Bay of Plenty v Canterbury
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Bay of Plenty
1 Solomona Sakalia (35)
2 Tom Crozier*
3 Ross Geldenhuys (2)
4 Tyler Ardron (8)
5 Baden Wardlaw (1)
6 Tanerau Latimer (80)
7 Mitch Karpik (8)
8 Hoani Matenga (2)
9 Richard Judd (12)
10 Mike Delany (74)
11 Chase Tiatia (28)
12 Terrence Hepetema (21)
13 Trael Joass (2)
14 Fa’asiu Fuatai (2)
15 Kaleb Trask (1)Reserves:
16 Angus MacDonald (2)
17 James Lay (12)
18 Jeff Thwaites (23)
19 Aaron Carroll (2)
20 Ajay Mua (2)
21 Luke Campbell (18)
22 Liam Steel (6)
23 Bailey Simonsson*Following two consecutive victories over premiership sides Taranaki (30-10) and Counties Manukau (22-17) the Bay of Plenty Steamers return home to the Tauranga Domain to face 2017 Mitre 10 Cup Premiership Champions Canterbury. Head Coach Clayton McMillan has made a number of changes to the twenty three named to face Canterbury on Saturday 1 September including the inclusion of debutants Tom Crozier and Bailey Simonsson. Crozier will be the fourth hooker to pull on the blue and gold hoops this season. Crozier not short of Mitre 10 Cup experience having played for Manawatu Turbos and Canterbury will draw some added experience to a new front row with Solomona Sakalia and Ross Geldenhuys moving from the bench to start, with last week’s front row of James Lay, Angus MacDonald and Jeff Thwaites named in the reserves. Tyler Ardron will return to his locking duties combining with Rotoiti’s Baden Wardlaw. Tanerau Latimer will start for the first time this season at number six, with Mitch Karpik and Hoani Matenga remaining unchanged at seven and eight. The Richard Judd and Mike Delany remain as the preferred starting nine ten combination. Trael Joass earns himself his first start of the season at centre, with Liam Steel moving to the bench. Joass will combine with Terrence Hepetema in the midfield. Chase Tiatia will move to the left wing, Fa’asiu Fuatai remains on the right and Kaleb Trask will slot into fullback. With Wardlaw returning to full fitness, Aaron Carroll will move to the bench. Carroll will be joined by Ajay Mua in the number 20 jersey. Reserve half back Luke Campbell will be joined by debutant Simonsson on the bench. The All Blacks Sevens and Greerton Marist fullback will be eagerly waiting to make an impact from the bench.
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Canterbury
1 Daniel Lienert-Brown
2 Greg Pleasants-Tate
3 Sef Fa’agase
4 Luke Romano
5 Hamish Dalzell
6 Reed Prinsep
7 Tom Sanders
8 Luke Whitelock
9 Mitchell Drummond (Co-Captain)
10 Brett Cameron
11 Caleb Makene
12 Sam Beard
13 Ngane Punivai
14 Josh McKay
15 George BridgeReserves
16 Nathan Vella
17 Alex Hodgman
18 Chris King
19 Mitchell Dunshea
20 Whetukamokamo Douglas (Co-Captain)
21 Connor Collins
22 James Hawkey*
23 Filimoni WaqainabeteIn the front row, both Daniel Lienert-Brown and Greg Pleasants-Tate have been promoted to the starting team this week, with Alex Hodgman and Nathan Vella to provide cover at prop and hooker respectively. Hamish Dalzell will partner Luke Romano at lock, and Mitch Dunshea shifts to the reserves for this game. In the loose forwards, Tom Sanders will wear the No. 7 jersey against Bay of Plenty, and Luke Whitelock returns from All Blacks duty to start at No. 8. Co-captain Whetukamokamo Douglas takes a spot on the bench. The one change in the backline sees Ngane Punivai step in to the midfield in place of Braydon Ennor, who sustained a hamstring injury against Wellington last week. Punivai will start at centre. James Hawkey has again been named on the bench this week and could earn his first cap for Canterbury if he takes the field in the No. 22 jersey.
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I think this is going to be a cracker, with BOP playing so well and Canterbury playing well, but not as dominant as in previous years.
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First thing I notice is we lack mobility in the loose forwards - certainly lacking a fetcher - in a game against an opposition with 1.5 openside flankers. And we also look decidedly weaker in the backs without Ennor.
Still, I'd be highly annoyed if we dropped this game as I think BOP are absolutely punching so far this season.
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Anyone know what has happened to Foketi ?
Are Blake and Le'aupepe injured ?
Not unhappy to see Garland out as he hasn't done anything out of the ordinary thus far. Having said that neither has Fuatai so I would like to see him looking for more work.
I'm looking forward to see how Wardlaw goes at this level.
You'd have to rate The Bay a rough chance as long as they are are not overawed by the Canterbury aura. I read somewhere that the game could be won or lost at the breakdown and with Karpik and Lats performing we may win that battle.
An afternoon game at the Domain against one of the most successful teams in the comp with our team performing so well doesn't get any better !
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@shark said in Bay of Plenty v Canterbury:
First thing I notice is we lack mobility in the loose forwards - certainly lacking a fetcher - in a game against an opposition with 1.5 openside flankers. And we also look decidedly weaker in the backs without Ennor.
Still, I'd be highly annoyed if we dropped this game as I think BOP are absolutely punching so far this season.
Unfortunate that Harmon is injured. I don't rate Tom Christie very highly, cant see him progressing past NPC level.
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Did someone mention McKay playing 10, or did I imagine it?
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@tim said in Bay of Plenty v Canterbury:
Did someone mention McKay playing 10, or did I imagine it?
There’s one bloke on here that brings it up all the time like a broken record.
He played there at school, but hasn’t done since.
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@sammyc said in Bay of Plenty v Canterbury:
@tim said in Bay of Plenty v Canterbury:
Did someone mention McKay playing 10, or did I imagine it?
There’s one bloke on here that brings it up all the time like a broken record.
He played there at school, but hasn’t done since.
That's a bit OTT. I may have mentioned it twice this season. And once last year. Big fucken deal.
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Right, we're about to get underway
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Great try saver from Karpik.
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Some pretty shit early clearances from Delany - just pumping it straight down Canterbury's throat.
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Fun game, 7-7 after 20 and BOP finally showing something.
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We were all over them for the first ten minutes but BOP have drastically turned that around and are basically all over us. 12-7 to BOP
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It's a bloody see-saw. Canterbury draw level, kick to come from in front
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Bay scrum is superb. Not many do that to a Canterbury scrum. 14-12 to Cantabs at HT
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Great scrum from BOP, absolutely dominating.
I can't quite decide who the best BOP player on the field has been this first half.
George Bridge standing out for Canterbury. A big threat every time he gets the ball.
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Leniert-Brown getting dominated at scrum time.
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Makene also for Canterbury. Going much better than I'd expected, and out of position on the wing too I reckon.
Canterbury's handling really letting them down.
