BoP 7 - Northern Otago Development XV 25.
One of the joys of being an unofficial website is the role of being an unashamed cheerleader - not to mention the fun of getting stuck into the opposition. Unfortunately every now and then we need to give our own a brackbat, be it the Union or the players, and at the moment our backline needs a rocket. As one BoP Mafia forum poster noted, "our million dollar forward pack gives ball to hundred dollar backs to watch it constantly squandered."

On the basis of the two Air NZ Cup games to date, we have a forward pack who can beat any team in the comp, but the backline is another story.

After turning at half time only 3-0 down with the wind behind our backs, this was a game that should never have been lost in the way that it was. But lets have a few positives! The forwards were great. The tight five put great pressure on their opposites and you can only conclude that Greg Rawlinson made the All Blacks because Henry wanted one less lock eligible for the Boks. Tanerau Latimer will be an All Black in the next three years and we can only pray that he'll still be with the Bay when the time comes, given the drums beating about lurking Cantabs with chequebooks. The forwards also scored the only try to James Afoa as pictured above.

The only bright spot for the Northern Otago XV forward pack was the way that Nick Williams has developed since Saint Ormond taught him a series of lessons 2 years ago at North Harbour Stadium.

Wayne Hughson had an impressive run on debut for the Steamers, made to look all the more impressive when within seconds of him being replaced by Rena Schuster, Harbour shredded our midfield D and scored. Jamie Nutbrown is another back to emerge with credit so far this year, but otherwise the report card is grim. The boots of Saint Jackson are undoubtedly big to fill, but Murray Williams looks less and less like the answer. Last week I noted his passing game - or lack thereof. This week he continued his trend from last year of being able to miss kicks handy to the posts. Going into the last 20 minutes those missing 6 points could have changed the complexion of the game completely. Time to bring Delany forward to first five, though Delany might have to rethink his love of the chip kick.

One of the memories I have of Hayden Reid in his early days was pace and positioning. On current form this is sadly a memory. Andre Bell might also be advised to look at the inability of the backline to pass the ball to an adjacent player who is (a) actually moving forward, and (b) for the pass not go go behind them, nor above their head, nor below knee height. He might also like to reflect on why Apoua Stewart was left on the outer last year when his skills at the back were so valuable. It also seems odd that the experience of Rob Moon has been left in the development side.

Charles Baxter showed the value of genuine pace when he (finally) came onto the field... but unfortunately the lost ball summed up the game for the Steamers. Surely he must come into the side for Reid next week. Teu Nafe is another player who is desperately needed in the mix, however it sounds like his amazing recovery from a knee reconstruction may have had a set-back.

But never fear, there are still things for us to smile about; our forwards are amongst the best in the comp, Jeffrey Ierome is a week further into his re-hab, and by the time we next meet them all those flash Harbour backs will have been poached by the Otago Colour Stealers.