Who'd have thunk?  The mighty Bay sitting astride the top of the table, two from two, separated from the top of the table Wellington side by a single bonus point?  Not only that, also conceding the least points after the two rounds, and behind again, just Wellington on points for?

Yes, win number two (mwa ha ha ha), a record points spread over Counties, 45-3, a hiding in anyone's books.

Best of the best, Dirty Scumbag Waikato sitting dead last on the table with a single bonus point, and not having had a first class win this season - just a jaunt against the Jappers of Suntory.  They say it is not good to gloat over the carcass of an enemy, but screw that, I'm in gloating mood, and with the Bay side, you have to take your jollies when you can get them!!

Well, aside from DSW being shite, it's all happening for the Bay so far this season, right across the field, from the grunters up front doing the hard yards, through to the blouses out wide doing their flash stuff.

I thought Counties would have been tougher than they were though to tell the truth, and after 20 minutes it was a good battle, with neither team really looking 42 points better than the other.  But then the passes started to stick, and the shiney domed Pareanga, New Zelanad's rugby's slowest winger, scored out wide, and the floodgates creaked, before opening in the second spell.

It was tough on Counties though in that second 40, everything they touched turned to kak, and every bounce of the ball went the way of the Bay.  Some may call it luck, but I like the old saying along the lines of, "the harder I train, the luckier I am", and by all accounts, these Bay boys have put in the hard yards over the summer, and they are now reaping the rewards.  Amazing what you can do when you appoint a coach more than six minutes before the season kicks off.

Back to that first half though, and once the human bowling ball Pareanga had skittled his way over for that first try, it was then the turn of Colin Bourke to dot down, twice, showing both power for the first try, and pace for the second.  Bourke barrelled over from a five metre scrum first (after being held up just short moments earlier), and then ran in from 45 metres, showing the pace that saw him play rugby for the 'other Bay' as an outside back a few years ago.

Only problem at this early stage was the goal kicking, Delany not looking to have his radar switched on at all.  This could cost in the future, but fingers crossed that has a service when the games start getting a little closer and are won and lost on the toe of the little wizards boot.

Second spell saw more of the Bay magic with tries to Zar Lawrence (2), Jason Hona and captain fantastic Tanerau Latimer.  And I say Bay magic, as their playing style is reminding me of those classic Bay sides of the past - the ones with Hika Reid to the fore, and every man in the side, from 1 through to 15 having the ability to step, draw a man and slip[ a pass away.  it is pretty to watch, always exciting, and at this stage of the season, has been rewarding.

Not only is the attack back on board, their is a defence to match.  Only one try conceded in 160 minutes of rugby is good on anyone's books, something to take pride in and keep up.

This defence is led by one of the better loose trios in the NPC - or ANZC, or whatever the hell it will be called next season - Bourke, Latimer and King.  Those three boys got through a power of work - Bourke looking like a mix between Murray Mexted and Zinzan Brooke, appearing out of nowhere to field high kicks (as Mex used to do to protect Hewson), and then firing off booming clearing kicks (alah Zinny).  Finally a coming of age for the big number eight, now the senior loosie on the field, and making a good fist of it.  King has slotted into 6 nicely too, a defensive dynamo, and Latimer is at last starting to show the sort of form, on a constant basis, that saw him voted by the Mafia as 'the most likely to be the Bay's next All Black'.

Nutbrown again showed that he is one of the better halfbacks in New Zealand, and should be in South Africa right now, instead of that fat prop that plays halfback for Auckland, Lawn Mower or something.  But he mustn't be mowing Henry's lawns like the Auckland fatty, so does not get the call.  maybe someone needs to remind Henry that New Zealand rugby does also exist outside the Super centres, and there are some bloody good players not contracted to the greedy bastards in the big four.  It was the big five, but DSW no longer qualify as a big anything...  Well, maybe something...

The rest of the blouses again combined well, Hunt, Aporo, Hona and MacDonald all dangerous when given half a chance.  Zar at fullback looked much more comfortable this week after last weeks nightmare under the high balls!  His two tries certainly making up for it!  He was dangerous every time he touched the ball - and this week, only for the opposing team...

I have saved the best for last though.  The tight five again played well above their weight.  The unheralded props, the skinny white guy locks, and a Telly Sevalas impersonator at hooker, an unlikely looking bunch of lads, but they give their all, and lay the foundation for the flying squad of loosies, and the Brill-cream boys out back in the double digits.

So hats of to props Joe Savage and James McGoughan, hooker John Pareanga, and to locks Callum Rettalick and John Moore.  The five who's - but not for long if they keep performing as they have been.  And not to forget the two bench boys who are not too shabby either - David Arden and Aiden Kuka, both who lift the tightees when they hit the field.

So learned so far from the season, the Bay can win in the wet, grinding to victory at Tasman a week again, and in the dry, they can tear a team a new ring piece, with the 45-3 win over Counties.

Another big test next week, up against North Harbour, a team they beat in pre season, and a team that has not yet tasted victory in the 2008 season.  Yes, Harbour are shit this season, so this could be the biggest hurdle - take the win here, and then perhaps this Bay team is the real deal...

And Hori's back, so all is well in the Bay...

Players of the week this week:  3 points Bourke, 2 Latimer, 1 McGoughan.

So the running tally Miss Ford?

Nutbrown, Bourke 3, Pareanga, Latimer 2, Delany, McGoughan 1.

Thank you Miss Ford.