You can't beat a day of rugby at Tauranga Domain. Particularly when your home side is battling it out against Hawkes Bay for the prized Macrae-Shelford Bay Cup trophy and the right to be called ‘The Bay'.

The Bay of Plenty Steamers have taken the win on home ground against the Hawkes Bay Magpies on Saturday afternoon with a full-time score of 20-14, claiming back the cup and also securing their quarterfinals place in the Odds conference.

It's barely a week since the Magpies lost their hold on the Ranfurly Shield when Wellington took the Log ‘O Wood off them with an exciting game ending in a 19-12 win to the Wellington Lions.

And now Hawkes Bay have lost their grip on their claim of being ‘The Bay' in the Battle of the Bays contest against Bay of Plenty. The Magpies haven't won on Steamers turf since 2011.

Hawkes Bay failed to score in the second half, despite plenty of opportunities to do so.

The Macrae-Shelford Bay Cup. Photo: Supplied.

The Macrae-Shelford Bay Cup fittingly honours two stalwarts of the game Ian Macrae and Frank Shelford, who have both represented the All Blacks and both provinces.

Second five-eight and centre Ian Macrae played seven matches for the Bay of Plenty in 1962 before heading to Hawke's Bay to see out his rugby career playing a further 85 matches between 1963 to 1971.

He played 45 matches for the All Blacks between 1966 and 1970.

Bay of Plenty centurion, flanker Frank Shelford pulled on the Bay of Plenty jersey 121 times between 1977 and 1987, however wore the Hawke's Bay black and white hoops in 1983 for 12 games before returning to the Bay of Plenty to finish his playing career.

Shelford played 22 matches for the All Blacks in the early 1980s.

Steamers stalwart and prop Aidan Ross made his 50th appearance for the blue and gold this weekend, an achievement only realised by an elite list of players in the province's long history.

Meanwhile, Justin Sangster, Haereiti Hetet, and Lalomilo Lalomilo all played their 15th game for the Steamers and were awarded their blazer.

"It's great to see those guys get their blazers. Hopefully, they can one day become like Rossy and get to 50 games as well!" says head coach Mike Delany.

Bay of Plenty FMG/Farmlands Rural XV I18 boy beat Hawkes Bay 26-17. Photo: BOP Rugby.

It was also a great day out for the Bay of Plenty FMG/Farmlands Rural XV I18 boys who got the win 26-17 over Hawkes Bay in today's curtain raiser match.

Score breakdown for Steamers v Magpies:

Bay of Plenty 20 (Emoni Narawa, Nikora Broughton, Nigel Ah Wong tries; Kaleb Trask con, pen) Hawke's Bay 14 (Devan Flanders, Ollie Sapsford tries; Lincoln McClutchie 2 con). HT: 10-14