Shield fever's rife in the Bay

By CHRIS RATTUE

"It's all well and good winning the thing - it's even better defending it," a rosy-cheeked Bay of Plenty supporter claimed after the Steamers upset Waikato to hold on to the Ranfurly Shield.

Glen Jackson, the Steamers' general, certainly agreed with the jubilant spectator's claim.

Jackson said: "This is probably better than winning it, after a very taxing week.

"There was a lot of promotional work and a hard training on Thursday. It was tough, especially for the guys who haven't had any thing to do with the shield before."

A sign near Mt Maunganui's Blue Chip Stadium declared: "This is Ranfurly Shield country", and it still is, after Bay of Plenty's pulsating win over their much vaunted neighbours yesterday.

The post-match scene told the story for this oft-struggling union. For a start, there was real debris to deal with - the sort that would have covered a whole Bay of Plenty season in recent years.

And the grandstand bar contained a throng that would have qualified as a decent Bay of Plenty home crowd until not so long ago.

Just when some thought we could close the book on a meaningful Ranfurly Shield, Bay of Plenty have come along to write another chapter.

They have stirred sporting hearts, and themselves, by first taking the shield from Auckland and now defending it against Waikato.

That's right. Auckland and Waikato - two great unions, who now enjoy the advantages of host Super 12 status.

And after two NPC rounds, Bay of Plenty are also sitting nicely in the NPC top four.

Waikato had four current All Blacks missing at Mt Maunganui yesterday, but still clearly out-ranked Bay of Plenty in Super 12 and test experience.

But with the wind and patchy rain at their backs, the Steamers built a 20-3 halftime lead by getting a physical advantage over Waikato in front of a crowd of 17,700 who urged their side along but also contained a fair few clanging Mooloo cowbells.

Waikato coach John Mitchell quickly conceded that his team had been "dealt a lesson in the contact area" in that first spell.

Bay of Plenty took a 10-3 lead when wing Anthony Tahana won the race for Rua Tipoki's grubber-kick. Then, in the 25th minute, Adrian Cashmore ran brilliantly on to a Tipoki flick-pass, and wriggled through the cover to score.

It was like watching the Cashmore of old, before he quit Auckland and the Blues for Japanese riches.

Jackson said: "He hit the ball like he did in '96, when he was a young fellow. It's instinctive - you can't coach stuff like that."

So Bay of Plenty had a lead, and steeled themselves for a second-half Waikato onslaught. Coach Vern Cotter had wanted another try in the half, saying he knew his team's energy had dropped after a week of shield duties. Waikato did mount a comeback based around a driving forward game, but the Steamers held on.

Jackson's 62nd-minute intercept of a David Hill pass was crucial, launching a counterattack which put momentum back into their defence.

It also typified the Steamers' new maturity and composure.

Jackson, realising the speedy Isaac Boss was in pursuit, played a waiting game rather than trying a do-or-die run for the line, and found Tipoki in support.

This calm work paid two handsome dividends. Waikato captain Steven Bates was sinbinned by Steve Walsh for his desperate offside defence, and Jackson goaled for a 23-10 advantage.

It was not until the 76th minute that Waikato got within striking distance and ironically, it was wing Sitiveni Sivivatu who scored in a rolling maul. The brilliant matchwinner - destined for an All Black jersey - had been played out of the match with his pack beaten in the first half, and the Waikato backline misfiring all game.

While Jackson shone, and flanker Nili Latu was involved in everything, halfback Kevin Senio may have been the special Bay hero, with a brilliant all-round game.

Coach Vern Cotter rates Senio and Jackson the bast halves combination in the country.

After a visit to Taranaki, Bay of Plenty face the heavyweight visits of Canterbury, Otago and Wellington.

Mitchell, who knows a thing or two about the shield, said: "Bay of Plenty have been through a huge week and it's amazing what that log of wood does to teams. But it gets tougher, I can assure you."

Bay of Plenty 26 - Waikato 20

* Mitchell said none of his All Blacks would face Auckland in Hamilton on Saturday, and only Byron Kelleher was likely to appear the week after that against Wellington.

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