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

Sideline Sid was delighted last weekend, when the two teams he is passionate about and follows through thick and thin both blitzed their opponents.

Any rugby fan worth his salt in New Zealand supports the All Blacks from birth, while the grey haired rugby observer has followed the Blue and Gold brigade since first coming to the sunny Bay of Plenty nearly 50 years ago.

While life following the two sides can be a rollercoaster ride at times – especially the Steamers – it doesn't get much better than when his two favourites steamroll the opposition.

And while he would never have missed the live action in his younger days, the old fella was cozily tucked up on the couch on Friday night, as the Bay boys took on North Harbour.

There were a few apprehensions at half-time, when the home side led by just three points. However, 'our” team came right in the second-half to post a solid 20-11 win.

A little nervousness was also shown by Sideline Sid at half-time in the All Blacks' match-up with the enemy from across the ditch, before they crushed the Aussies in the second half.

More importantly, they retained the Bledisloe Cup, which both teams had a hand on after the hiccup across the Tasman the week before.

However, the weekend was just an Indian summer, with the big tests for both the All Blacks and the Steamers to come in the next couple of months.

While All Blacks' supporters are always cock-a-hoop heading into a Rugby World Cup, the reality is that the wheels have fallen of the juggernaut in all of the overseas World Cup campaigns.

It will be no easy task to lift the William Webb Ellis Cup for the third time and become the first nation to win the cup on three occasions. Sideline Sid believes that we have the firepower, however South Africa, England and Australia know what it takes to win the big prize and will be primed and ready to go.

The Mighty All Blacks can win the 2015 RWC, but it will need plenty of team brilliance, cohesion, well-executed plans and leading from the front, as well as the calming influence under pressure of captain fantastic Richie McCaw.

Patience is also quality that the Bay of Plenty Steamers will need if they are to win the ITM Cup Championship competition. In recent seasons, the Steamers have often pushed too hard when headed for the try line and have given up valuable points.

While they finished last in the 2014 title race, in a number of encounters they were right in contention for most of the match, only to give up possession and lose by a narrow margin.

However, Steamers Coach Clayton McMillan, who played over 100 games in the Blue and Gold strip, is certain to extol his passion for the Steamers to his troops.

Their first BIG test comes on Friday night, when they play the big improvers of the National Provincial Championship in recent years. Tasman, who finished second in the Premiership last season, will provide a formidable challenge on their home patch at Trafalgar Park in Nelson.

Go the Steamers!