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

What a difference a month makes in local club rugby. In the four weeks that Sideline Sid was away, there were several interesting and significant changes in the Baywide premier standings.

Western BOP Te Puna team were the big mover going from 11 points off the lead in early May to outright third a month later.

By contrast Rotorua heavyweight Whakarewarewa slipped from third to sixth in the same period.

Last season Te Puna spent most of the season fighting off the threat of relegation, and was left to the last game of the season, when the blue and black brigade came from behind to beat Whakatane Marist 28-15, before Te Puna booked their top echelon berth for 2012.

The current season has been a revelation for the side that calls Maramatanga Park home.

First up they comprehensively despatched arch rivals Rangataua 35-8, to signal their intentions for the current season. They finished the Baywide first round of round robin play in a highly creditable third equal.

In the first four games of round two, they have provided Rangataua and Mount Maunganui with back to back defeats, with two and three point losses respectively, against Rotoiti and multiple Baywide champions Tauranga Sports.

By contrast Whaka, who fought out last year's championship decider against Te Puke Sports, has fallen right off the pace.

It is interesting to watch the change in fortunes of teams in a season long competition. One of the deciding factors in the premier title race, is that the competition is now contested over the full season where every game counts, instead of having a preliminary round, which counted for little for the genuine championship contenders.

Injury and inclement weather really take its toll when the Baywide competitions reach the business end of the season in June and July.

The Te Puna run of form is no fluke, but has been built upon a side that believes in itself.

Team pride and morale has never been higher at Maramataga Park, with the nucleus of the side being boosted by the addition of two hugely experienced players this year. The addition of former Super Rugby players in Lance MacDonald and Daniel Quate have added a new dimension to Te Puna. The two veterans of top flight rugby, provide experience in spades to the team.

Te Puna has always been a strong family orientated club, with the players mainly coming from the confines of Te Puna.

A pathway from Colts to the senior side has always been a priority, with the team stalwarts such as Aidan and Heywood Kuka and Daniel Schu, having graduated from the Te Puna Colts around a decade ago.

Another motivating factor is the large band of Blue and Black supporters, who follow their side through thick and thin.

No matter the weather, there will always be a large crowd on hand at Maramatanga Park, when the Te Puna Premiers are at home. A special feature is the hill on the far side of the park, where cars jostle for position to have the best seats in the house.

This Saturday could be well worth a trip out to Maramatanga Park, in what could be a season defining match-up.

With just five rounds before the playoffs, Te Puna face Opotiki, who have leapt into third, with Te Puna just four points adrift.

Victory for the Western Bay side would propel them in with a genuine chance of making the semi-finals while defeat would make the final rounds a battle of attrition.

Seeya at the Game