The Bay of Plenty Steamers’ Bunnings NPC campaign came to a painful halt on Friday night after a heavy 41–17 semifinal loss to Otago under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

In front of nearly 11,000 roaring fans, the home side stormed into their first NPC final since 2005 — leaving the Steamers to reflect on what could have been.

For head coach Richard Watt, the feeling was raw.

“Losing a semi is worse than losing a final,” Watt said.

“You always think you’re going again next week. It’s weird — like your arm’s been cut off. At least in a final, you’ve made the big dance. But this one hurt.”

Bay of Plenty Steamers player Tevita Mafileo has been named in the All Blacks squad for this year's Grand Slam Tour.  Photo / Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.

The match began brightly for Bay of Plenty, with flanker Veveni Lasaqa crossing early to give the visitors a 12–7 lead after 20 minutes. That spark soon faded as Otago seized control, leading 21–12 at half-time before running in 20 points in the second spell to secure their seventh consecutive victory.

“After we lost the final last year, we sat there thinking we could have won it,” Watt said. “This was different. We got a hiding, and they outplayed us.”

The veteran coach pointed to the fundamentals — and Otago’s physical dominance — as key factors.

“If you don’t win the collisions, it’s hard to win the game,” he said. “We didn’t win the air, we didn’t win the ground, we turned over too much ball. They’ve been doing it all year — they’re a bloody good side.”

Bay of Plenty Steamers suffered a 41–17 loss to Otago in their semifinal of the Bunnings NPC in Dunedin on Friday. Photo /Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.

The Steamers also felt the absence of captain Kurt Eklund, sidelined with an injury.

“A guy like Kurt has a lot of mana,” Watt said. “He gives players confidence — he’s in the thick of everything. I’m not sure if his presence would’ve changed the result, but losing your leader in a big game hurts.”

This season, the Steamers restocked their trophy cabinet with the Chief’s Cup, the Macrae Shelford Bay Cup, the Peter Burke Trophy, the Mark Weedon Trophy, and the Nathan Strongman Memorial Trophy. This year, Hawke’s Bay seized back the Macrae Shelford Bay Cup in a close Battle of the Bays.

Despite the semifinal heartbreak, Watt said he’s proud of what the Steamers achieved this season.

“We’re a genuine title contender now,” he said. “We’re consistent, and we’ve generated some real support across the region.”

That support has been a defining feature of the Steamers’ recent rise. Watt praised the connection between players and fans, noting how the team stays on the field after matches to chat with young supporters.

“I remind the guys that they’re caretakers of the jersey. It’s about inspiring the next generation to want to be a Steamer.”

Bay of Plenty player Charlie Sinton clears the ball. Photo / Bay of Plenty Rugby Union

Bay of Plenty’s success at nurturing local talent is evident, with Charlie Sinton and Kele Lasaqa recent examples from the development programme. Rotorua Boys’ High School were crowned national secondary school champions this year, and the province continues to feed players into professional and international ranks.

“When I started, we had about eight or nine Super Rugby players. Now we’ve got 19,” Watt said. “And to have four All Blacks — that’s pretty cool.”

Among those named in national squads are Benet Kumeroa and Naitoa Ah Kuoi (All Blacks XV), with Tevita Mafileo, Pasi Tosi, Leroy Carter and Emoni Narawa selected for the All Blacks’ Grand Slam tour, though Narawa is sidelined with injury.

As the dust settles, Watt and his coaching staff will review the season and look to keep the core group together.

“We’re still knocking on the door,” he said. “We just haven’t kicked it down yet. The disappointment of last year’s final fuelled the hunger to come back this year. Now we’ve got to make sure we come back next year and kick the door down.”

For Bay of Plenty supporters, the semifinal loss may sting, but the pride remains strong.

Under Watt’s steady hand, the Steamers have re-established themselves as a force in New Zealand provincial rugby — a team that plays with heart, connects with its people, and refuses to stop pushing for that long-awaited title.

Canterbury and Otago will contest the 2025 Bunnings Cup NPC Final at the Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch next Saturday, October 25 with kick-off at 4.05pm.