Rugby: Final dress rehearsal before ITM

Chase Tiatia, in action against Auckland last week, will play for Bay of Plenty against Manawatu at Tauranga Domain today. Photo / Rick Moran

The final dress rehearsal for the Bay of Plenty Steamers ahead of the 2015 ITM Cup kicks off at the Tauranga Domain this afternoon.

Bay of Plenty take on Manawatu from 2pm in a key match, particularly for many of the Steamers squad pushing for a place in the season opener against North Harbour at ASB Baypark next Friday.

The match sees the return to rugby of 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.

"What we learned out of the game was we were really happy we created a lot of opportunities on attack McMillan said.

"We didn't quite capitalise on all of those but there are a lot of easy fixes, so part of our focus this week has been on getting that detail right.

"There were areas where we got exposed given our kick chase and defensively, but to be fair they weren't things we had put a lot of time into before the Auckland game. So we will look to improve in those areas in the Manawatu game."

Manawatu won promotion to the Premiership last season under coaches Jason O'Halloran and Te Puke's Jeremy Cotter.

They will undoubtedly give the Steamers a serious workout just eight days away from the North Harbour game.

"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 Premiership sides and we obviously are in the Championship, so these two games have been really ideal for us heading into the ITM Cup.

"I think we are tracking really well and one real positive out of last week was that we got an opportunity to play a number of guys who played their first game. They will be a lot better for the experience and it is our intention to give everybody another run this week. They all know they are playing for an opportunity to start or be in the 23 for North Harbour.

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

The curtainraiser at 12.30pm is between the girls' 1st XVs of Tauranga Girls' College and Te Puke High School.