Rugby: Steamers on roll for the double

The Bay of Plenty Steamers will go up against Auckland tomorrow in Rotorua. Pictured is Steamers player Solomona Sakalia in action last weekend. Photo / Ben Fraser

It has been three long years.

The Bay of Plenty Steamers last won back-to-back ITM Cup matches in August 2011, when they defeated Canterbury and Southland in consecutive games.

They have a chance to equal that record tomorrow when they take on Auckland at Rotorua International Stadium.

The Steamers registered their first victory of the season last weekend against ITM Cup strugglers North Harbour 21-14.

Auckland will be a much tougher task for the Steamers tomorrow, but the Bay will have plenty of positives to take into the match.

The Steamers defence last weekend, especially in the second half, was much improved compared with their opening four games.

Steamers coach Kevin Schuler was upbeat and said the players had rested up well after a big schedule last week.

The players would need to be really physical against the big Auckland pack tomorrow, he added.

"First thing is we have got to be pretty confrontational.

And from our point of view we have just got to be confident in our systems and structures ... and build some pressure."

He said, after their victory last weekend, it would give them a lift knowing that first win of the season is in the bag.

"The good thing now is a little bit of a weight will be lifted off their shoulders and maybe [this Saturday] we will see some real expansive Bay rugby, too." The Steamers have named an almost identical side to the one which defeated North Harbour.

The biggest change will see captain Culum Retallick return to the starting side after being rested and coming off the bench last weekend.

Steamers dangerman Tino Nemani will also return to the wing while Leroy Van Dam will start at fullback, after a good performance there last weekend.

Meanwhile, Auckland coach Paul Feeney has made four changes to his starting line-up to face the Bay. Auckland scored 25 unanswered points to steal victory against Wellington last weekend.

Youngsters Blake Gibson and Leon Fukofuka are both promoted to the starting XV. Ben Lam replaces the injured Vince Aso on the wing, while Liaki Moli's strong cameo from the bench on Saturday also sees him return to the second row.

Bay of Plenty Steamers v Auckland, Rotorua International Stadium
2.35pm tomorrow

Steamers: 1 Solomona Sakalia, 2 Joe Royal, 3 Mike Kainga, 4 Culum
Retallick (c), 5 Tim Bond, 6 Johan Bardoul, 7 Hamish Gosling, 8 Carl Axtens,
9 Jono Kitto, 10 Te Aihe Toma, 11 Junior Tofa Va'a, 12 Doug Edwards, 13 Nic
Evemy, 14 Tino Nemani, 15 Leroy Van Dam. Reserves: 16 Vyron Smith, 17
Pingi Tala'apitaga, 18 Josh Sole, 19 Jesse Acton, 20 Dan Hollinshead, 21
Siaosi Iongi, 22 Byron McGuigan.

Auckland: 1 Sam Prattley, 2 Tom McCartney, 3 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 4 William
Lloyd, 5 Liaki Moli, 6 Blake Gibson, 7 Sean Polwart, 8 Joe Edwards, 9 Leon
Fukofuka, 10 Simon Hickey, 11 Lolagi Visinia, 12 Francis Saili, 13 George
Moala, 14 Ben Lam, 15 Gareth Anscombe. Reserves: 16 Gafatasi Su'a, 17
Nicholas Barrett, 18 Scott Scrafton, 19 Jack Whetton, 20 Junior
Poluleuligaga, 21 Melani Nanai, 22 TJ Faiane.