100 Years of Bay Rugby: When the Bay beat the Aussies

Brent Drabble remembers the game which saw the Bay of Plenty Steamers beat Australia in 1990.
Bay rugby has created many memorable moments over the past 100 years and this week, The Daily Post is looking at six of the best.
Mr Drabble, who is a Bay rugby historian, remembers it was a wet day when the Steamers took on Australia at the Rotorua International Stadium.
It was August 14, 1990 and Mr Drabble said that despite the wet, muddy day, the Bay came out on top with a score of 12-4.
"I was at the game and it was pretty close. It was tighter because of the conditions."
Mr Drabble said Australia had been the first to score but after that the Steamers didn't let them through.
"Australia just couldn't get back in."
Damon Kaui was the only Steamer to cross the try line with the other points coming from two penalty kicks and a try conversion by Ian Cross.
"It was Damon's first game and he ended up going on to play more than 100 games for the Bay," Mr Drabble said.
Kaui was only 18 at the time.
Mr Drabble said the Bay had some really good players on the day and remembers it was a good game.
"Anytime you beat Australia it's going to be good," he said.
He said the Steamers had previously beaten Australia in 1982, winning 40-16, and lost to them in 1986.

"It was tit for tat for a while."
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union has produced many All Blacks and New Zealand Maori players including the famous Stone brothers, Alan McNaughton, John Brake, Gary Braid, Glen Jackson and Hika Reid. Rotorua also produced some of New Zealand's best players never to pull on the Bay jersey in All Blacks captain Wayne "Buck" Shelford, Caleb Ralph and more recently flanker Liam Messam.
What is your most memorable Bay of Plenty rugby moment and why? Once we have profiled six of the most memorable moments, we will give residents the chance to vote for their favourite and be in to win a Bay of Plenty rugby prize pack. Send to news@dailypost.co.nz

 
Link: 100 Years of Bay of Plenty rugby