Canterbury Bulls fighting fit and confident for final showdown

By PETER JESSUP

The Canterbury Bulls are an enigma in the national domestic league competition.

They won the Bartercard Cup title in 2001, flopped last year, and started badly this year before a winning spree that sees them fronting Marist-Richmond in the grand final tomorrow at Ericsson Stadium.

Their success had a lot to do with fitness, said coach Phil Prescott, crediting his old team-mate Malcolm Humm.

He also credited hard work. Halfway through last season, they decided on a new system for this campaign. It was in place by October, and training started that month.

Prescott said 11 months for meagre financial return was a lot of work for the players so they would be bringing their all to the game.

They were comfortable playing away in Auckland - they did last time they won and knew all this year that was what was required.

"We travel more than anyone else in the competition anyway."

It meant a lot to Canterbury league to have a presence in the finals, he said. The competitionhad decimated Christchurch clubs by taking out the top tier of players, but they were recovering andthe success meant there was desireto represent the province.

The Bulls would go in with confidence tomorrow, he said, not least because they were running with much the same team and the same hooker and halves they had had all season.

"The blokes that handle the ball the most everyone is used to."

Another plus was a big win the last time the two sides met in Christchurch in a preliminary final that sent the Bulls straight to the trophy game with a week off while the Brothers had to eliminate Mt Albert.

Bernie Perenara brought the Brothers squad together as their season-opening game loomed, but after starting with a hiss and a roar, they slumped, coming right again at the end of the season.

They have been disrupted more than any other team this season by the exchange of players with the Warriors. Evarn Tuimavave, Motu Tony, Jerome Ropati and Tevita Latu have all progressed from the club to the NRL.

Perenara is happy for them to go up.

When they return, he believes they bring knowledge, their strength has improved because of the extra specialist training and if they move from the development squad to the NRL squad they get the video analysis on minutiae that the top 17 go through. All of which improves their game.

He said there were a lot of bumps and bruises after the tough semifinal against the Lions, but no injuries likely to rule anyone out.

Tomorrow's curtainraiser is the Fox Memorial final between Hibiscus Coast and Mangere East.

Teams:

Marist Richmond Brothers: J. Tiavale, H. Kapi, R. Henry, S. Makisi, F. Prescott, J. Ropati, G. Rota, T. Tauaa, T. Esera, E. Tuimavave, H. Turua (capt), K. Guttenbeil, S. Lavea. Interchange: K. Cawdron, J. Kellet, E. Leavai, D. Wilson.

Canterbury Bulls: L. Sione, E. HeiHei, J. Taipari, S. Wallace, R. Hanson, A. Harris, J. O'Brien, V. Whare, S. Beyers (capt), A. Timo, C. Lawrie, S. Norton, T. Wallace. Interchange: C. Newton, J. Clarke, K. Ferris, T. Pelenise.

Kickoff: 2.30pm. TV: Live on Sky Sport 2