtens.

The Division Three title was taken out by Rotorua Boys' under-15 A team, while Tauranga Boys' under-15 A side won the second fifteen championship defeating Western Heights 20-17.

In the age group premierships, Trident won back to back under-15 titles narrowly defeating Mount Maunganui College for the second successive year, while Rotorua Boys got past new Western Bay entrant Te Wharekura O Mauo in the under-14 competition.

Seeya at the Steamers Game on Saturday.