Masaga, Mather and Waenga join the Steamers

[KiwiPie]

Press Release

Media Release 23 December 2009

The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is pleased to announce the signing of 2009 All Black Lelia Masaga for 2010 and 2011.

Masaga, (23) made his All Blacks debut vs. Italy at Christchurch during the 2009 IVECO series.

Masaga has been a member of the Chiefs team since 2006 and has played 42 Super Rugby games. A great finisher, winger Masaga returns for his fifth Chiefs season in 2010.

Masaga stated “I am very excited about being involved with the Steamers. They are an exciting team and have a great environment that I am really looking forward to being a part of”.

Bay of Plenty Rugby Union CEO Jeremy Curragh said “We are delighted to have signed a player of Lelia’s quality. To attract a player of Lelia’s caliber is fantastic and proves that the Bay can provide the right environment for players to make the All Blacks. We look forward to supporting Lelia in achieving his goal of again making the All Blacks”.

Masaga has scored 21 tries for the Chiefs and is now an experienced campaigner who brings flair and a deceptive turn of pace.

“Lelia is an excitement machine and brings the x-factor that we are sure our supporters will love to see. Not only is he going to make a strong contribution on the field, he has all the key characteristics that are so important to us off the field as we continue our work in the schools and community ” Curragh stated.

Masga will join the Union after the completion of his duties with the Chiefs.

Bay of Plenty Times today

Bay of Plenty have signalled their top-level Air New Zealand Cup intentions after an audacious swoop yesterday, signing one-test All Black Lelia Masaga for the next two seasons.
Masaga's signing from Counties-Manukau for the 2010 and 2011 seasons is Bay of Plenty's biggest offseason acquisition in a decade back in domestic rugby's top flight.
The 23-year-old made his All Blacks debut against Italy in Christchurch this season _ a game that also featured Steamers flanker Tanerau Latimer _ but he was squeezed out of the Tri-Nations by Hosea Gear.
Shoulder surgery towards the end of the Air NZ Cup season ruled him out of the All Blacks' season-ending tour.
Masaga has been part of the Chiefs team since 2006 and has played 42 Super rugby games. A great finisher, he forms a potent back three with All Blacks Mils Muliaina and winger Sitiveni Sivivatu.
Masaga said today he was ready for a change. ``I'm excited about being involved with the Steamers ... an exciting team.
''(They) have a great environment that I am really looking forward to being a part of.''
Jeremy Curragh, Bay of Plenty Rugby Union chief executive, said Masaga's contribution would be two-fold.
``To attract a player of Lelia's calibre is fantastic and proves the Bay can provide the right environment for players to make the All Blacks _ we look forward to supporting Lelia in achieving his goal of again making the All Blacks.
``He's an excitement machine and brings an X-factor we are sure our supporters will love to see.
``Not only is he going to make a strong contribution on the field, he has all the key characteristics that are so important to us off the field.''
Steamers coach Sean Horan confirmed today the union had been busy in the player market, signing former Highlanders midfielder Brett Mather, who played for Otago in the Air NZ Cup, and Hawke's Bay utility back Daniel Waenga, who played on loan for North Otago this season in the Heartland Championship.
Steamers Zar Lawrence and Nigel Hunt hadn't been recontracted by Bay of Plenty, although Horan said that could still happen next year.
Horan said bringing in a player with special tryscoring ability is something he and assistant Steve Miln had identified this season.
``It's a bit of a coup to get someone of Lelia's ability, it's a pretty big signing for us here in the Bay.
``A lot of coaches have a wish list and don't always get what they want, but we're lucky there was a bit of work done behind the scenes and we could get Lelia on board for a couple of years.''
Masaga will have dibs on the Steamers' No 14 jersey and could potentially make an exciting back three alongside Jason Hona and Toby Arnold.
Ben Smith and Lance Macdonald were also set to return next season from injury.
Horan said with the Air NZ Cup competition set to be split in two for 2011 there was added pressure to perform next season.
``There's some certainty there next year, which is what we wanted, and the good thing is we've got time to do planning.
``There's heat on to make that top seven, pressure on us and pressure on every other team, so the quicker we're out of the blocks with where we want to go and what we want to do the better,'' Horan said.

