Plenty of motivation for Steamers

There's more than pride left on the line for the Bay of Plenty Steamers in their final pool game of the ITM Cup.

The Ranfurly Shield may be gone but there is still the chance to take out the premiership as well as give captain Colin Bourke the send-off he deserves.

Bay of Plenty, with 26 points, sit fourth on the table behind Canterbury 29, Waikato 28 and Taranaki 27.

If the Steamers can get a bonus-point win against Southland at Stadium Southland, Invercargill, on Sunday, they will go a long way to securing a finals spot in the premiership.

It would still rely on a couple of games going the Steamers' way, however. Auckland would need to beat Waikato in Hamilton and Hawke's Bay would also have to beat Taranaki in their shield challenge match in New Plymouth for Bay of Plenty to leap-frog two of the teams ahead of them on the points table.

A win against Southland would be the ideal way to farewell Bourke, who will end his seven-year tenure.

The 26-year-old has confirmed he will be moving overseas next season to play rugby.

Bourke's first game for Bay of Plenty was in August 2004, when the Steamers stunned Auckland 33-28 to win the shield for the first time.

Bourke said there was plenty of motivation leading into Sunday's match in Invercargill.

If this year's ITM Cup is anything to go by, there are no certainties in this competition and Southland have just as much riding on this game as the Steamers.

The same can be said about the two games the Steamers will need to go their way.

On paper Waikato should have the upper hand considering they have home advantage.

But Auckland, coached by Mark Anscombe, looked to have found some form in their 25-16 win against the Steamers at Eden Park.

In contrast Waikato looked scratchy in their 31-27 win over Wellington in their last match.

As for Hawke's Bay, no one knows better than Bay of Plenty, how the Magpies can spoil a party.

Hawke's Bay, who sit equal with Manawatu on 29 points on the championship table, will fancy their chances of lifting the log of wood from Taranaki on Sunday afternoon. Bay of Plenty's game will kick off at 2.35pm on Sunday.

Hawke's Bay's Ranfurly Shield challenge will get under way two hours later.