Well if someone had told me at the start of the season that the Bay would win the Ranfurly Shield and be in the semi finals I probably would have laughed uproariously and thought what a flattering and fine sense of humour/optimistic delusion the person had. 

Lets be honest though, what this team has done this year has exceeded everybody’s expectations (except perhaps their own) and written what has to be said one of the finest chapters in BOP’s rugby history, at least equal with that of 1976.

Comparison’s aside this team has written for itself a number of unique entries into the record books, historic achievements such as long overdue NPC wins over Waikato, Wellington and Otago, making the NPC semi-finals for the first time and most importantly – winning that dammed shield!!

To top it off all we’d need is one or two AB’s to be selected and a hatful of Super 12 players (possibly an historic the Chiefs getting over it’s Waikato bias to be recorded this season as well).

More significantly however, aside from the re-writing of the record books has come the restoration of pride in the colours, in the community as well as on the field. You see more people around town wearing Bay colours, shops fluttering with Bay colours, more people turning up to watch the Bay play, Bay supporters being proud of being Bay supporters.  What has been achieved off the field this year in inspiring up and coming kids to play for the Bay could be more influential than the success experienced this year on it. 

As a fan, this season has been one of the most rewarding, enriching and rewarding experiences I’ve ever had the pleasure of going through, though probably also the most highly stressful, the last gasp defence on the line against Wellington, painful bonus point wins over Northland and Southland and of course I doubt many of us will forget the last 10 minutes of that Shield game, where the majority of us only relaxed with 30 seconds on the clock!!

In all this has been a somewhat meteoric rise for the BOP who only a few short years ago were still battling it out in the second division, to have come this far seems almost inconceivable yet we should not forget what’s happened to the likes of Counties and King Country, who a few short years ago were battling it out in the first division.

It says a lot for the unity and spirit of the squad that the vast majority of the players are staying with the Steamers and not chasing the dollars with other unions.  Again as a fan it’s good to see the Bay retain it’s talent and we can only hope that this success will continue to draw players of the class of Tipoki and Burke to come make the Bay their home – Andrew Merthans to replace Glen Jackson perhaps? 

And of course Glen Jackson, for so long the stalwart and solitary professional player in the team.  When the Bay stumbled into the first division I remember looking at Jackson’s name on the team sheet and thinking “Well at least we have one”.  Indeed I’d hate to think where Bay rugby would be with-out Jackson, I can still hear those legendary cries of “Intercept by Jackson” as he cut down a Crieton pass and ran the length of the field to score under the posts and ensure that the Bay held on to it’s tenuous first division status.  Just how much the Bay will miss Jackson we can only tell next season when he’s not there.  For us fans, especially us one’s that have followed the Bay’s fortunes through thick and thin Jackson and his boot will be remembered as one of the driving forces in the Bay success.  We shall never forget that conversion of Tahana’s try in the rain and from the sideline to give us an 8-point lead in the shield game nor the vast number of far less glamorous yet vitally important penalties that kept us in the game, or conversions to put the icing on the cake.  It has been fortunate that the Bay has had a goal-kicker with 85% accuracy and a playmaker and intercept king as Jackson.  While we are gutted to see him go, we wish Glen all the best and can think of no one more deserving of a trip overseas and a nice pay packet, or an All Black jersey of course – Graeme are you reading this??

Speaking of All Blacks, let us hope that the legendary Big – O, Wayne Ormond gets a call up, a man with mana, determination and more steel than a forging works he certainly would do the jersey proud and inflict a number of bone-crunching tackles upon those unfortunate enough to be in the opposite team.

Of course, rugby isn’t all about the players, the coach’s Vern Cotter and Joe Schmidt have already been given the recognition they deserve with contracts with the Crusaders and Blues.  Their contribution towards the team and its spirit was invaluable and of course there are all the support staff, technical assistants, board members, officials, sponsors and volunteers whose contributions are mainly unseen to us louts yelling and cheering in the stands yet who’s contribution’s are of course vital to the unions success.

To all of those involved in Bay rugby this year, congratulations, you have made us proud, you have made the whole of NZ stand up, notice us and even support and cheer along with us.  You’ve even given Bay rugby plenty stacks of air-time on TV and radio and bought glory to the gold and blue hoops.  To the players and the staff, we salute you!