BOP get another shot at Ranfurly Shield

Bay of Plenty have been handed a golden opportunity to reclaim provincial rugby's greatest prize.

They have secured another challenge in six months' time - their third in as many years - and a chance to exact revenge on the Canterbury team who ended their historic shield streak last season.

Bay of Plenty will have the first challenge of the new NPC season on August 20, although Canterbury are likely to put the Log 'o Wood up in pre-season clashes with second and third division unions.

And like Auckland last year - who Bay of Plenty beat 33-28 to capture the shield for the first time - Canterbury will be without their All Blacks for the first month of the competition.

"That certainly levels the playing field somewhat," Bay of Plenty manager Craig Morris said.

"It's not a particularly easy draw, with three Super 12 franchises in the first four weeks, but the bonus is those teams should be without their All Blacks and that's got to be good for us."

Bay of Plenty open their season with a Sunday afternoon game on August 14 against Otago in Dunedin, and follow that with the Christchurch shield match six days later.

Morris said the union considered staying down in the South Island for a mini "tour" for those first two games, but decided to stick with the training facilities in Mt Maunganui which have been so successful for them.

Should Bay of Plenty win the shield, two tough challenges would immediately follow, with home games against Taranaki and Auckland in the next fortnight.