Following up an opening night like the Bay of Plenty Steamers put on against Taranaki last Saturday is always a tough ask, but that's their intention when they hit Pukekohe's Navigation Homes Stadium tomorrow night to take on Counties Manukau in round two of the Mitre 10 Cup.

The clinical 30-10 demolition of last year's beaten Premiership semifinalists at Rotorua's International Stadium, the first of the four top division teams the Steamers are playing in their first five matches, was littered with good omens for the Championship tier Steamers, but coach Clayton McMillan is eager to bring in some perspective.

'We keep our feet really grounded. We understand it was just week one and watching the games over the weekend it's much of a muchness between all of the teams at this early stage.”

Despite the scoreline he identified some shaky areas in his team's effort, notably in the scrums where the 'Naki eight put the screws on them at times, and has been putting them through their paces on the training paddock in the two hitouts they've managed during the week.

'We've got to be better. It was nice to win but we're a long way from where we want to be. That's our challenge, to keep getting better.”

He doesn't see Counties' first up loss to Auckland on the weekend as any indicator of their likely level in tomorrow night's encounter.

'Yep, there's no easy games in this competition and Counties have some big boys. They've got a good solid set piece and can score tries from anywhere.

'So we'll need to be at our best, we'll need to improve.”

To aid that goal Clayton has been able to name a virtually unchanged lineup, somewhat fortuitously after a number of his boys took knocks on Saturday night.

Hooker and new skipper Liam Polwart was a doubt, but has proved sound enough to start. The only absentee from Saturday's run-on XV will be Scottish international blindside Hugh Blake, who was forced from the field with a shoulder injury and hasn't recovered sufficiently.

Tyler Ardron, who's back on his feet after the bout of sickness which kept him out of the Rotorua match late in the day, will move from lock to the six jersey. That means good news for Mt Maunganui's Aaron Carrol, who will deservedly retain his place in the second row after scoring a try and impressing hugely with his all-round game on debut against Taranaki.

The backline, which was limited in its attacking opportunities on Saturday but stuck to its defensive task impressively, remains unchanged.

Te Puna's Angus MacDonald, a late call up last weekend for injured hooker Valentine Meachen, keeps his bench role hoping for his second Steamers cap, as does Zane Kapeli, who looked more than up to the task when he replaced Hugh Blake on Saturday night.

For the first time since his return from France Tanerau Latimer's name appears on the teamsheet. Whether he runs on will be another story though, as he's bracketed on the bench with Baden Wardlaw, who is looking to come back from injury. If the five-test All Black is required he'll play match number 80 in the blue and gold jersey.

In the only other change on the bench Te Puke Sports' first five Jason Robertson replaces Kaleb Trask, hoping to make his debut in the number 22 jersey.

Clayton says his side took a very simple gameplan into the Taranaki match, and their approach will remain unchanged for tomorrow night's encounter.

"We're not going to stray too far from what worked for us last week,” he says.

'Our guys operate well when they're really clear as to what their roles are and what we want to achieve as a team.

"We've only had two trainings since the first match and if you try to throw too much in you can get yourself in a tangle, so we will try to avoid that.”

Adding spice to the match the Chiefs Country Cup, currently in the possession of the Steamers after the Taranaki win, will be up for grabs. The trophy is a Chiefs innovation to boost friendly rivalry between their four partner unions, and goes on the line on a challenge basis every time two of the four teams meet.

Bay of Plenty Steamers lineup to meet Counties Manukau Thursday night at 7:35 at Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe:

(Steamers caps in brackets)

1 James Lay (11), 2 Liam Polwart (15) (C), 3 Jeff Thwaites (22), 4 Kane Le'aupepe (1), 5 Aaron Carroll (1), 6 Tyler Ardron (7), 7 Mitch Karpik (7), 8 Hoani Matenga (1), 9 Richard Judd (11), 10 Mike Delany (73) (VC), 11 Mathew Garland (4), 12 Terrence Hepetema (20), 13 Liam Steel (5), 14 Fa'asiu Fuatai (1), 15 Chase Tiatia (27).

Reserves:

16 Angus MacDonald (1), 17 Solomona Sakalia (34), 18 Ross Geldenhuys (1), 19 Baden Wardlaw (1)/Tanerau Latimer (79) (VC), 20 Zane Kapeli (1), 21 Luke Campbell (17), 22 Jason Robertson*, 23 Trael Joass (1)