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

Hard and fast tracks and a warm Autumn have seen a scintillating start to the current Baywide club rugby season.

Western Bay of Plenty rugby supporters have flocked in their hundreds to the oval ball home games, with parking around premier and division one contests each Saturday at a premium.

Just when the Baywide premier competition was starting to look like a procession, a couple of upsets on the weekend have split open the title race.

Tauranga Sports five match winning streak came to an abrupt end, when Rotoiti came from well down the standings to beat the home side 25-18 on Saturday.

Mount Maunganui also tasted defeat for the first time this season, when Te Puna paid a visit to Mount headquarters at Blake Park.

In an encounter where the lead changed half a dozen times, Te Puna got up with successful long range penalty goal in the last minute of play, to snatch a 29-27 victory.

With just five rounds before the premier top 12 are reduced to the eight top-echelon contenders, Western Bay teams hold five of the top six spots.

The surprise package in 2016 is Whakatane Marist who lead the way six points clear of the opposition.

Sitting behind the Eastern Bay side are Tauranga Sports, Mount Maunganui, Te Puna, Te Puke Sports and Rangataua.

The Eastern Bay contenders have a big Fijian presence in their starting lineup and reports suggest that the side plays with plenty of sevens rugby flair.

However, the Whakatane team has yet to meet the Western Bay heavyweights and finish the last four qualifying rounds with matches against Te Puna, Te Puke Sports, Mount Maunganui and Tauranga Sports in succession.

A direct link with the past was provided at the Mount Maunganui verses Te Puna match-up, where the Jordan Cup was on the line, courtesy of a new life as the Western Bay premier challenge trophy.

The Jordan Cup was named after Mr JH Jordan who was an early Tauranga Rugby Union chairman.

First contested in the early 1920's, the now challenge prize is a substantial piece of solid silverware up for grabs each week, when the holder plays a fellow Western Bay team.

While Te Puna were celebrating their Jordan Cup triumph on Saturday night, their reign may be short, as Tauranga Sports visit Maramatanga Park next Saturday (May 7) afternoon in what is likely to be non-stop action of running rugby.

Next weekend sees the re-emergence of Saturday morning traffic congestion in the Western Bay of Plenty, as junior rugby continues after the school holiday break.

New Zealand is a country of volunteers who are always ready to roll up their sleeves and give their time so others can enjoy their sport and recreation.

Every Saturday morning during the often cold and wet days of winter, the myriad of Western Bay of Plenty junior rugby volunteer administrators, officials and club-house helpers, will turn up rain, hail or shine to ensure that our youngsters get a enjoyable junior rugby experience each week.