STEAMERS IN SEASON DEFINING CLASH
September 26
In what looks to be a season defining Air New Zealand Cup encounter, the Bay of Plenty Steamers will meet Southland at Baypark on Thursday (25 September 2008) evening. With both teams in equal fourth place in the Air New Zealand Cup (with a identical 5 win 3 loss record), the prize on offer is a likely home quarterfinal in two weeks time. Steamers Manager, Sean Horan, said “the Southland game ranks as the most important match of the season, with a win putting the team within reach of a home quarterfinal. The attractiveness of a home quarterfinal is really important to the team, who truly value the massive home crowd support that they have received this season,” said Horan.
One of the real bonuses this year is that the team has been relatively free of serious injuries. Steamers Head Coach, Kevin Schuler, has provided consistent results with a stable squad of players available throughout the season.
While this Thursday’s team is unchanged from the side that played Canterbury last week, there are a couple of minor fitness concerns. Super Sub, Luke Braid, has been named as cover for dynamic number eight Colin Bourke, while Toby Arnold provides cover for left winger Jason Hona.
An interesting battle that will take place in the game is the kicking of the two sides sharp shooters. Mike Delany, who sits in third place on the Air New Zealand Cup points tally, is just a solitary point behind Southland’s Blair Stewart (and Matt Berquist –Hawkes Bay). Another Steamer to feature in the Air New Zealand Cup statistics is Colin Bourke. Five tries have Bourke in second equal place behind Wellingtons Hosea Gear who has touched
down on ten occasions.
The meeting of the two teams is the twenty-ninth occasion that they have met since the first match in 1939. While the Steamers have won 17 matches, they have struggled a little in recent years, with the last victory being in the heady Ranfurly Shield days of 2004.
Thursday 25 September 2008
Bay of Plenty Steamers v Southland
Forwards: Joe Savage, John Pareanga, James McGougan, John Moore, Culum Rettalick, Solomon King, Tanerau Latimer (captain), Colin Bourke.
Backs: Ruki Tipuna, Mike Delany, Jason Hona, Nigel Hunt, Cory Aporo, Lance MacDonald, Zar Lawrence.
Bench: Dean Elmiger, Matt Wallis, Aiden Kuka, Luke Braid, Josh Hall, Kelly Haimona, Paula Asaeli.
BOP Steamers Management:
Head Coach - Kevin Schuler
Assistant Coach - Steve Miln
Manager – Sean Horan
Trainer – Murray Pederson
Physio – Paul Cameron
Doctor – Morne Du Plessis
Video Analysis – Chris Lapage
One of the real bonuses this year is that the team has been relatively free of serious injuries. Steamers Head Coach, Kevin Schuler, has provided consistent results with a stable squad of players available throughout the season.
While this Thursday’s team is unchanged from the side that played Canterbury last week, there are a couple of minor fitness concerns. Super Sub, Luke Braid, has been named as cover for dynamic number eight Colin Bourke, while Toby Arnold provides cover for left winger Jason Hona.
An interesting battle that will take place in the game is the kicking of the two sides sharp shooters. Mike Delany, who sits in third place on the Air New Zealand Cup points tally, is just a solitary point behind Southland’s Blair Stewart (and Matt Berquist –Hawkes Bay). Another Steamer to feature in the Air New Zealand Cup statistics is Colin Bourke. Five tries have Bourke in second equal place behind Wellingtons Hosea Gear who has touched
down on ten occasions.
The meeting of the two teams is the twenty-ninth occasion that they have met since the first match in 1939. While the Steamers have won 17 matches, they have struggled a little in recent years, with the last victory being in the heady Ranfurly Shield days of 2004.
Thursday 25 September 2008
Bay of Plenty Steamers v Southland
Forwards: Joe Savage, John Pareanga, James McGougan, John Moore, Culum Rettalick, Solomon King, Tanerau Latimer (captain), Colin Bourke.
Backs: Ruki Tipuna, Mike Delany, Jason Hona, Nigel Hunt, Cory Aporo, Lance MacDonald, Zar Lawrence.
Bench: Dean Elmiger, Matt Wallis, Aiden Kuka, Luke Braid, Josh Hall, Kelly Haimona, Paula Asaeli.
BOP Steamers Management:
Head Coach - Kevin Schuler
Assistant Coach - Steve Miln
Manager – Sean Horan
Trainer – Murray Pederson
Physio – Paul Cameron
Doctor – Morne Du Plessis
Video Analysis – Chris Lapage
