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

Last Saturday saw Baywide club rugby done and dusted for another season - and what a season it has been.

The return to the tried and true Baywide format of two divisions of 12 teams in the first half of the season, before splitting into three senior championship grades, has seen intense and pulsating action throughout the club rugby year.

Bay of Plenty's emerging talent have their time in the limelight courtesy of two Development title races, while local rugby sides seeking Baywide places in the new season contest the Division Two competition.

An absolute premier thriller at Blake Park showcased Bay of Plenty club rugby at its best.

General consensus, as the large crowd spilled out of the ground after Rangataua had edged out title favourites Mount Maunganui, was that it was the best Baywide final for many a year.

While Rangataua went into the premier title decider as the underdogs, they served it up to the Mounties to lead by 10 at the break.

However, the hosts roared back into the contest to narrow the gap to two with the clock ticking down.

Rangataua defended like demons as they clung on to win their first Baywide premier title with a 35-33 victory.

Ten tries in the encounter told the tale of a scintillating display of attacking rugby backed up by solid defence from both teams.

By contrast, the Division One final between Judea and Eastern Bay visitors Te Teko at Maharaia Winiata Park, turned into a marathon with twenty minutes of extra time required.

The match was a dour forward battle, with three all at halftime showing the intensity of the contest.

Judea ran in the first try of the game, before a Judea clearing kick was charged down to give the visitors a two point lead.

Te Teko stretched their lead to five with a successful penalty goal, before Tanira Murray crashed over to lock up the match at 13 all.

With neither side able to breach solid defence in the last 15 minutes of regular time - referee Mate Samuels had no option but to order 20 minutes of extra time.

The deadlock was broken with a Te Teko penalty goal, with the Eastern Bay visitors going on to run in converted try to give them a 23-13 victory.

At the end of hostilities, both sides engaged in a spine-tingling Haka that was enthusiastically received by supporters from both teams.

While Rangataua took out the premier thriller and Tauranga Sports annexed the Development One crown after beating Mount Maunganui 28-11 - 2016 Baywide finals honours belonged to the Eastern Bay of Plenty who won four of the six Baywide titles on the line on Saturday.

Paroa upset the hottest of Baywide favourites in Whakarewarewa to post an impressive 21-10 score line.

Te Teko journeyed into enemy territory to lift the Division One title with Opotiki and Waimana a winning the Development Two and Division Two championships respectively.

The big loser on Baywide Finals weekend, were the three Rotorua teams that lost out to their Eastern Bay of Plenty opponents.

However, knowing the unpredictable nature of Baywide rugby, the Sulphur City sides will return to have their day in the Baywide sun in the future.