Steamers bask in glory of Super 12 selections

Kevin Senio, still cautious after being ignored last year, never dared get his hopes up while big lock Bernie Upton, far from being confident, had all but given up on getting so much as a rejection phone call.

Tongan torpedo Nili Latu wasn't even in the country and hooker Aleki Lutui, still nursing a broken arm, had been weighing up several overseas contracts, expecting another year of disappointment.

What a difference 12 months makes.

Bay of Plenty's record-breaking romp into the top echelon of the NPC first division was on Thursday given the ringing endorsement it so richly deserved when 11 Steamers made Super 12 teams - nine of them in the Chiefs.

The Chiefs, who assemble in late November, are made up of 18 Waikato players, nine from Bay of Plenty and one draft player, Taranaki winger Sailosi Tagicakabau.

Bay of Plenty's new Chiefs recruits are Adrian Cashmore, Kevin Senio, Bernie Upton, Aleki Lutui, Nili Latu and Grant McQuoid, joining props Ben Castle and Simms Davison and Steamers captain Wayne Ormond in the team.

Blockbusting Tongan prop Taufa'ao Filise and No 8 Colin Bourke have also been rewarded for barnstorming NPC seasons, with Filise picked up in the draft by the Blues and Bourke heading to the Highlanders.

Steamers midfielder Rua Tipoki is a surprise omission, missing out altogether, although Chiefs coach Ian Foster yesterday signalled he wanted Tipoki in his seven-strong contracted train-on squad.

Upton, who supplanted former Steamers lock Dave Duley in the Chiefs, said he'd all but given up hope of selection after his mobile phone stayed eerily silent for much of the afternoon.

"Last year I was called at 2pm and told I'd missed out so when I still hadn't heard by 5.30 I presumed the worst and figured the [Chiefs coaches] were working their way through the alphabet telling guys they weren't in, with Upton near the end.

"It was a pleasant surprise when Ian Foster phoned to tell me I'd made it."

Upton got a taste of Super 12 last year, playing 15 minutes off the bench against the Stormers after joining the Chiefs as an injury replacement.

That brief foray spurred Upton to push himself even harder this year.

"I phoned Ian Foster mid-season just to see what he wanted from me and what areas I could improve on. He wanted my tackle count higher and for me to carry the ball up more.

"I fell away midway through the NPC when I was struck down with a virus but after I shook that off I was into it."

Nili Latu is playing in the Singapore sevens and missed yesterday's announcement but his fellow Tongan Aleki Lutui, another who played for the Chiefs as a replacement last season, was overjoyed at finally cracking the Super 12.

It is believed the Highlanders left a spot open for Lutui in their squad, with the off-contract hooker in danger of being poached to stay and play for Otago in the NPC until the Chiefs included him in their "protected" squad of 22.

Lutui was with Filise and new All Black Saimone Taumoepeau in Auckland when he heard about his sudden elevation.

"Fa'ao was phoned first before me and told he was in the Blues.

"He was pretty excited but then I was excited too when the Chiefs rang."

Midfielder Grant McQuoid was widely tipped to be picked up by the Highlanders in the draft, along with Tipoki.

But he's staying with the Chiefs, where his professional career began four years ago.

McQuoid said a week ago he didn't want to play for the Chiefs.

His preference had been to leave the region, but yesterday he was more upbeat about his selection.

"Yes, I was prepared to jump franchises if it meant being selected for Super 12 but I'm quite comfortable with making the Chiefs now I've got my head around it.

"It's way better making the squad from the start rather than being called in halfway through - as a professional that's the way you always want it to be.

"Financially you're more secure and you feel like you belong to a team and its culture."

He was disappointed for Tipoki, particularly after the pair's formidable partnership throughout the NPC.

"I thought if not the Chiefs then Rua would get selected somewhere, but I guess the team dynamic didn't allow him to get picked in the Chiefs.

"We're probably similar players in a lot of ways too."

Steamers skipper Wayne Ormond, a third-year Super 12 player, always expected a healthy contingent of his team to make it after their superb season.

"I thought between eight and 11 deserved to make it - this is just an outstanding effort. Add in our two coaches [both now in Super 12] and the numbers are even better.

"It was a massive team effort though and the number of Bay of Plenty guys selected is reward for the fact we've done it together all season as a unit.

"To see guys like Aleki and Taufa'ao get contracts after being with the Bay for so many seasons is great.

"Other guys are in after being disappointed in the past but that's life, it's all character building."