Sideline Sid - Sports blogger Sideline Sid is a local sport fanatic. Not only is he a classic rugby bloke but he has views, opinions and knowledge on all sports played in the Bay of Plenty.

While there has been plenty of talk and hype around football and the World Cup, Sidline Sid reckons its time to talk local grassroots rugby.
A million miles away from the All Blacks and Super rugby, there are thousands of players that run on to the paddock each Saturday with the expectation of nothing more than a good run and a few beers afterwards.

While the Baywide rugby competitions cater for the players who want to play in top-level club rugby - there are many others who have few aspirations other than the enjoyment of taking part.

In the Western Bay, the Presidents grade gives a game that is focused on taking part and mateship. The Western Bay Rugby Sub-Union provides a local 'Pressies' grade, where tries aren't recorded and final results are quickly forgotten.

The most highly anticipated weekends are the 'Pressies' Field Days, where all eight teams gather at the one venue to play, and more importantly socialise afterwards. The Field Days are also eagerly looked forward to by the hosting clubs, as their food and drink sales are usually amongst the best of the season.

While the players are predominately in they're 30s and 40s, with non-athletic body shapes and receding hairlines taking precedence, the stories get longer and taller as the nights wear on.

The next grade up in the Western Bay is real grassroots rugby at its best. The Senior Second grade is a mixture of one team clubs, along with the senior seconds team from the bigger clubs.

The next three weeks will produce the winner of the Combined Cup, which is awarded to the victor in the Western Bay Senior Second competition. Two clubs which are celebrating memorable milestones this season are also vying for championship honours.

There will be plenty of high jinks and tall tales in the Katikati Rugby Club at Moore Park this weekend as they celebrate 130 years since formation. Festivities kick off on Saturday with a couple of junior rugby games, before the main event of the day.

In one of their most vital games of the season, the Katikati seniors will be desperate to repel the challenge from the Rangataua visitors. Defeat for the home team would severely dent their chances of annexing the Western Bay silverware.

Judea, which has their own festivities this season, when they celebrate their centenary, also has a vital encounter on Saturday. Judea will travel to Blake Park where they need to defeat Mount Maunganui to remain championship contenders.

Mount Maunganui, which has been the powerhouse of local Senior B rugby for nearly a decade, received a setback last weekend going down in a nailbiter to Tauranga Sports seconds 41-38.

Both the Mount and Tauranga Sports along with the Rangtaua second-string side are also fighting for the two berths available in the Baywide Senior B playoffs. After last weekend's results Judea and Katikati are out in front, while Mount Maunganui hold a one-point advantage over Rangataua, with Tauranga Sports a further point back.

With just one round remaining, and a straight final on July 17, there is a real cutthroat element to finish of the title race.

Seeya at the Game.