The Bay of Plenty Steamers have named their team to play North Harbour in their opening match of the 2015 ITM Cup season.
The Steamers will play North Harbour at ASB Baypark Stadium in Tauranga tomorrow at 8.05pm.
The Steamers are coming off two poor seasons in the ITM Cupand will be looking for an improved showing this year.
New head coach Clayton McMillan has named nine debutants in the team to play North Harbour. The match will be also be Te Aihe Toma's blazer match (15 games).
McMillan said: "The team have trained really hard in the pre-season in the lead up to this match. Whilst we are happy with aspects of our pre-season matches we are acutely aware that they count for nothing," he said. "North Harbour as a team have probably targeted us as a team to beat, we acknowledge that we need to step up to the challenge and we intend to."
Culum Retallick and Carl Axtens will co-captain the Steamers team.
Steamers Team: 1. Solomona Sakalia, 2. Nathan Harris, 3. Pingi Tala'apitaga, 4. Keepa Mewett, 5. Culum Retallick (c), 6. Shahn Eru, 7. Johan Bardoul, 8. Carl Axtens (c), 9. Papa Wharewera, 10. Nick Evemy, 11. Chase Tiatia, 12. Terrence Hepetema, 13. Lalakai Foketi, 14. Tino Nemani, 15. Te Rangi Fraser. Reserves: 16. Joe Royal, 17. Siegfried Fisiihoi, 18. Jeff Thwaites, 19. Troy Callander, 20. Zak Hohneck, 21. Te Aihe Toma, 22. Caleb Hall, 23. Craig Clare.
Bay of Plenty Development will take on Counties Manukau Development in the curtain raiser match kicking off at 5.30pm.
Tickets are available online for all Steamers ITM Cup home games at www.boprugby.co.nz. Alternatively tickets can be purchased from the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union offices until 3pm tomorrow; thereafter tickets will be available for purchase from the gate. Gates will open at 5pm.
