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

A relatively new second tier rugby representative competition that is a further step in the pathway for the promising talent in the Western Bay of Plenty, held its annual meeting last week.

In 2011 a new regional competition, named after one of the country's most decorated All Black forwards, was put in place.

The Stan Meads Cup saw a competition established between the Hamilton, Te Awamutu and Central sub-unions, along with the King Country and Thames Valley B sides.

Last season Western Bay of Plenty along with Eastern Bay and Piako joined the regional sub-union and B teams' competition.

The Stan Meads competition came about when the King Country Rugby Union endeavoured to find a better and more meaningful competition, for the King Country B team, as well as the revival of the Peace Cup. The Peace Cup has been kept alive, with the long time trophy being a challenge prize on offer during the competition.

It was fitting that one of the real rugby legends from the heart of the new regional competition, agreed to have the trophy named in his honour.

Stanley Thomas Meads played 30 games for the All Blacks, which included 15 test matches. In addition with brother Colin, he took King Country to new heights in provincial rugby in New Zealand during the 1960's and 1970's.

Thirty to 40 years ago, sub-union rugby was alive and well in the mid North Island, with the Peace Cup drawing crowds in their thousands.

Street parades and chartered trains with the visitors arriving in large numbers, were the order of the day.

However changing times in the new Millennium saw sub-union rugby and the Peace Cup lose its lustre, to where there was little interest shown by administrators, coaches and players

Last year's Stan Meads competition, revitalised sub-union rugby in an area bounded by Lake Taupo and North Waikato, with the most important factor being the backing of the competition by the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Thames Valley and King Country Rugby Unions.

All four unions saw it as additional player support to cover injuries in their representative teams playing in the annual Northern Region Development and age group competitions.

The main advantage for Western Bay players is that it is an additional opportunity to play serious representative rugby. The icing on the cake for the best players in the 2013 competition, will be the selection of a Stan Meads Cup XV at the conclusion of the comp, with the selected side playing at least one match against a provincial union team.

No one in their wildest imagination could have predicted the absolute drama that would take place in the three games on Stan Meads Cup finals day during September 2012.

The Stan Meads Cup and Bowl played at Te Awamutu both went into overtime after scores were tied after 80 minutes of regular time – with Western Bay of Plenty beating Eastern Bay of Plenty by a solitary point in Whakatane.

Western Bay of Plenty used their get out of jail card to overcome Eastern Bay of Plenty, in the playoff for third place in the Stan Meads Cup, played in Whakatane. Along with the Stan Meads playoff, there was Bay of Plenty Sub-Union pride on the line, with the game doubling as the last Te Hurinui Apanui challenge of the season.

Eastern Bay shot out to a 17-nil lead in the first half. While the Western Bay side settled down to put some points on the board, the home side took a 26-10 lead into the half time break.

The Western Bay side were playing catch-up rugby in the second spell, but dug deep to work their way back into the encounter.

However with time up on the clock and trailing by two points – Western Bay kicker Darrell Houia, calmly stepped up and pushed the ball over the crossbar from out wide, to give his team a dramatic come from behind victory winning the encounter 34-33.

Seeya at the Game.