[seagull]

"the quicker we are out of the blocks with where we want to go and where we want to be the better" thats deep stuff

[BOPRED]

Good to see we are building depth. Which club will he be afilliated to

[Baron Silas Greenback]

Anyone else har about this signing? Looks like BOP are filling gaps very nicely. Another good prop is handy

Joe Wheeler has re-signed with Tasman:

Wheeler locked in for Makos

The Tasman Makos received a big boost late last week with popular lock/loose-forward Joe Wheeler re-signing for the next two years.

Tasman Rugby Union chief executive Peter Barr said Wheeler would also be employed as a rugby development officer based at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim.

New head coach Kieran Keane said he was thrilled to have Wheeler back on board and now has a potentially strong forward pack signed up for 2010.

Former All Blacks Ben Franks and Chris Jack, Crusaders flanker Jonathan Poff and prop Hamish Cochrane have all signed, as has exciting first-five James Marshall.

Barr said there were a multitude of contracts out with players as the union slowly pieces together the player jigsaw.

Applications for the assistant coaching role closed on Friday.

Barr said an announcement on the successful applicant is expected to be made next week.

Gone from the Makos team from last season are halfback Kahn Fotuali'i (to Hawke's Bay) Andrew Goodman (Japan) Sakaria Taulafo (United Kingdom) and Tristan Moran (Bay of Plenty).

[KiwiPie]

Here you go Baron :-

>>>>>

Signings continue for Steamers

RUGBY
by Jamie Troughton

The signings continue for the Bay of Plenty Steamers, although sevens star Ruki Tipuna isn't yet one of them.
Head coach Sean Horan has confirmed the acquisition of Tasman duo, prop Tristan Moran and hooker Daniel Perrin, along with Waikato lock Luke Katene for this year's squad.
They'll join other big off-season signings in All Black wing Lelia Masaga, Hawke's Bay first-five Dan Waenga and Otago midfielder Brett Mather.
But Tipuna again appears on the outer, despite a dazzling sevens season and his presence in the New Zealand camp in Mount Maunganui this week preparing for the Wellington IRB tournament.
Horan pointed out that incumbent halfbacks Junior Poluleuligaga and Josh Hall were still signed and Tipuna - who played for Wellington last year after missing the Steamers squad - probably wouldn't be offered a contract.
"There's always interest in Ruki - he's too good for there not to be," Horan said.
"We had the opportunity to bring other halfbacks in but we chose not to. Bay of Plenty would love for Ruki to stay up here and play his club footy and have a decent crack because he's one of the best attacking halfbacks around."
The mercurial Rangataua No9 has indicated he may head back to the capital, although much will depend on his sevens fortunes, as he looms as the natural understudy to playmaker Tomasi
Cama.
Bay of Plenty's signing spree may not be over yet either, with Horan indicating they were still talking to several other players.
Thin positions from last season included prop, lock and midfield, although Moran's signing eases the frontrow concerns.
"He plays on both sides and is very good at that. He started last season at loosehead for Tasman and switched to tighthead when Ben Franks went down. He's very hard working - he's not overly big but he's got a really high work ethic.
"We need at least six props here and now we've got the five that we used last year plus him."
Katane was in the 2004 New Zealand Schools side with current Steamers Tanerau Latimer, Jason Hona and Lance MacDonald. The Hautapu lock has since been on a Morman mission.
The contracted players not in the Chiefs have been training for two weeks, joined by the academy squad and a wider training group.
Horan and his assistant, Steve Miln, have also been regular visitors to Chiefs training in Hamilton, while they've also got a meeting with Baywide premier clubs and representative coaches next week to keep them in the loop.
The Bay union won't be allocating players to clubs as in previous years and Horan said they'd learned some good lessons last season.
"We want to improve our communication across the board and, at the end of the day, we represent the clubs and we need them on our side."
Horan is delighted with how his squad has shaped up, six months before they're due to kick a ball in anger.
"We've been able to retain the players we've wanted to retain and recruit players, but we've also been able to invest in the next tier below. We want to get 40 players that can put the jersey on at any stage."

[JP]

Good that we grabbed Mather - he'll be very useful in the mid-field, add a bit of starch...