A pre-match pep talk by Bay of Plenty rugby legend Greg Rowlands helped inspire the Steamers to a  19-17 upset win over Canterbury on Saturday night.

Rowlands, who scored 1008 points for the union and played 161 games, handed out the match jerseys with a few simple words of encouragement, likening the 2009 side with his famous 1976 NPC-winning team.

"He talked about the year they won the NPC, when they managed to beat Canterbury that year as well," Steamers captain Colin Bourke explained. "He told the boys that we could win these games and it was a great little speech.

"I've never beaten Canterbury and it's the first Bay win against them since 1996. It doesn't happen all the time so we've really got to enjoy it when it happens."

Enjoying it more than anyone was Bourke.  His bursts from the base of the Bay scrum were instrumental in getting his team rolling forward and one of them, in the 48th minute, helped set up Phil Burleigh's first try for the Steamers against his old province.

Bourke played the last time Canterbury visited Baypark in the heady days of 2004, when 13 red and black All Blacks helped lift the Ranfurly Shield. If this was his revenge for that day, he made his point well.

But he wasn't alone. His bullocking No8 play stemmed directly from a lift in the Bay scrum in the second spell, where a tigerish James McGougan made life difficult for Wyatt Crockett.

Bourke's fellow loosies Tanerau Latimer and replacement Solomon King were outstanding - Latimer produced a memorable 45m intercept and generally outplayed rising Canterbury skipper George Whitelock.

Mike Delany, at first-five, kicked 14 crucial points.

Having built a 19-17 lead with 11 minutes to play, the Steamers then steadfastly defended.

"We've had some good battles with the Bay - I've won a couple and lost a couple but it wasn't to be tonight and they played really well," Canterbury hooker Corey Flynn, another veteran of that 2004 match, said.

"We had 10 minutes and we were only two points behind. That's a lifetime in a game of rugby but we just threw silly passes and didn't hold on to the ball. We could've worked our way up the field and maybe snuffed a penalty but it maybe came down to experience and the Bay shut us down."

In a final  three minute passage, Canterbury threw 17 phases at the Bay ranks but never broke through. Eventually halfback Andy Ellis fluffed a clearance and referee Josh Noonan - not for the first time - blew the pea out of his whistle, signalling the end.

The Steamers now head to Invercargill for Friday night's match with Southland.

 There are likely to be changes for the match as coach Sean Horan looks to build depth.

Latimer heads back  to the All Blacks camp while prop Joe Savage is likely to come back on to the bench after missing five weeks with a knee injury.

Midfielder Wayne Hughson may also get a start after a solid cameo, while halfback Josh Hall also came through his Bay under-20s match on Saturday unscathed after a long layoff.

Bourke predicts he'll have no problems marshalling his troops this week.

 " ... to beat a team like Canterbury - who have been red-hot for the last few weeks - is a huge confidence booster. You're only as good as your next game so we'll refocus on Monday. Southland won't be easy, especially down there."