BOP Steamers named for Manawatu clash

Keepa Mewett takes the ball for Bay of Plenty against Auckland last Friday in Whakatane. Photo/Rick Moran

The final pre-season game for the Bay of Plenty Steamers kicks off at the Tauranga Domain on Thursday at 2pm.

It is the last chance for the players to impress head coach Clayton McMillan before the opening ITM Cup match against North Harbour at ASB Baypark next Friday - kick-off at 8.05pm.

The match sees the return to rugby for hooker Nathan Harris, after eight months out with an ankle injury sustained playing for the All Blacks.

Steamers head coach Clayton McMillan has named two sides and will use 32 players against the Turbos.

He took plenty of positives out of the defeat to Auckland in Whakatane last Friday but also some key learnings they have worked on this week at a camp in Whangamata.

"Manawatu play a really attractive style of rugby and were one of the more impressive teams last year," McMillan said.

"I don't think they are going to be any easier than Auckland so it is going to be a real test for the boys. They are a Premiership side and we obviously are in the Championship so these two games have been really ideal for us heading into ITM Cup.

"There is a lot of healthy competition in the side and that positive intention is starting to build and so I expect everyone to put their hand up and say I want to be a starter."

The curtain raiser at 12.30pm is between the girls' First XVs of Tauranga Girls' College and Te Puke High School.

?Tickets $10 adults, $5 under-14, free under-5.

Bay of Plenty v Manawatu, Tauranga Domain, Thursday, 2pm

Team Gold: 1 Solomona Sakalia, 2 Sabastian Siataga, 3 Jeff Thwaites, 4 Tim Bond, 5 Troy Callander, 6 Joe Tupe, 7 Zak Hohneck, 8 Carl Axtens ©, 9 Te Aihe Toma, 10 Dan Hollinshead, 11 Leroy van Dam, 12 Caleb Hall, 13 Tino Nemani, 14 Whaimotu Craft-Chemis, 15 Craig Clare
Team Blue: 1 Aidan Ross, 2 Nathan Harris, 3 Pingi Tala'apitaga, 4Culum Retallick ©, 5Keepa Mewett, 6 Shahn Eru, 7 Johan Bardoul, 8 Eru Wano-Smith, 9 Jono Kitto, 10 Nick Evemy, 11 Chase Tiatia, 12 Terrence Hepetema, 13 Lalakai Foketi, 14 Leroy van Dam / Whaimotu Craft-Chemis, 15 Te Rangi Fraser. Reserves: front row Joe Royal, Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, halfback Papa Wharewera