Fired-up BoP fans gear up for exodus to south

By ROSALEEN MacBRAYNE


Match fever is mounting in the Bay of Plenty as the province gets behind its hot rugby team ahead of the latest challenge.

With an historic Ranfurly Shield win behind them this season, the once underdog Steamers have now powered their way into the NPC semifinals against Canterbury on Saturday night.

Two plane-loads of supporters will fly south to cheer the side on. Among the 220 people on the chartered 737 flights from Tauranga will be the new mayor, an excited Stuart Crosby.

"You betcha," he said yesterday. "We're going down there to win."

The chairman of the Tauranga City Council's airport committee before last Saturday's local body elections, Mr Crosby is chuffed to be part of "quite an historical occasion" for another reason.

It is the first time a jet has been chartered out of Tauranga, and he hopes it is an omen for the future.

"It may well be the forerunner for further direct flights south."

Meanwhile Shane Kennedy, owner-operator of Tauranga's House of Travel, has tentatively arranged another charter to Wellington for Labour Weekend - depending, of course, on the Bay beating Canterbury and Wellington winning against Waikato in the other semifinal tomorrow night.

Mr Kennedy said reaction from local people had been incredible when the Christchurch flight was proposed. He thought he might be able to fill one plane but such was the demand he had to arrange for it to return for a second load.

Even then, some supporters missed out, said Mr Kennedy. But it was too difficult to organise a third trip.

The first flight on Saturday leaves Tauranga at 8.55am. The second, including blue-and-gold-bedecked Mayor Crosby and his wife Lesley, will depart at 12.20pm.

Each $429 package includes return air trips, overnight accommodation, buses to and from the game, and covered-stand tickets at Jade Stadium.

Those going are a mixed bunch, most of them members of the fast-growing Bay Mafia group which supports the Steamers with passion and gusto. The unofficial mascot, the bewigged, face-painted and unpredictable Hori BOP, will accompany each of the flights as the "hostess with the mostest".

Hori BOP was also a Tauranga mayoral candidate last weekend, polling 887 votes to Crosby's 10,932. Hori finished fifth in the six-candidate race.

As well as pouring the coffee he has offered to fly the plane - but it's a fair bet that offer will be declined.

In Christchurch, Hori BOP may frighten Larry the Lamb but before kickoff the Canterbury union will roll in dozens of classic cars carrying dancers. A fireworks display will entertain fans at halftime.


NPC fixtures, results and standings
Division One | Division Two |