STEAMERS coach Vern Cotter has defended his use of substitutions after Bay of Plenty's third NPC loss in four games.
Auckland exacted a measure of revenge with a 41-30 win at Blue Chip Stadium under blazing spring sunshine, but only after rattling on 30 points through the second half.

The visitors made amends for back-to-back losses to the Bay, including the Ranfurly Shield last year. They were aided by an uncharacteristically limp Steamers effort in the second spell, which wasn't helped by a perplexing triple substitution.
Cotter pulled prop Simms Davison, hooker Aleki Lutui and flanker Nili Latu from the game in the 54th minute, although Davison later returned as an injury replacement.

What made it a real head-scratcher was that Lutui, who was an enjoying a whale of a game up until that point, had just scored a try after combining with Latu from a lineout set-piece.
It closed Auckland's lead by five to 26-22 after they'd piled on 18 unanswered points, including 11 while Bay halfback Charles Hubbard was in the bin following a dubious professional foul call.
Within minutes of the substitutions, after the sides had traded penalties, Auckland's All Black flanker Jerome Kaino ripped the ball from the reorganised Steamers pack and capped several rushes by diving over.

Replacement Bay hooker John Pareanga made a flailing tackle attempt soon after as Auckland wing Isa Nacewa scored the match-winner with nearly 10 minutes remaining.
Cotter, who copped criticism for a similar substitution against the Lions in June, was adamant it was the right call.
``It was a hot day and we needed enthusiasm,'' Cotter said. ``You've got to be able to play with 22 players and I thought just when we were losing intensity - we needed to lift it.
``I don't know if there was a disruption - I'll have to look back and view that - but we've got to view those fresh legs coming on as a positive note. If they come on together, that's a group of players that actually inject enthusiasm. That's another three loud voices coming in to lift everybody else, rather than just one.''

What Cotter is facing is every coach's dilemma - whether to blood new players for the sake of the future or to press on with the best available and push for results.
With the semifinals slipping further away and the All Blacks dribbling back into the provinces - Wellington are getting Conrad Smith back for their match against Bay on Saturday - Cotter may have to veer towards the first option.
That could mean dropping Matua Parkinson and bringing in talented teenaged flanker Tanerau Latimer, or bringing development first-five Mike Delany on to the bench to give him a taste of top rugby.

Cotter also has to balance that against the fact his side is slowly improving. Despite the horror period after halftime, the Steamers scored four well-constructed tries and their performance in the first half showed they could dictate play to anyone.
Captain Wayne Ormond scored after a great run from Grant McQuoid found Lutui loitering on the wing, and another monster Lutui rumble set up Adrian Cashmore's try, after Murray Williams turned a sweet pass back inside.
But each time they scored, Bay bungled the resulting kick-offs, and Auckland's individual flair flourished with ample ball.
Tauranga-raised flanker Daniel Braid was particularly good, scoring one try and setting up another, while Nacewa and fellow wing Tony Koonwaiyou proved lethal finishers.
For now, Cotter is just happy to work on the little things, hoping it will soon translate into success.
``There's no need to panic and start dragging players in. If the team had gone backwards in the last three games, we'd look for change but I still feel the team has gone forward.''
The loss sees Bay slip back to ninth, with only winless Northland below them.