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Splashdown - Bay triumph in the wet |
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Written by The well doused Fan in the Stand
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Thursday, 07 August 2008 |
Heroes all! With the elements against them and having endured a nightmare journey to make it to Blenheim, the mighty Bay of Plenty Steamers triumphed over Tasman – despite having to swim the final 10km to the ground.
It was a night for grit and determination and the 2008 Steamers showed they have that in bucket loads. It may not be enough to keep them in contention all season but it is already leaving the Steamers 2007 version far behind.
The Fan wishes to commence this piece with a tribute to the front row, a supposed weak link after the abrupt departure of Castle and Davison, but proving to be a major strength to date.
It isn’t rocket science but all the Bay props in 2008 have hoed into the opposition and generally been busy doing what props should do – scrummaging, lifting and being active in every ruck and maul.
Their fitness looks excellent and the fact that the Bay scrum hasn’t taken a backward step so far has to be encouraging for the season ahead.
John Pareanga bagged the Bay try on Thursday and I believe he was an under-rated part of the Bay lineout in 2006. We all blamed the loss of Upton and Sorenson on our lineout woes last year but Pareanga was also absent with injury in 2007 and this was also factor in our tragic lineout.
Hopefully he can stay fit this season and our locks Moore and Retallick can continue to impress.
The Fan also likes the look of Nutbrown and Delany in 9 and 10. So, apparently, do a few Welsh clubs if the Fan's sources are correct.
Nutbrown especially gave a masterclass of halfback wet weather play, though he may have to get used to it - the weather in Swansea isn't exactly known for its tropical allure.
Delany, like Nutbrown, has a wealth of experience now and looks the Super 14 first-five that his spell at the Highlanders demonstrated. Surely it isn’t too much to ask for an injury-free season for the pair of them - that's if they're both still playing for the Bay in a month's time?
In the parallel universe that was the first round of the Air New Zealand Cup, upset followed upset leading to welcome defeats for Waikato, Canterbury and Auckland.
When five of the top six from last season lose their opening fixture, it should be a cause for celebration amongst the more humble rugby provinces. Did I mention that Waikato lost?
Our first home game on Saturday is now, bizarrely, a top of the table clash with Counties-Manukau in Rotorua and the pressure will be on to maintain our good form.
The boys would have targeted this game at the start of the season but the way that Counties dealt to Auckland makes me just a little wary. With the cut in ticket prices, we need every Bay fan to make the journey and cheer on our boys.
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