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

While we are still in the midst of summer, the near year long merry go round of rugby has started again.

While the Super Rugby circus kicked off last weekend with wall to wall games on television – the grassroots game in the Western Bay is just over three weeks from season start.

Last weekend Sideline Sid drove past the Mount Rugby Club, on the way to watch the Hawke Cup at the Bay Oval, with the sight of rugby a pre-season rugby game taking place.

While old fella's such as Sideline Sid bemoan that fact that 'its not like when I played the game”, the reality is that club rugby has been compressed into a early start to accommodate the professional game.

This is the (rugby) world that we live in and no amount of moaning and groaning will change the situation. Local junior rugby reminds us of how it was with, competition games kicking of in mid to late April and finishing at the end of August.

For club players the season finishes in mid July unless they make the playoffs. It has become effectively impossible for cricket players to make the season transition to rugby, with something like a two and half month overlap with pre-season training.

However, rugby will take centre stage in the Western Bay from Saturday, March 23 2013, when Baywide rugby kicks off. The glamour Premier division will provide plenty of attention for local rugby fans. The Western Bay will have six championship contenders in defending titleholders Te Puke Sports along with Tauranga Sports, Greerton Marist, Mount Maunganui, Te Puna and Rangataua. After several years in the top echelon, Opotiki made the top four playoffs for the first time and they will be joined by fellow Eastern Bay side Paroa in the title race. Rotorua is represented by two of the real heavyweights of Baywide rugby over the years, in Whakarewarewa and Rotoiti.

Putting his neck on the line, Sideline Sid is going to run his eagle eye over the contenders to endeavour to pick a winner. Back to back champions Te Puke Sports, will take the favourites mantle in the title race, with it likely to be business as usual for the Te Puke side.

Beaten finalist Rotoiti awoke from their slumber last season, to give the championship a good old shake, with Bay of Plenty Rugby legend Wayne Ormond as player/coach. The Rotorua side's chance will largely depend on the Bay legend still being involved with the team.

Beaten semi-finalist Tauranga Sports fell at the last hurdle in the last two seasons after winning successive titles from 2007. The big mover last season was Opotiki who made the playoffs for the first time before being defeated by Te Puke Sports.

Te Puna went from wooden spoon contenders in 2011, to be right in the title fight last season and missed out by a whisker on making the semi-finals. Perennial Baywide contenders Mount Maunganui had a rollercoaster ride last year slipping and sliding up and down the standings all year, before finishing in seventh place.

Another to have a real up and down season were Whakarewarewa. For decades the long time Rotorua club were the benchmark in Baywide rugby, however inconsistency took its toll during the 2012 title race.

Greerton, who had won promotion to the premier ranks from division one on 2011, received a pass mark for their performance in 2012.

While in the relegation zone in the first half of the season, the Black and Gold representatives' secured there premier future in the second half of the season.

Rangataua who can look back on over one hundred years of rugby history, struggled for most of the season, however a fresh season is likely to bring a renewed commitment by the players – while Paroa who replaced Waikite, are an unknown quantity and could struggle in the top grade.

The old fella's picks after long deliberations (and a little looking into the crystal ball) are as follows. Te Puke to lead the way during the preliminary competition and Tauranga Sports to be hot on their heels.

He is also picking Opotiki to be another post section prospect with Whakarewarewa and Mount Maunganui to undergo a renaissance.

However, the post section games are usually games of attrition with plenty of surprise packages – so my considered opinion for what it's worth, is that the 2013 Baywide Premier champion will come from the above five teams, with Tauranga Sports my pick to lift aloft the Baywide silverware in victory.

Seeya at the Game.