Time for Bay to make a late run

When Bay of Plenty's name was being trumpeted among the teams to watch this season, coach Vern Cotter was not among the musicians.

Cotter, having steered the Bay into the semifinals last year, had reservations whether the feat could be repeated this year.

And, with seven points from five games, it would now take a rails run of Melbourne Cup-winning proportions - plus a pile of other results to go their way - to get them into the last four.

But Cotter is happy that at least progress is being made. The Bay scored just one try in their first two matches. They've got eight in the last two and should have beaten Wellington in the capital last weekend.

Tonight they host North Harbour in Rotorua - chasing their fifth win in six games against Harbour - and Cotter reckons this is as good a time as any to turn improvement into wins.

"The level of expectations wasn't with us. It was with other people," Cotter said.

'We knew we were starting again and it was very unlikely we were going to win the NPC this year. We've got a lot of new players and we're looking long term at growing the game."

Still, he believes in the last two weeks - against Auckland and Wellington - they've had chances to win but squandered them.

"It's a case of learning to win again. It's a matter of controlling play, taking errors out of the game and keeping the ball.

"On the positive side, week to week we have shown some improvement, but we're not quite there yet."

Wellington let the Bay back into the match after halftime last weekend, conceding 24 unbroken points to trail by nine before bouncing back to win 38-32.

Cotter is expecting North Harbour to be less lenient.

"I expect a tight game and we won't get the relief we had against Wellington. We've got to play 80 minutes. That's the challenge and we haven't done it this year."

Both teams are unchanged, in Cotter's case a sign that he liked much of what he saw last week, and for Harbour coach Allan Pollock it's a vote of confidence, despite a wonky second half at Otago, handing away a 13-6 halftime lead to lose 21-13.

Harbour, sixth with 12 points, are still in the semifinal hunt. Defeat tonight might kill off those ambitions.

* Captain Reuben Thorne has recovered from a calf strain and returns to lead Canterbury's Ranfurly Shield defence against Waikato tomorrow night.

None of Canterbury's All Blacks are available. Waikato are at full strength and boosted by the return of halfback Byron Kelleher, winger Sitiveni Sivivatu, flanker Sione Lauaki and lock Jono Gibbes.

* All Black halfback Piri Weepu returns for Wellington against Southland at the Cake Tin tomorrow.

Roy Kinikinilau, who scored a crucial try in Wellington's win over Bay of Plenty, gets the start on the wing ahead of Hosea Gear.

Southland make one change, David Hall replacing Jason Rutledge at hooker.

* All Black lock James Ryan and captain Craig Newby return to the Otago pack for their trip to Northland on Sunday, replacing Filipo Levi and Alando Soakai.

Stan Wright is back at tighthead prop for Northland in place of Simon Lemalu in an otherwise unchanged line-up.