Rugby: It all boils down to just 80 minutes

Te Puke Sports captain Tim Bond has led from the front all season.

Making the final play-offs is what the players aim for at the start of every Baywide rugby season.

All those cold, wet nights training under flickering lights, travelling across the Bay of Plenty to play and make the long journey home, come down to just 80 minutes of effort.

The excitement of play-off rugby hits the Western Bay tomorrow in three Bayfair Baywide competitions.

Finalists will be found for next Saturday's grand final day in Premier, Development and Division One grades.

When the Premier competition kicked off on May 2, the smart money would have been on Mount Maunganui Sports, Whakarewarewa, Tauranga Sports and Te Puke Sports finishing in the top four places.

That is how they finished in 2014 and, as the pre-season got under way, they looked the strongest sides on paper.

Now 11 rounds later, those four teams have made it through to contest tomorrow's semifinals.

Te Puke are undefeated through pool play and host Rotorua's Whakarewarewa, who have Rangataua to thank for being there. Rotoiti looked to have fourth place sown up until they were tipped up by a fast-finishing Rangataua side in last week's final round.

Second-placed Tauranga Sports are at their Tauranga Domain home ground against defending champions Mount Maunganui, who they defeated 24-3 at the same venue last Saturday.

For those who believe in history repeating, Mount Maunganui and Whakarewarewa are quite capable of creating a double upset.

In last year's semis, fourth-placed Mount Maunganui beat Te Puke away and Whakarewarewa knocked over Tauranga at the Domain. A week later, Mount Maunganui won one of the great finals in Baywide history against Whakarewarewa.

There are no guarantees in sport, of course, but it would be a huge surprise if Tauranga Sports are not making the trip to Te Puke for next week's grand final.

Tomorrow, Rangiuru host one of the Division One semifinals against Eastern Bay club Poroporo.

Steamers legend and former All Blacks hooker Hika Reid has mentored Rangiuru this season as they chase promotion to the Premier division next year.

Chasing that same dream is the Marty Bourke-coached Arataki side, who face one of the most difficult road trips in Bay of Plenty rugby to take on high-flying Te Teko.

In the Development grade, Te Puke Sports are undefeated from 11 games and are top qualifiers for tomorrow's semifinal against fourth-placed Greerton Marist at Murray Salt Stadium.

Tauranga Sports, who lost just the one game to Te Puke, host the other semi in the early game at Tauranga Domain against Mount Maunganui Sports.