Bay of Plenty Steamers New Zealand cup. Bay of Plenty would reach the quarter-finals losing to Auckland 45–14 at Eden Park. 2007 was a dreadful year for the Steamers winning only one match and finishing 13th. 2008 was a better year for the Steamers winning their first four matches and finishing 4th. They hosted the quarter finals where they lost to Southland 45–11 at Mt Maunganui. 2009 began like 2008 with the Steamers winning their first four matches. They would win against significant opposition including Wellington, Waikato and Canterbury, However disappointing losses to North Harbour, Otago and Taranaki would see the Steamers finish 7th.
Bay of Plenty become a popular attraction as the number of whales such as blue whales and humpback whales migrating into bay waters began to recover. The Bay of Plenty has 227 km of rail network and 4,460 km of roads. The main rail line in the region is the East Coast Main Trunk Railway, which extends from Hamilton in the Waikato region to Kawerau via Tauranga, with the Murupara Branch Railway extending the Kawerau terminus to Murupara, and the Mount Maunganui Branch connecting the Mount Maunganui terminus with the East Coast Main Trunk. Rail networks in the region are used exclusively for