Tamaki Leopards - Finals prev

The Tamaki Leopards don?t have a lot of time to enjoy their nail-biting win over the Waitakere Rangers.

The Leopards grabbed a golden point 25-24 win over the Rangers on Monday night to book their spot in the Bartercard Cup semi-finals with the Canterbury Bulls.

The two teams face off at Mt Smart Stadium on Monday September 11 and Leopards coach Dean Clark is already plotting the strategy to help them continue their winning run.

?The boys dug deep and that?s what we?d been working towards all week,? Clark said.

?I?m proud of what the boys have achieved but we?ve still got another game to play.

But the former Kiwi knows it?s not going to be easy to beat the Bulls.

?We?ll be viewing some of the games Canterbury have played this season,? he said.

?We?ll be trying to work another game plan to suit us against them.?

The Leopards made plenty of mistakes throughout the game gifting the Rangers plenty of possession and points.

But when they got it right they showed why they are serious title contenders.

Their attacking play was impressive as was their composure in the moments before halfback Darin Kingi landed the field goal that won them the game.

With the Rangers? defence stretched they could have tried their luck at grabbing a try to win the game but instead they turned to the young halfback and he didn?t disappoint.

But the left-footed kicker wasn?t getting carried away after the game.

And he admitted the team knew they still had plenty of work to do.
?This is what we?ve been working for all year,? he said.

?This is our time to shine, it?s time for us to play to our potential.?


CANTERBURY BULLS vs TAMAKI LEOPARDS
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
Monday 11 September 2006 ? 8.00pm Kick Off

* LIVE & FREE-TO-AIR ON MAORI TELEVISION *

CANTERBURY BULLS:

LUSI SIONE
SCOTT HURRELL
DONAVAN AITKEN
LEE FIDOW
LUCAS TAMAKAHA
JOSH REUBEN
DUANE WINETI
VINCE WHARE
SHANE BEYERS (C)
ALEX TIMO
JONNY LIMMER
DANIEL METCALF
COREY LAWRIE
GARETH COOK
BLAKE MILNER
ROSS TURI
LOUIS FANENE

Coach - PHILIP PRESCOTT

Management:

BRENT STUARTDAVE PERKINS
BRUCE MILNE
ANDY WIHARESTEVE WOOD


TAMAKI LEOPARDS

COOPER VUNA
TAAVILI LEAUNOA
AIROE BOAZA
CONSTANTINE MIKA
ISAAKO HAGAITOA
(CO-C) WILLIAM HETA
DARIN KINGI
SIONE NIUILA
TROY BECROFT
(CO-C) SINAVE FAITALE
ISAAC LIAVAA
GEOFFREY RUAPORO
PAUL ATKINS
RICHARD JOHNSON
FRED TURUWHENUA(GENE VAAFUSUAGA)
LEESON AH MAU(NIKORN THAMMAVONGSA)
KOTISI FAKALATA

Coach - DEAN CLARK

Management:

VINNIE CLARKKEVIN HAWKINS
JACK PRENDER
GASTRICK WILLIAMSJOHN BOCKETT
WILLIE TAUATEVALU
BOB NEWALD
RHYS CULLEN