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

A trip to Blake Park last Tuesday to catch the Tai Mitchell Shield semi-final match-up between Tauranga East and West, showed the symbol of primary school rugby in the Bay of Plenty is very much alive and well in 2013.

In 1938, well respected Rororua sports administrator Mr Henry Taiporutu Mitchell, presented the Tai Mitchell Shield for competition between primary school teams, representing the Rugby Sub-Unions of the Bay of Plenty.

The then seven Bay of Plenty Sub-Unions of Apanui, Opotiki, Whakatane, Rangataiki, Galatea, Rotorua and Tauranga contested the early contests.

At a later date, the Te Puke Sub-Union was formed and entered the annual tournament.

Today, all eight regions, plus an additional team apiece from Tauranga and Rotorua, participate in what has become a six day festival of primary schools rugby in the July school holidays.

The first Tai Mitchell tournament to be held in the Western Bay of Plenty, took place in Tauranga in 1947. Tauranga in 1947, bore little resemblance to the sprawling metropolis of today and was little more than a sleepy fishing village.

Rotorua was the Bay of Plenty capital city with Whakatane and Opotiki also thriving country towns.

A photo of the 1947 Tauranga Tai Mitchell team showed Frank Gresham's bus in the background, which used to make four or five trips a day from Wharf Street (and return) to the hospital in Cameron Road, which was the boundary of the Tauranga borough.

The 2013 edition of the Tai Mitchell tournament was dominated by Tauranga East and West, along with the Te Puke representatives and Rotorua Maroon. The Tauranga local derby semi-final was taken out by Tauranga West, with Te Puke providing Rotorua Maroon with their first defeat of the tournament, to reach the final.

Last Wednesday, a beautiful Western Bay day and a large crowd saw an awesome display of primary school rugby at its best, with Tauranga West running out winners over Te Puke 25-17, in the finale to the 2013 Tai Mitchell rugby festival.

The Tai Mitchell tournament is on the road each year, on an annual cycle that travels from Te Kaha (Apanui) through the Eastern Bay of Plenty, then on to the Western Bay before visiting Rotorua and Murupara and then back to start it all again at Te Kaha.

Over the years huge populations shifts from rural communities and the explosion of the Western Bay, has created real imbalances in team strengths, with some run away scores posted.

However, the opportunity for the city boys to visit and be billeted at places such Te Kaha and Murupara and the country boy's stays in the big smoke, is a unique part of the Bay of Plenty primary rugby culture.

Many of the rising stars of the future, who shone in the 2013 Tai Mitchell, have now set their sights on making the Bay of Plenty team, who will represent the region in the annual Roller Mills tournament.

The list of All Blacks, who have emerged from the (old) Auckland province primary rugby tournament makes impressive reading.

Rugby legends such as Colin and Stan Meads, Waka Nathan, Don Clarke and Grant Fox with more recent All Blacks of Kevin Mealamu, Sonny Bill Williams and Richard Kahui, have all having played in previous Roller Mills tournaments – which gives the local boys plenty to aspire to at the 2013 Roller Mills tournament, to be hosted by the North Harbour Rugby Union, in the September school break.

Seeya at the Game