Bay graft earns Chiefs payoff

Bay of Plenty's success in this year's NPC first division has already led to an increased involvement in the Chiefs' Super 12 franchise.

Bay of Plenty coach Vern Cotter has agreed to take over the Chiefs' development team next season and will probably take his management team with him.

"We haven't finalised the conditions yet but certainly we've agreed on the terms verbally," Cotter said.

Cotter indicated earlier he expected up to eight of his players to be selected in the Chiefs' squad.

But the squad not be named until the end of the month.

The two Bay of Plenty players named in last year's squad - Glen Jackson and Wayne Ormond - should be automatic choices for Chiefs coach Ian Foster, but there are a number of players whose form throughout the season will have caught his attention.

Grant McQuoid is an obvious choice at second five-eighth, while Aleki Lutui, Clayton McMillan, Simms Davison, and Ben Castle could be other front runners.

Kevin Senio would have seemed another certainty for the Chiefs until the announcement that All Black halfback Byron Kelleher is moving to the franchise for the season, increasing the competition for the back-up spot.

Cotter was certain Senio would play Super 12 and believed if the Chiefs did not pick him up, someone else would.

"I think he's been one of the top five halfbacks in the country and he will most likely get a Super 12 position," he said.

In-form Bay players who miss the Chiefs squad could well find a place in Cotter's development side.

In spite of his blinding form all season Nili Latu will struggle to unseat All Black Marty Holah and Scott Couch on the openside flank while the Bay locking duo of Neil Sorenson and Bernie Upton face the same problem of competition.

It is the same for Alan Bunting against Regan King and Keith Lowen in the centres.

Whatever the make-up of the squad, Cotter is proud of the commitment his players have shown this season.

"We finished top of the non-franchise centres with the least amount of Super 12 player in the team and I think it has been a great achievement."

- NZPA

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