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

There is plenty on the line as the Baywide premier rugby first round competition comes to a conclusion this Saturday.

This season, 11 teams are chasing eight spots on offer in the premier champioship.

Often the first round is well and truly decided with one game remaining in the preliminary contests.

The draw has set up two winner-take-all encounters at the top and bottom of the standings.

Just two points separate Te Puna and Tauranga Sports at the top of the points ladder, with both taking season unbeaten records in their clash at the Tauranga Domain, that will decide the first round trophy.

Revenge will be firmly on the agenda of the blue and black brigade from Te Puna, who were pipped at the post 32-26 by Tauranga Sports, in the Western Bay of Plenty title decider last year.

Seven sides have already booked their berths in the top eight that will fight out the Baywide premier title, with a Rotorua local derby deciding the last spot.

While Ngongotaha, Marist St Michaels and Rangataua are locked together on eight points apiece, both Rotorua teams have beaten Rangataua to take them out of the equation.

There is likely to be a solid band of supporters from Marist St Michaels and Ngongotaha on the sideline at Marist Park in the Sulphur City, with the winner making their Baywide premier championship entrance.

Another match that will have plenty of intensity is the meeting between Greeerton Marist and Te Puke Sports, who currently occupy third and fourth place respectively on the ladder.

The Greerton side will want to cement their third place on the final standings, with Te Puke Sports looking to bank the win points on offer, after back to back losses.

Mount Maunganui will want to end the preliminary skirmishes with a win, when they square-off with Whakarewarewa in Rotorua.

While Mount Maunganui will join fellow Western Bay sides Te Puna, Tauranga Sports, Greerton Marist, Te Puke Sports and Rangiuru in the top echelon - they have had a mixed season so far and will need to lift their performances to reach the playoffs.

There have to be some concerns held around the Division One competition, where Judea and Katikati have flown the Western Bay flag.

An unprecedented 12 defaults have made life difficult for those teams, who have been ready for battle each week.

The withdrawal of the majority of Eastern Bay clubs to play in a local competition resulted in teams promoted to Baywide rugby from regional rugby, without the resources and player firepower to sustain the big jump in competition.

The grapevine says that it's being addressed as clubs prepare for the business end of the season.

While there has been some doom and gloom in division one, the big success story is Judea, who have earned a berth in the Baywide second echelon for the first time.

In the last few years, they have battled from Western Bay local rugby to the Baywide competition, with this season's performances taking their game to another level.

While winter takes a grip on inclement weather, during the next couple of months, local rugby fans will rug up to enjoy Bay of Plenty club rugby at its best.