High stakes set stage for fireworks at Holwell's last play

Tomorrow night's ITM Cup clash between the Bay of Plenty and Northland has all the makings of an epic encounter.
There are plenty of reasons for both sides to throw everything into the final match of the round robin competition, with the Taniwha's desire to celebrate David Holwell's retirement being the first thing on their minds.
"Obviously it's Dooley's [Holwell's] last game and we want to send him off in the right way but also this will make a big difference to where we finish. We could finish as high as eighth if we win but drop to as low as 12th if we don't, so it's a very important game," says Taniwha skipper Jared Payne.
But more than that, with Rene Ranger back in the side the team feel they can deliver the kind of performance they can be proud of, after showing a lack of killer instinct in the last few weeks.
"It's good to have Ranger back because he'll add a bit of spark to our attack, which is what we need; he may be the difference between the sides," says Payne.
The Taniwha are tired after a long season but they will field their best side for their final match with Ranger back from injury and Pat O'Connor back into the line-up from the bench last week after training with the Wallaby squad.
The Bay head north with a swagger in their step after winning five out of their last six matches but they need to win at Toll Stadium if they want to make the semifinals.
Currently sixth, the Steamers are only one point adrift of Wellington in fourth place and a win would see them rise into second place, putting pressure on the rest of the frontrunners ahead of their games.
Steamers midfielder Grant McQuoid will get the chance to bring up 50 games for the Bay - after returning to his province this season after playing rugby in Japan for three years - but lock Culum Retallick may have to wait.
Retallick has also been named on the bench, though he's been cited for foul play in the Bay's 33-22 win over Southland on Saturday. Aidan Kuka will cover the 49-game Retallick if he's suspended, while Luke Andrews moves into the starting lineup to partner John Moore.
Prop Joe Savage comes into the team in the only other confirmed change to side since the match against Southland, with Josh Hohneck switching to tighthead and Tristan Moran on the bench.
There are also lingering concerns over the fitness of wings Lelia Masaga and Jason Hona, who both tweaked hamstrings at the weekend, with coach Sean Horan bracketing Ben Smith with both players, hoping at least one of them will be fit. "The Bay are a bloody good team with a lot of experience with Colin Bourke and Mike Delany leading them around, so we'll have a tough job on our hands to get up over them but we're looking forward to the challenge," Payne says.
With Payne promising fireworks and the Bay intent on a place in the final, all that's needed is a good turnout at Toll Stadium to witness what should be a fitting finale.
Northland: 1 Matt Wallis, 2 Mikaele Tuu'u, 3 Bronson Murray, 4 Pat O'Connor, 5 Mark Burman, 6 Dean Budd, 7 Joel McKenty, 8 Cameron Eyre, 9 Rhyan Caine, 10 David Holwell, 11 Lachie Munro, 12 Aaron Bancroft, 13 Rene Ranger, 14 Simon Munro, 15 Jared Payne (c). Reserves: 16 Tim Dow, 17 Ross Wright, 18 Roy Griffin, 19 Dan Pryor, 20 Luke Hamilton, 21 Adam Clarke, 22 Iwi Hauraki.
Bay of Plenty: Toby Arnold, Lelia Masaga/Ben Smith, Brett Mather, Phil Burleigh, Jason Hona/Ben Smith, Mike Delany, Taniela Moa, Colin Bourke (c), Tanerau Latimer, Luke Braid, Luke Andrews, John Moore, Josh Hohneck, John Pareanga, Joe Savage. Reserves: Dan Perrin, Tristan Moran, Aidan Kuka/Culum Retallick, Solomon King, Chad Tuoro, Grant McQuoid, Ben Smith/Cory Aporo.