Do Steamers have the wood on Magpies?

Ex-Magpies winger Tino Nemani. Photo / Stephen Parker

You'd think there would be a few fans letting off a fair bit of steam in Bay of Plenty before their Ranfurly Shield Challenge in Napier this Saturday.

In some respects they are, if the candid outbursts against the Kevin Schuler-coached Steamers on the "BOP Mafia" website are anything to go by.

With just one win this ITM Cup season, you'd also be excused for thinking the Culum Retallick-captained BOP will see the acquisition of the Log o' Wood at McLean Park, Napier, as an opportune time to resurrect their campaign.

Frankly, coach Craig Philpott and the Hawke's Bay Magpies have been in such a murderous mood (41-0) in their first defence of the shield last weekend against Otago that the TAB is willing to cough up $5.25 for a Steamers victory in the game that kicks off at 2.35pm.

After all, the visitors' slide has continued since they were demoted from the Premiership last year to the second-tier Championship with the "BOP Mafia" poll recording 59.3 per cent of the votes for the Blue and Golds to finish "stone-cold last" this winter.

In the face of statistical data and public opinion, Schuler begs to differ on the foundation of an "80-minute effort."

In the gospel, according to the man in his fifth season at the helm of the Steamers, the bragging rights to the Battle of the Bays is in some ways a catalyst to higher honours.

"We'll be coming down and leaving nothing in the tank," he says, before announcing his team at midday today.

"We just want to get out there and lift the Log o' Wood. It's a pretty special thing in New Zealand rugby."

Oddly enough, the hapless coach doesn't think getting their mitts on the log necessarily means everything will be forgiven and forgotten, as such, this season.

Schuler believes his troops have been playing good footy for a good part of the campaign but are finding themselves on the wrong side of the ledger.

He draws parallels between BOP's mediocre run and the throw of the dice in how the Razorbacks and the Magpies have had numerous opportunities to challenge and defend the shield.

"We haven't held it [shield] for 10 years and we've challenged for it only once in nine years."

Traditionally, he points out, the two Bays have had some colossal clashes and Saturday will be no exception.

BOP have the wood, as it were, on the Magpies with 25 wins and a draw from 43 matches.

They eclipsed the Magpies 24-20 at Mt Maunganui last year but the Black and Whites pipped them 42-41 in Napier the year before.

Having won the preseason match against the Magpies, he says the battle will be among the forwards. The dominance in set pieces will dictate who'll attack.

"If there are any people [supporters] about then they must get to the ground. It'll be very black and white so any blue and golds will lift us."

Ex-Magpies winger Tino Nemani says: "It's tough for the coaches who've been doing everything right.

"We haven't clicked as a team but we have all the goods to do the job."

Nemani alludes to Schuler's take on a "Gillies Kaka-like" Magpies winger Shannan Chase who will have to be put on a leash and the lid tightened on pivot Ihaia West to stifle a Super Rugby-class backline.