The Bay of Plenty Steamers are primed for an exciting home NPC quarter-final this Saturday at Tauranga Domain, following a hard-fought victory over Auckland on Sunday that secured them the prestigious John Drake Boot trophy.

Hosted by Auckland Grammar School, Bay of Plenty beat Auckland 26-24, with a halftime lead of 19-12.

This victory marks a significant milestone for the Steamers. Not only was it the last round-robin game of the 2024 Bunnings Warehouse National Provincial Championship season, but it coincided with the 20th anniversary of their last Ranfurly Shield win against Auckland in 2004.

Bay of Plenty Steamers captain Kurt Eklund (left) and Naitoa Ah Kuoi with the John Drake Boot. Photo: Supplied.

“Winning the John Drake Boot means a lot,” said Steamers coach Richard Watt.

“Auckland has been the big power province, and we’ve come home with that trophy only three times in 15 years. Twice in the last three years, and the previous time was in 2011.”

The Steamers have been on a remarkable run this season, securing a clean sweep of provincial trophies.

In addition to the John Drake Boot, they hold the Macrae Shelford Bay Cup against Hawke’s Bay, who they are set to face this weekend in what promises to be an electrifying “Battle of the Bays”.

Auckland played the Bay of Plenty Steamers for the John Drake Boot trophy in Auckland on Sunday. Photo: Supplied.

The team have also triumphed in trophy matches against Waikato (the Nathan Strongman Memorial Trophy), North Harbour (the Mark Weedon Trophy) and reigning NPC champions Taranaki (the Peter Burke Trophy).

“The other one we won this year was the Chief’s Cup, which is the challenge cup for the Chiefs provinces. You must win it three times to hold it for the year. We beat Counties, Waikato, Taranaki. We also won it last year,” Watt said.

Sunday’s game against Auckland

Reflecting on Sunday’s encounter against Auckland, Watt described the mixed weather conditions and the intensity of the game.

Bay of Plenty Steamers coach Richard Watt at the Auckland game.

“The day was windy and overcast, with a bit of rain just before kickoff. Auckland came out strong; they were eager to make a statement, given their season didn’t go as planned. They had a couple of guys who were leaving, so they were playing for their mates and came out hissing.”

He said the Steamers were under significant pressure for most of the first half, with Auckland controlling both possession and territory.

“From the game stats, I think we had 33 per cent possession and 29 per cent territory.”

Despite this, the Steamers showcased exceptional defensive skills.

“The defence hugely stood up. Even with minimal ball, we managed to strike quickly and scored when it mattered, so we were quite lucky to be up 19-12 at halftime.”

Bay of Plenty proved too much for Auckland on Sunday. Photo: Supplied.

In the second half, the Steamers found their rhythm, although they struggled to convert possession into points.

“Auckland is a proud province; they were never going to give it away. We managed to hold on for the win,” Watt said.

Prior to the match, the Steamers coach noted that the team were already guaranteed a home quarter-final, regardless of the result against Auckland.

“Since we were the last game of the round-robin phase, we knew that whether we won or lost, we’d still finish fourth and host a quarter-final. Our primary focus was on reclaiming the John Drake Boot, and the boys were hugely motivated by that.

Bay of Plenty Steamers captain Kurt Eklund played his 50th game on Sunday. Photo: Supplied.

For Steamers captain Kurt Eklund, Sunday’s match was particularly special as it marked his 50th game for the province. Eklund had also recently been awarded Forward of the Year at the 2024 Zespri Bay of Plenty Rugby Awards, adding to the significance of the day.

The week ahead

After their triumph, the team returned to Tauranga around midnight on Sunday. While a few players hold part-time jobs, the majority are fulltime rugby players for the duration of the season.

“We have around 18 players contracted to Super Rugby teams – Chiefs, Hurricanes or Blues – who join us for the provincial campaign,” said Watt.

The team took Monday off to recuperate and regroup before coming together on Tuesday to review their game against Auckland and get back into training. They had Wednesday off before ramping up their preparations on Thursday.

“Friday will be our captain’s run, essentially a dress rehearsal, leading into the big game against Hawke’s Bay on Saturday,” Watt noted.

Three games off making more NPC history

As the team head into the quarter-final, Watt emphasised the importance of the moment.

“We’re literally three games away from making history. Winning the NPC is something Bay of Plenty hasn’t done since 1976. It’s a long time to wait, and the first time we contested the NPC 48 years ago, we won it."

An elated Bay of Plenty Steamers captain Kurt Eklund after the win against Auckland.

Last season, the Steamers were eliminated in the quarter-finals, which left them eager to push further this year.

“We were really disappointed with that outcome. The boys are incredibly driven to get to the final and try and create some history for the province,” Watt said.

As they prepare for their quarter-final, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

“Play-off footy is all about pressure on the day. Rugby players are pretty competitive people and are driven to win the competition.

“If you look at the competition this year, it’s been awesome. Any of the top eight teams could knock each other out on the day. Our focus is entirely on Hawke’s Bay right now,” he said, emphasizing the need for the team to stay grounded and concentrate on one game at a time.

“If we take care of Hawke’s Bay, we’ll worry about who it is next week. We just look at the game we’re playing in front of us.”

The John Drake Boot returning from Auckland to Tauranga with the Bay of Plenty Steamers on their bus. Photo: Supplied.

The Steamers will face the Hawke’s Bay Magpies at Tauranga Domain on Saturday, October 12, with kick-off set for 2.05pm.

Watt pointed out that they have not yet faced Hawke’s Bay this season, which adds an extra layer of anticipation to the match.

“The crowds at Tauranga Domain have grown bigger as the Steamers have had more success during the season.”

Looking ahead, the path to the NPC final will require the Steamers to navigate through potentially three more games.

“If we win on Saturday, we earn the right to continue our journey. If we win again, we’ll have the chance to compete in the final. It’s knockout rugby now; we must take it one game at a time,” he reiterated.

The quarter-finals of the 2024 NPC will take place from October 11-13, followed by semi-finals on October 18-19 and the final on October 26.

In addition to the Steamers’ accomplishments, Bay of Plenty Rugby is celebrating success at the youth level as well.

The U18 Boys finished first in the 2024 Northern Region Reps Finals, while the U16 Boys claimed the runner-up position in their respective tournaments, showcasing the depth of talent within the province.

The U18 Boys finished first in the 2024 Northern Region Reps Finals. Photo: Supplied.

The Bay of Plenty U16 Boys claimed the runner-up position in the 2024 Northern Regions U16 Tournament. Photo: Supplied.