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Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz |
Sideline Sid is struggling to remember a better Western Bay club rugby season than the 2013 edition.
With just four weeks before the Baywide champions are crowned, Western Bay sides look set to play a major part in all five Baywide finals.
The Western Bay second tier championship will be fought out on Saturday between Arataki and Judea - with the Tai Mitchell Shield primary schools rugby tournament kicking off in Mount Maunganui on Friday.
The race for the Baywide Premier title is dominated by Western Bay clubs. With two weeks to go before the playoffs, the local contenders hold down the top five spots. Multiple Baywide top echelon champions Tauranga Sports took a vice like grip on the preliminary contests, before their colours were lowered for the first time by a fired up Te Puna last weekend.
Defending champions Te Puke Sports, who have their sights set on a three peat of Baywide crowns, sit comfortably in second on the standings, with any points from their clash with Greerton Marist on Saturday cementing a home semi-final on the 27th July.
A real logjam in the middle of the point's ladder has set up some real battles for the last two playoff places. Mount Maunganui cruised into third last weekend and could book a post section berth, if the defeat Whakarewarewa in the Sulphur City on Saturday.
Lurking a solitary point behind the Mount is the team from Te Puna who are having their best ever Baywide season.
However, standing in their way in the penultimate round, is Opotiki who sit just two points behind Te Puna. This weekend's clash at Maramatanga Park is an absolute must win for Te Puna and will attract huge crowd of blue and black supporters to Te Puna headquarters.
Greerton Marist has come of age this year are locked on equal points with Opotiki. However, they have a real fight on their hands to make the top four, facing Mount Maunganui and Opotiki in the last two rounds of the regular season.
For grassroots rugby fans, Maharaia Winiata Park will be worth a visit on Saturday afternoon, when Arataki and Judea fight out the Western BOP championship. The second tier competition is contested by the larger local clubs second teams and a number of one team clubs.
Last weekend the two finalists met in the last stanza of the round robin competition. In what turned out to be a mighty battle, Judea came from 5-11 down at half time to grab a home final venue this week with a hard fought 18-14 victory.
With both teams having Baywide aspirations next season, the scene is set for another battle of attrition before the Western Bay Champion is crowned.
The stars of the future will be on show in the annual Tai Mitchell Shield primary rugby tournament that kicks off in Mount Maunganui on Friday.
Four days of round robin play and the semi-finals will culminate in Grand Finals day next Wednesday.
In recent seasons the Western Bay sides have ruled the roost.
Te Puke will be defending the title that they won last season, with Tauranga East and West always in contention.
Also on the line are berths in the Bay of Plenty team that compete in the annual Roller Mills tournament during the September school break.
Seeya at the Tai Mitchell Shield Games.