FULLTIME - Auckland's eight-year dominance of the Steamers continues, but only just. Check out the tries in the video above.
Auckland 20 (Salesi Rayasi 2 tries, Simon Hickey 2 cons, Harry Plummer pen) Bay of Plenty 16 (Leroy Carter try, Otere Black 3 pens, 1 con)
82 mins - Huge counter ruck from Auckland and there's a knock on forced, game over!
81 mins - Final roll of the dice here for BOP. They roll the maul, that goes to ground 5m out. Patient play here, they're keeping it tight.
80 mins - BOP win a turnover of their own, one final chance here? Penalty BOP. The look to setup a lineout drive, 15m out.
78 mins - Brilliant steal at the ruck by Funaki, the first from the scrum.
76 mins - BOP attack near haflway, blindside raid wrapped up by Auckland and into touch they go. Auckland lineout feed is crooked, BOP scrum 30m out.
74 mins - Defensive penalty Auckland, Gibson stopping the BOP attack on his 22m. Lineout at halfway.
70 mins - Auckland swarming on attack, 22m out. Another highly questionable kick lets BOP off the hook, ball safely grounded for a 22m restart.
65 mins - Plummer bursts through a big hole, runs the ball back to the BOP 10. Penalty will give him a chance to extend the Auckland lead, 40m out in front....and he's hit the post. Trask clears.
62 mins - Auckland working an effective rolling maul until Karpik steals and BOP are able to clear. Trainor runs the ball back with pace, Rayasi takes play to the BOP 22m. Obstruction from a runner, penalty BOP and the hosts clear to halfway.
60 mins - Penalty Auckland. They'll throw a lineout at the BOP 10m.
54 mins - AJ Lam breaks a few tackles and powers his way near the BOP 22m. Penalty advantage cashed in, and Harry Plummer will have a shot at goal from 22m out, dead in front. No mistake.
52 mins - TRY BAY OF PLENTY - Handy chip over the top by BOP right to the Auckland try line, ball lost by cover defender Hickey and Leroy Carter is able to get a hand on it just before the Auckland chaser. Black converts and it's a one-point game.
49 mins - Auckland with some very questionable kick tactics, stifling their attacking momentum with non-threatening chips.
45 mins - Scrum in the centre of the paddock for Auckland. Backline move breaks down after some great metres, BOP knock on gives Auckland another scrum near the BOP 22m.
41 mins - Auckland quickly back on attack until a superb turnover from Narawa kills the momentum. Knock on from the clearance, Auckland scrum at the BOP 10m.
Second half underway....
HALFTIME
38 mins - TRY AUCKLAND - Rayasi muscles his way over the line from short range to grab his second try of the day. Hickey converts.
36 mins - Black with another opportunity at the posts here, this time about 35m on the angle...and he keeps his flawless record in tact.
32 mins - BOP with a period of attack, keeping the ball tight. Penalty right in front, and they opt for the points. Black bangs it over.
27 mins - TRY AUCKLAND - TJ Faiane makes the crossfield kick for Salesi Rayasi, who soars to reel it in, spins and places in the corner. Great skills. Hickey slides in the conversion from the sideline.
20 mins - BOP penalty gives Otere Black a chance to equalise from 20m, slight angle... over it goes.
15 mins - AJ Lam over the line but butchers the putdown. Back we go for a penalty, and they'll have a shot at the posts... Hickey obliges from close range.
14 mins - Lovely counter-attack by Auckland, Trainor kicks ahead and chases down the defender to force a lineout at the BOP 22m.
8 mins - Auckland make the lineout steal and Hickey clears effectively to touch.
7 mins - Slick setpiece from BOP puts them deep into the Auckland 22m, chip kick collected but the defender bundled into touch. Lineout BOP, great opportunity to attack.
4 mins - BOP scrum at halfway after a forward pass.
1 min - BOP kick off to get things started. Settled Auckland exit sees them move to a lineout at the BOP 10m.
We're underway
7:04pm - Late change for Auckland, with Angus Ta'avao scratched with injury.
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Kia ora, folks, and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Mitre 10 Cup clash between Bay of Plenty and Auckland.
Rotorua International Stadium is the venue for tonight's encounter, with the Steamers hoping to bounce back from their disappointing 32-10 defeat to Wellington last weekend.
Auckland are looking to continue on their winning ways, after thrashing Manawatu 50-12 last week.
With both sides missing their All Blacks, Bay of Plenty can welcome back two strong Super Rugby players. In the fowards, captain Aaron Carroll moves to lock and Zane Kapeli moves from openside to blindside flanker to cater for the return of Chiefs flanker Mitch Karpik.
In the backs, Otere Black returns at first-five, while Chase Tiatia shifts from the midfield to the wing, with All Blacks Sevens captain Scott Curry at second-five. Emoni Narawa is named on the right wing in his 15th Mitre 10 Cup game.
Auckland have made just one change to their side, with lock Hamish Dalzell coming onto the bench for All Black Patrick Tuipulotu, who will be in camp for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup series.
Dalzell would make his Mitre 10 Cup debut, if he gets onto the field.
TAB: Auckland $1.43, Bay of Plenty $2.65
Bay of Plenty: 1-Tevita Mafileo, 2-Nathan Vella, 3-Jeff Thwaites, 4-Kane Le'aupepe, 5-Aaron Carroll (c), 6-Zane Kapeli, 7-Mitch Karpik, 8-Joe Tupe, 9-Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 10-Otere Black-11-Chase Tiatia, 12-Scott Curry, 13-Regan Ware, 14-Emoni Narawa, 15-Kalen Trask
Auckland: 1-Jarred Adams, 2-Leni Apisai, 3-Angus Ta'aavao, 4-Scott Scrafton, 5-Jack Whetton, 6-Adrian Choat, 7-Blake Gibson, 8-Waimana Reidlinger-Kapa, 9-Taufa Funaki, 10-Simon Hickey, 11-Salesi Rayasi, 12-TJ Faiane, 13-Tumua Manu, 14-AJ Lam, 15-Jordan Trainor
Reserves: 16-Mike Sosene-Feagai, 17-Marcel Renata, 18-James Lay, 19-Hamish Dalzell, 20-Sione Tuipulotu, 21-Jonathan Ruru, 22-Harry Plummer, 23-Zarn Sullivan
More to come
