Club Rugby: How do the contenders shape up?
Make sure you sign up with The Southland Tribune to get our extensive club rugby coverage sent to you throughout the season.
Six clubs will scrap it out for the prized Galbraith Shield - Southland club rugby’s symbol of supremacy. Logan Savory takes a look at how those teams shape up ahead of Saturday’s kick-off.
EASTERN-NORTHERN BARBARIANS
Coach: AJ Aitken
Key Players: Morgan Mitchell, Troy McIvor, Mykel Sleeman, Tom Scanlan, Liam Ferguson, Woody Kirkwood, Tom Simmers, Harrison Morton, Brenton Howden, Ben Hill, Jacob Coghlan, Taylor Peterson, Angus Simmers, Connor Collins.
Interesting Recruit: Zack Donovan. The Dunedin-based No 8, who has previously played for Kaikorai in Dunedin, has this year chosen to commute to play his rugby in Southland, with the hope to push for a representative opportunity. Donovan has previously been part of the Highlanders U20s but missed Otago Bs selection last season.
One to Watch: Crenshaw Conroy. Conroy was a key figure in the 2024 Southland Boys’ High School first XV and by all accounts, the young midfielder has slotted in nicely into the Barbarians setup for what will be his first season of senior rugby.
Big Year For: Woody Kirkwood. After a standout campaign with Southland B in 2023, and a strong club season in 2024, Kirkwood was rewarded with a Stags contract for the 2024 NPC. Cruelly the lock suffered a serious knee injury in a preseason outing against Otago in Gore ruling him out of the entire NPC season. He is still on the comeback trail and isn’t expected to feature for the Barbarians until midway through the club season. But lock is a position the Southland Stags appear to be light in so there will be some hope he gets back to his best. In the meantime, Kirkwood has assumed the role of Barbarians forwards coach.
The veteran: Lachie McCall. McCall is a Barbarians original joining the team for its first season in 2012 and is back in 2025 ready to go around again. He will provide the Barbarians with some handy cover at both hooker and in the looseforwards.
Comings and Goings: Bretton Taylor has handed on the coaching reins this season with AJ Aitken stepping in to take on the role.
Taylor’s son Caine, who has been a key figure for the Barbarians in the looseforwards in recent seasons, also won’t be back. He instead has opted to travel to Dunedin to play for Taieri this season.
There’s also some doubt whether Stags looseforward Leroy Ferguson will or won’t be back. Ferguson has had knee surgery in the off season, and much may depend on whether he links back up with the Stags this season.
The recruitment of No 8 Zach Donovan from Kaikorai in Dunedin will help fill a gap in the loosefowards, while Ben Hill has impressed in a couple of preseason outings and is set to play a bigger role in 2025.
Former North Otago back Ben McCarthy was a handy pick-up last season but he won’t be returning this season. However, the Barbarians have been boosted with young midfielder Crenshaw Conroy joining them in his first year out of the Southland Boys’ High School first XV.
The Barbarians will get a further boost late in the season when Stags halfback Connor Collins joins them at the crunch time of the competition.
With the club rugby season starting a week earlier this year, there is a small crossover in the summer/winter codes, which will see brothers Liam and Ryan McFaul miss round one on Saturday as they tend to the ILT Premier League club cricket final with Waikoikoi.
Tribune Predication: Beaten semifinalists... The Barbarians will again roll out one of the stronger forward packs in the competition and that should see them feature at the pointy end of the season. The Gore-based team will - like most teams - need to stay healthy to ensure their depth isn’t tested, particularly in the backline department.
MARIST
Coach: Derek Manson
Key Players: Liam McIntosh, James Moodie, Hunter Areaiiti-Burgess, Hemi Raimona, Max Briant, Ben Fotheringham, Jackson Bevin, Jordie O’Connell, Riley Hika, Aiden Harrington, Mike Moodie, Keanu Kahukura, Will Murray, Te Huia Wilson, Curtis Tarrant.
Interesting Recruit: Max Briant. Briant - a lock - has previously been in the wider Crusaders U20s system and played his recent rugby for Lincoln in Christchurch before transferring south for a shot in Southland.
One to Watch: Liam McIntosh. The former Southland Boys’ High School prop has played his recent club rugby in Dunedin but has remained aligned with Southland rugby. McIntosh has featured at U20 level for the Highlanders and the youngster is now on the verge of some Stags game time in 2025.
Big Year For: Jackson Bevin. The looseforward was Marist’s best in 2024 and, in fact, one of the standouts across the competition. He is on the Stags radar and after a big offseason will be hoping to again put his best foot forward with Marist in 2025.
The veteran: Will Murray. The outside back has been around the Southland rugby scene for some time now which included one appearance for the Stags in 2013. He’s played a bit for Blues and a lot for Marist in Southland rugby and his return will provide some added experience out wide for Marist in 2025.
