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MAFIA TEES
Just $20 a shirt, a steal!
Not often you steal from the Mafia and live to tell the tale...
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Bay primed for Shield bid |
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Written by Jamie Troughton
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Monday, 09 August 2004 |
BAY of Plenty dusted off the NPC cobwebs and prepared themselves for the biggest game of their season with an impressive 19-15 win over North Harbour on Saturday.
While the scoreline didn't flatter, the performance did, showing the team is battle-ready ahead of their crucial Ranfurly Shield challenge and NPC opener against Auckland this weekend.
Forgotten was the bumbling 11-10 loss to Hawke's Bay and the lengthy list of injuries that has turned some training runs into a reasonable imitation of an accident and emergency waiting room.
The hallmarks of last season - the passionate defence and outstanding unity - were there in bucket-loads against North Harbour. The Steamers forwards were at their bruising best and showed they will again be a threat this season.
But most pleasing was the backline. It was a step up from last season with the midfield pairing of Jeff Ierome and Rua Tipoki making several cutting breaks and Adrian Cashmore excelling at fullback.
The class of Tipoki, Cashmore and first-five Glen Jackson was evident and duly noted by North Harbour's affable coach Allan Pollock.
Pollock's links with two of the trio are noteworthy - Tipoki featured in his Harbour teams when he was coaching with Wayne Shelford and Cashmore was in his Toyota team the past two seasons in Japan.
``There wouldn't be two other backs that know me better in New Zealand rugby than Mr Cashmore and Mr Tipoki,'' Pollock noted with a wry grin.
``Any backline that can have Jackson, Cashmore and Tipoki as the backbone is going to have a really exciting season. They'll be a good team to watch.''
Pollock was particularly effusive about Tipoki, who has attracted more than his fair share of controversy during his career, but was a gifted study of maturity, elusiveness and guile in the middle of the Steamers backline.
``I'm big about rewarding players who have come out of local club play and growing our own,'' Pollock said. ``But if Rua ever wanted to come back and live in this area, I think he's a fantastic footballer. Whatever effort people want to put into him, he'll repay. I'm sure the Bay will enjoy him.''
Tipoki, who turns 29 on Wednesday, had a hand in two of Bay of Plenty's three tries and was tireless on defence.
Harbour opened the scoring with an Anthony Tuitavake try but Ierome sparked the Steamers first try, when he caught Harbour's short-side defence napping and the home side was penalised when he was dragged down. Jackson kicked for the corner and irrepressible loosehead prop Taufa'ao Filise was brilliantly mauled across the line.
Tipoki made another break 15 minutes later and found Cashmore ranging wide and, despite Harbour protestations of obstruction, he dummied and shimmied his way under the bar.
Incredibly it saw Cashmore reach 150 points for the union, 11 years after he scored his 145th point. He reached the mark in just his 11th game after five games in each of the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
Bay of Plenty's 12-10 halftime lead could have been greater had Jackson not hit the post with a penalty, after he'd sparked a 70m breakout involving left wing Anthony Tahana.
Tahana was stretchered off at the break after injuring his neck in a tackle. Medical staff took no chances but x-rays later cleared him of any structural damage and his condition will be further assessed this week.
The second half was less than two minutes old when Cashmore struck again. Harbour second-five Luke McAlister cleared from inside his 22 but the kick missed touch and Cashmore fielded it on halfway. He cunningly chipped the Harbour chasers and regathered, palming a pass to lock Mark Sorenson, playing his blazer game for the union. Sorenson in turn found Tipoki, who judged his last pass to replacement wing Charles Baxter superbly enabling him to cross in the corner.
With Jackson's curving conversion, the visitors led 19-10 - and by way of outstanding tackling and courageous body-on-the-line play, kept that score until seconds from the end when Harbour's All Black wing Rico Gear grabbed a consolation try.
At one stage late in the game, the Steamers repelled five full minutes of North Harbour attack 5m from their line, before halfback Kevin Senio, flanker Nili Latu and Tipoki made withering bursts to get them out of trouble. Latu was an outstanding contributor in a tireless, head-first display.
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Steamers 2011 |
| : ITM Cup |
| Position: 4 |
| 17 July: Counties, W 20-13 |
| 23 July: Harbour, W 38-17 |
| 26 July: Waikato, W 36-8 |
| 31 July: Wellington, W 32-0 |
| 4 Aug: Northland L 23-30 |
| 9 Aug: Taranaki L 33-39 |
| 13 Aug: Hawke's Bay L 13-32 |
| 20 Aug: Auckland L 16-25 |
| 23 Aug: Canterbury W 35-31 |
| 28 Aug: Southland W 29-17 |
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News and Opinion 
