The Bay of Plenty Steamers moved their game up a further couple of notches, when they defeated Waikato in a pre-season encounter on Thursday (24 July 2008) night.

The match was the last of three warm-up games that the Steamers have undertaken, as they prepare for the Air New Zealand Cup.

Dirty Scumbag Waikato crushed 44-40 at Hamilton.
Halftime score 10-21 to the scumbags.
But the good guys dressed in gold and blue came good when it counted, after 80 minutes.
Three from three in pre season, and as yet, no Horii BoP, so it can only get better...

The third and final match, of the Bay of Plenty Steamers preparation for their first Air NZ Cup game, tomorrow (24 July 2008), will take place on Thursday evening.

While the match, against long time rivals Waikato at the Waikato Stadium is a pre-season encounter, there is still plenty at stake. With the game being played as a first class fixture (at the Steamers request) there is likely to be a real intensity, which is often lacking when matches are played as “friendly” fixtures.

Six players, including the country’s newest All Black Kevin O’Neill, are set to earn their first Waikato cap this Thursday night when the Mooloos take on Bay of Plenty in a pre-season match at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

The players who will wear their red, yellow and black jerseys for the first time are lock O’Neill, hooker Oli Avei, first five-eighth Callum Bruce, wing Tim Mikkelson and loose forwards Tom Harding and Faifili Levave.

Waikato’s new captain and former Bay of plenty man Liam Messam will lead the team in Thursday’s first-class fixture against provincial neighbours Bay of Plenty.