Burman ready for BOP challenge

Lock Mark Burman has been one of the quiet achievers of a much improved Northland pack in this year's ITM Cup season and the rugby nomad is keen to return next year.
The former Bay of Plenty player is expecting an epic end to the season with a battle against his former teammates at Toll Stadium tonight.
"We're all looking forward to a big game on Thursday, there are a few guys that we've got to farewell in the right way, guys like David Holwell who have been real stalwarts for the union and who may not be back next year," he said.
Burman said it was also a good chance for the Taniwha to end their season on a positive note after their season had been stymied by an inability to win the close matches and some poor luck.
"For me maybe there'll be a bit more on the result than most because I'm good mates with quite a few of the Bay boys," he said. The Steamers arrive in Whangarei aiming to make the semifinals after winning five out of their last six games but Burman believes they will be in for a tough battle.
The 26-year-old has started in every game for the Taniwha this season and has been one of the 'workaholics in the pack matching second row partner Pat O'Connor. Forwards coach Blair Larsen said Burman had proved to be an asset to the pack with an excellent work rate throughout the season.
"He came up here with a very professional attitude, he's highly motivated and he's been good for our environment, he went through a little bit of a quiet patch before the Hawke's Bay game but he bounced back from that well," Larsen said.
O'Connor, Burman and Roy Griffin have all remained fit during the season, making the locking department - which was such a problem area for Larsen the previous season - a smooth runner.
"In terms of form I've had a couple of games that I've been a bit disappointed with but I've had good game time and really enjoyed my season up here, it's one of the best team cultures I've ever experienced and all going well I'll be back again next year if the coaching staff allow me to," he said.
Burman didn't have such a happy season with the Steamers last year, spending a lot of his season on the bench behind regular starters John Moore and Callum Retallick and he was pleased to move north when the offer came up.
Although Burman transferred here from the Steamers, he was raised in Taupiri and is a product of the Waikato system. He played 28 games for Waikato after debuting in 2005 and was in the Chiefs squad for two seasons before signing as a loan player with Bay of Plenty in 2009.
Burman is one of the Taniwha players with an outside chance of picking up a Super-15 contract when the squads are named in November but he doesn't rate his changes highly.
"I don't think I'll pick up a spot in a Super squad, most of the squads had already finalised their four locks by the time I arrived back or at least were talking with the guys they wanted," he said.
"But that's not a bad thing to be honest, I really enjoyed being in Italy last year and my coach put an offer in front of me before I left, so that's where I'm probably headed."
He played for the Rovigo club that reached the first division semifinals last season and aims to rejoin them at the end of November.