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

Sideline Sid got a taste of being a time-traveller last week. Having been the custodian of the early Tauranga Rugby minute books for some time, he dusted of the cobwebs and delved into the past.

The oldest minute book, reeked of early history of the game in our region, with the first entry being the Tauranga Rugby Union Annual Meeting held on the 27 March 1915. The AGM was held at Mr Chadban's rooms which was also a venue for local cricket meetings of the day. The Treasurer reported that the balance sheet showed a credit balance of twelve pound, two shillings and eight pence.

A meeting on the 30th March reported that the Tauranga Club asked for defined boundaries for their club and were advised that the Tauranga Borough boundaries be defined as their area.

At an April meeting the following draws were advised. 1st May Rangataua v Matakana - 8th May Whaka v Tauranga, with the juniors to follow the same order.

The dark clouds of World War One took its toll on local rugby, when the Tauranga Rugby Union meeting held on the 29th May 2015, agreed to postpone the years competition indefinitely because of the war.

It would appear that the Tauranga Rugby Union went into recess, as the next set of minutes are dated 12th June 1919 and headed as re-formation of the TRU. Teams noted in the minutes during 1919 were Te Puna, Tauranga and Matakana. During the 1919 season trials were held to select a Tauranga team to play the Te Puke Rugby Union representatives with the Kusab Shield at stake.

Rugby was alive and well in Tauranga in 1920. The AGM noted that the following clubs had registered their club playing colours. Te Puna - Two Blues, Matapihi - Black and Gold, Motiti - Black and White. After lengthy discussion it was decided that Cadets be allowed to affiliate without nominating a senior team.

A local hockey representative attended the TRU May meeting to discuss sharing the playing grounds at the Tauranga Domain. It seems that five senior teams from Matakana, Tauranga, Motiti, Te Puna and Mataphi started the 1920 senior competition, with later reference to Kari Kari and Welcome Bay.

An old handwritten list of the TRU trophies, revealed that the first competition trophies were the Jordan Cup and the Oliver Cup which were presented to the Tauranga Union in the mid 1920's.

The Jordan Cup which is a magnificent piece of silverware is still contested today. A decade ago, the Western Bay of Plenty Rugby Sub-Union which are the result of the Tauranga and Te Puke Sub-Union amalgamation in 1995, gave the Jordan Cup new life as a Western Bay Premier challenge trophy. Contested by Western Bay teams within the Baywide competition, the Jordan Cup changed hands several times during the regular 2016 Baywide season.

One trophy that sits gathering dust somewhere, is the Dankin Shield which was awarded to the winner of the annual Maori v Pakeha representative games. Last played for in 1959, the Shield was last seen in public in a tour of the country during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, in company with other historic New Zealand Rugby memorabilia.

Last weekend concluded the season-long hunt for the Baywide semi-finalists, with the Western Bay well represented in all six divisions. Mount Maunganui, Rangataua and Tauranga Sports (and Rotoiti) will fight out the Premier One title.

The Development One title is an all Western Bay affair, with top qualifier Te Puna being joined by Mount Maunganui, Te Puke Sports and Tauranga Sports. Arataki will contest both the Premier Two and Development Two playoffs with Judea and Rangiuru booking Division One home semi-finals. Eastern Districts round out the local representation with a good chance to annex the Div Two crown.

Seeya at the Baywide Playoffs