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

Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021 has been a refreshing change to the southern hemisphere professional rugby competition of the last decade, which reminded Sideline Sid of the saying "A camel is a horse designed by a committee".

Previously, there were too many meaningless games and encounters fought out in the dead of night (in South Africa), when only the most hardy fans would rub sleep from their eyes to follow their favourites.

Covid-19 forced a complete re-think, with Super Rugby Aotearoa hastily introduced last year.

While last year's local Super Rugby Aotearoa competition lacked a final, the games provided competitive contests each weekend and even a return to day-time rugby.

This year's Super Rugby Aotearoa was a cracker, with each team playing the other contenders both home and away, with the top two going on to fight out the title decider.

The competition was easy to understand and the goal line dropout added a new dimension to the action.

The race to join the Crusaders in the battle for Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021 glory went right to the wire, with the Chiefs grabbing a place in the final in their last match, before being forced to bow to the Crusaders superiority.

Last years form counted for nothing, as the Chiefs came from holding last years wooden spoon, to getting to within one game of winning the big prize.

Both the Crusaders and Chiefs have strong Bay of Plenty ties.

The Chiefs revival in fortunes was overseen by Steamers legendary player and coach Clayton McMillan.

The Crusaders troops are mentored by Scott Robertson, who attended Mount Maunganui College, and played a handful of games in the Blue and Gold uniform before moving south.

While Super Rugby Aotearoa has concluded, it gets even better with the kickoff of the Trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition.

Sideline Sid had a big grin on his dial after the opening round, when the five Kiwi contenders in the Crusaders, Chiefs, Blues, Highlanders and Hurricanes, all dealt to their cobbers over the ditch.

In local rugby news, just when the Baywide premier competition looked to becoming boring and predictable, the race for the top eight to contest the premier title, threw up a couple of big upsets over the weekend.

Rangataua, who sat in the competition cellar without a point alongside their name, got up off the canvas and defeated Mount Maunganui 24-10.

Last season Western Bay premier titleholders Tauranga Sports, who looked to be steam rolling their way to the Baywide first round crown, were given a sharp wakeup call when held to a 31 all draw by Greerton Marist.

The good news continues, with the Bay of Plenty Rugby allocating four of the Steamers five home games to the Tauranga Domain.

Western Bay of Plenty Steamers fans who flock to the inner-city venue in big numbers, decked out in their team's colours, have been rewarded for their support with the majority of the Steamers NPC home fixtures.

A return to old-school afternoon kickoffs is great news, with generations of families able to enjoy a day at the footie together, at a family friendly time of day

Go the Steamers