The British & Irish Lions will face a Bay of Plenty side containing 10 players with Super 12 experience when the teams meet on Saturday.
Nine of the players – Simms Davison, Aleki Lutui, Ben Castle, Bernie Upton, Wayne Ormond, Nili Latu, Kevin Senio, Grant McQuoid and Adrian Cashmore – have been based with the Waikato Chiefs this season, while number eight Colin Bourke has spent the Super 12 season with the Highlanders in Dunedin.
Captain and blindside flanker Ormond, openside Latu and Bourke will take on the Lions loose-forward trio of World Cup-winning pair Lawrence Dallaglio and Richard Hill, plus Welshman Martyn Williams.
Perhaps the best-known player in the Steamers team is fullback Cashmore, who has played for the All Blacks, New Zealand Maori and New Zealand sevens team as well turning out for the Blues Super 12 franchise between 1996 and 2000 before a stint playing in Japan.
Bay of Plenty team to play the British & Irish Lions on Saturday: Adrian Cashmore; Filimone Bolavucu, Allan Bunting, Grant McQuoid, Anthony Tahana; Murray Williams, Kevin Senio; Simms Davison, Aleki Lutui, Ben Castle, Mark Sorenson, Bernie Upton, Wayne Ormond (capt), Nili Latu, Colin Bourke.
Replacements: John Pareanga, Taufa’ao Filise, Paul Tupai, Warren Smith, Charles Hubbard, Robert Moon, Apoua Stewart.
