Captains' Comments

Matt Clutterbuck, Rangataua

"It was just passionate. That was what that performance was all about today. It was a gutsy effort from the whole team and the whole season has been like that.

"You never think finals are yours. It did feel like we were in control straight after halftime with a couple of quick tries. But it never ever felt like it was ours apart from maybe when there were two minutes to go and we were up by two points and it was our ball.

Read more: Rangataua reign supreme in Baywide champs

"They have attacking flair across the park and they score tries from anywhere so you can never write them off.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"For our club this is a huge step forward. It is reward for a lot of work from a lot of people for a lot of years - long before my time at the club. I am so proud."

Chris Elvin, Mount Maunganui

"That was the best final I have been involved with to be honest. It is not often it goes neck and neck like that for so long. They obviously got out to a good lead at halftime and any other team would probably have fallen off but we clawed our way back into it.

"It was probably a little bit too far for us. If we had scored a little bit earlier in that second half when we were hot on attack but couldn't quite get over the line, we might have been in with a chance.

"I wouldn't want to lose to any other team because they were pretty awesome today.

"The support they had on the sideline, you could hear it on every play they made, every breakdown. It was just a whole wave of black jerseys coming towards you."

Baywide champions

1990 Waikite, 1991 Eastern Pirates, 1992 Whakatane Marist, 1993 Mt Maunganui, 1994 Eastern Pirates, 1995 Whakatane Marist, 1996 Waikite, 1997 Ngongotaha, 1998 Ngongotaha, 1999 Tauranga Sports, 2000 Waikite, 2002 Whakarewarewa, 2003 Tauranga Sports, 2004 Whakatane Marist, 2005 Mt Maunganui, 2006 Whakarewarewa, 2007 Tauranga Sports, 2008 Tauranga Sports, 2009 Tauranga Sports, 2010 Tauranga Sports, 2011 Te Puke Sports, 2012 Te Puke Sports, 2013 Tauranga Sports, 2014 Mt Maunganui Sports, 2015 Tauranga Sports, 2016 Rangataua Sports