Wasps up against Chiefs, Counties

The Bay of Plenty Wasps squad will travel to Waikato Stadium to tackle the Chiefs and Counties Manukau Cavaliers in a mixture of exhibition matches and game-based training simulations.

The Wasps will travel to Hamilton on Tuesday for the pre-season hit out, with the squad boasting a number of players from Rotorua-based clubs Whakarewarewa and Rotoiti.

The side features 11 contracted Bay of Plenty Steamers players, including Brett Mather and Paroa's Maru Henry who are returning from leg injuries.

A number of other players making compelling cases at club level will be putting their hands up during the exhibition with the Bay of Plenty Steamers ITM Cup squad announced next week.

Steamers coach Kevin Schuler welcomed the opportunity to pit local talent against the Super Rugby and ITM Cup side after last season's corresponding fixtures produced a good win against Counties Manukau and a "great lesson" against the Chiefs.

"It's really good, because a full game against the Chiefs would have been a daunting task before the start of our full Steamers season, but it's still a good opportunity to implement a few things in attack and defence," Schuler said.

"From a player's perspective, to have a crack at the Chiefs is huge. It's aspirational too, obviously everyone who plays in the ITM Cup is looking for a Super Rugby contract off the back of it.

"It's great for the boys to measure themselves against those players and I'd expect us to be pretty competitive against Counties as well."

The side is without Johan Bardoul who has been called into the Chiefs, but Schuler said that would be offset by Jesse Acton and Sam Gavigan who have been in sterling form for their club sides.

Bay of Plenty Wasps:

Hooker: Nathan Harris, Joe Royal. Prop: Andrew Hill, Pingi Tala'apitaga, David Smart, Kane Hames. Lock: Keepa Mewett, Tamati Rhind, Dan Quate, Tim Bond. Loose forwards: Jesse Acton, Jeff Thwaites, Sam Gavigan, Kieran Black, Matt Clutterback, Carl Axtens. Halfback: Chris Miller, Josh Hall. First five-eighth: Willie Ripia, Paul Morris. Midfield backs: Elijah Nicholas, Brett Mather, Doug Edwards, Sam Beard. Outside backs: Chanse Perham, Jerry Moli, Junior Tofa Va'a, Akira Mako, Maru Henry, Zane Butler.