VENUE & TIME: AMI Stadium, Christchurch, Friday September 3, 19.35 NZT.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 30 – Canterbury 21, Bay of Plenty 7, drawn 2.
LAST TIME: September 5, 2009 (Mt Maunganui) – Bay of Plenty 19-17 Canterbury.
LAST TIME AT VENUE: September 18, 2008 – Canterbury 37-20 Bay of Plenty.
MATCH ODDS: NZ TAB (Tuesday): Canterbury $1.18, Bay of Plenty $4.50.
WALKING WOUNDED: Canterbury only got stronger this week, as Owen Franks and Sam Whitelock were released from the All Blacks to play. Colin Slade's elevation to the squad for Sydney takes him out of this game, with Stephen Brett moving into first-five and Sonny Bill Williams takes a bench place for the first time this season. While the Bay have introduced Tasman signings Dan Perrin and Tristan Moran for the first time. Dan Perrin starts at hooker as first-choice No.2 John Pareanga is struggling with a knee injury and Mike Delany is elevated to the starting first five-eighths role after starting off the bench last week.
FORM:
PAST FIVE:
Canterbury
Round 1: Drew with Hawke's Bay 23-23
Round 2: Beat Manawatu 27-26
Round 3: Beat North Harbour 44-22
Round 4: Lost to Tasman 25-27
Round 5: Beat Auckland 35-16
PAST FIVE:
Bay of Plenty
Round 1: Lost to Waikato 10-13
Round 2: Beat Hawke's Bay 30-11
Round 3: Lost to Auckland 6-11
Round 4: Lost to Taranaki 15-24
Round 5: Beat North Harbour 39-29
If you struggled to recognise the Canterbury side that walloped Auckland as the same lot who had been so ordinary at Nelson, you weren't alone. Obviously they were going to get a tune-up before the Auckland match and whatever Rob Penney said struck home, because this Canterbury side looked like the team most of us have been expecting. They beat Auckland in all areas and, after running up a quick 15-0 lead, it was only a question of how many they would win by; the answer was a decisive 35-16. Bay of Plenty also jumped out to an early lead at Rotorua and while they never shook North Harbour completely, the Steamers did gradually pull away and only a late try got the margin down to ten points. Some of the back play was as good as we've seen from the blue-and-golds in a while and a couple of the tries were real crackers. Mike Delany clearly made a difference, but he's not yet at his best and you have to believe there's more good stuff to come from the Bay this year.
WHO'S HOT: The whole Canterbury pack lifted several notches last week and all eight played well, but the standouts were Corey Flynn and Luke Romano. Flynn had his best game at this level for some time – he was really committed and won several turnovers – while Romano looks a player with a future after a big game. Colin Slade also played in his best form and won the All Black back-up spot as a result. With Bay of Plenty running free at times, Colin Bourke came into his own and showed several classy touches in the loose and grunt in the tight. Lelia Masaga was the principal beneficiary of some slick passing with a hat-trick, while Brett Mather made a couple of scorching breaks and looked as good as he has for