Cashmore up against his old Japanese team

If Adrian Cashmore had his way he'd be turning out for Japanese rugby club Toyota tomorrow.

Instead, the former All Black will wear Bay of Plenty colours against Toyota at Tauranga's Blue Chip Stadium.

It is the Steamers' only serious hit-out before the NPC kicks off next weekend, when they'll face Otago in Dunedin.

Cashmore, who played two tests for the All Blacks, had three seasons with Toyota before reluctantly returning to New Zealand to play in last year's NPC.

"I was sort of hoping to retire there. I would have been happy to stay there but the buggers didn't want me," Cashmore said.

Toyota's decision turned out to be a blessing for the province he first played for in 1992 as a 19-year-old.

Last year's NPC season with the Vern Cotter-coached Steamers saw the Tokoroa-born former Blues player selected for the Chiefs Super 12 team.

"It's worked out brilliantly since I've been back, I was on such a high with the Bay winning the Ranfurly Shield," he said.

It's a high Cashmore and his teammates are keen to taste again this season with a Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury -- minus their All Blacks -- on August 20.

"It's in the back of the mind. We get through Otago and I think the guys realise they've got Canterbury with their ABs (All Blacks) away -- we played Canterbury stacked with ABs last year and I think we know we could have come away with it," he said.

Toyota will give the Steamers a chance to try to implement what they've been working on in their "boot camp".

"It will be strange, I really don't know how much competition these guys are going to be -- we're always looking for a good performance," he said.

Cashmore said the Japanese game wasn't as instinctive as New Zealand rugby, they take up the game much later in life but they love it just the same."

Toyota have former All Black Troy Flavell and former Super 12 players Filo Tiatia and Oreni Ai'i in their side.

* Teams

BOP: Adrian Cashmore, David Johnston, Allan Bunting, Grant McQuoid, Anthony Tahana, Murray Williams, Kevin Senio, Colin Bourke, Matua Parkinson, Wayne Ormond (captain), Bernie Upton, Mark Sorenson, Ben Castle, Aleki Lutui, James Afoa. Reserves: John Pareanga, Simms Davison, Warren Smith, Paul Tupai, Nili Latu, Charles Hubbard, Mike Delany, Jeffrey Ierome, Hayden Reid, Filimone Bolavucu.

Toyota: Oreni Ai'i, Kauseke Endo, Genta Akanuma, Hideki Namba, Sekove Leawere, Keiji Hirose, Ippei Asada, Filo Tiatia, Masatoshi Endo, Takashi Kikutani, Tashizumi Kitagawa (captain), Troy Flavell, Masahiko Toyoyama, Yasuhiko Iwama, Shinji Nakano, Reserves: Katuyuki Takayama, Kenichi Takayanagi, Jyunji Hiratsuka, Hiroshi Sugawara, Tashiaki Mogi, Takashi Yamamata, Hiroki Mizuno, Tatsuya Kusu.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)