Comings and Goings: The big losses for Marist are in the propping department with Hamdahn Tuipulotu and Tevita Pole initially expected to be back playing in Southland but that’s now not the case.
The Miller St boys have been bolstered by the recruitment of promising prop Liam McIntosh, but they still appear to be very light in the propping department.
The club is looking at securing a prop from Fiji to help ease the concerns, as well as a midfielder from Fiji.
Other losses for Marist in the forwards are Kaiawha Walker, who will line up for Bluff this year, and Aleki Saili who has headed to Australia.
Although lock Ben Fotheringham has returned from overseas in what is a significant boost for Marist.
The return of Will Murray in the midfield is also a plus, while Scott Eade’s playing involvement might be limited given his growing coaching commitments.
Although Eade is closing in on 150 games for Marist so expect him to be in the green-and-black jersey at some stage throughout the season.
Tribune Prediction: Beaten semifinalists…. Expect a better showing from Marist in 2025 with a much more settled lineup this year compared to 12 months ago after they lost a lot of players. Although there still could be issues around depth in certain positions, particularly at prop, which could hurt.
WOODLANDS
Coach: Richard Jones
Captain: Liam Howley
Key Players: Ken Singleton, Brian Tyrell, Jason Rutledge, Nathan Va'atausili, Alex Yallop, Justin Shaw, Caleb Karangaroa, Liam Howley, Sean Howlett, Tauasosi Tuimavave, Fletcher Morgan.
Interesting recruit: Nathan Va'atausili. Va'atausili is not new to Woodlands or Southland rugby after previously playing for the club and making one appearance for the Stags as a flanker during the 2020 NPC. Va'atausili has returned to Southland this year as a converted hooker. He has been playing for the Bay of Plenty Development team but hasn’t been able to get any NPC game time. He’ll try to make a case for a spot in the Stags through Southland club rugby.
One to Watch: Fletcher Morgan. The outside back has previously been a fringe player in Canterbury before lining up for Thames Valley at the Heartland Championship level. He earned selection in the New Zealand Heartland XV and was last year named Thames Valley’s MVP. Morgan has now moved to Southland to link with Woodlands and push his case for some opportunities at the NPC level. He has got some game time for the Highlanders Bravehearts in recent weeks.
Big Year For: Alex Yallop. The lock has previously been part of the Canterbury B setup and Crusaders junior system before moving to Southland last year. He played for Southland B last year and after a big off-season, where Yallop has added some bulk, there will be some hope he can push for Stags selection. Yallop got some game time with the Highlanders Bravehearts last weekend.
The veteran: Jason Rutledge. It wouldn’t be an annual Southland club rugby preview without the name Jason Rutledge featuring. At 47 years old, Rutledge will again line up for Woodlands in 2025; 26 years after he played his first senior game for the club.
Comings & Goings: The most notable losses for Woodlands come in the propping department with Stags props Joe Walsh and Paula Latu both not contracted to Southland for 2025 and have since departed.
Backs Corey McKay, Kynan Stowers-Smith, and Sione Baker - who were with Woodlands last season in an attempt to push for Stags honours - have also now left Southland.
On the flip side, Woodlands has been busy in the off-season picking up some handy recruits.
Included in the notable pickups are outside back Fletcher Morgan, hooker Nathan Va'atausili, and looseforward Caleb Karangaroa.
Karangaroa has previously been involved in the Australian U18 squad and has been part of the Western Force academy.
He then linked with West Coast to play in New Zealand’s Heartland Championship last year before now making the move to Southland to search for further opportunities.
Another key recruit for Woodlands is prop Ken Singleton. The former Southland Boys’ High School first XV player has been playing his rugby in Canterbury in recent years where he was studying.
Although he has remained connected to Southland rugby which included last year lining up for the Southland Development team.
While not new to Woodlands, the return of first five-eighth Sean Howlett following an injury break will also be a boost to Woodlands’ 2025 chances.
Tribune Prediction: Beaten finalists… Woodlands has managed to pick up some handy players in the offseason which should put them in a reasonable position to go one better than their semifinal finish last year. Woodlands will also need to stay relatively injury-free in certain positions to make a grand final appearance a reality.
PIRATES-OLD BOYS
Coach: Dayna Cunningham
Key Players: Josh Harwood, Shaun Kempton, JJ Fisher, Dustin Coveney, Ben Keenan, Hayden Hagerty, Kane O’Connor, Josh Murrell, Kaea Nikora-Balloch, Greg Dyer, Materua Tupou, Jaye Thompson, Isaac Rounds.
Interesting Recruit: Kane O’Connor. The former Chiefs U20s halfback has been a fringe player in Bay of Plenty for a while now and has opted to make the move to Southland to play club rugby in the hope of pushing his case to play at the higher level.
One to Watch: Thomas Jennings. After progressing to the New Zealand Secondary Schools team last year, the teenage tighthead prop has joined Pirates-Old Boys for his first season of senior rugby. Jennings is currently in Taupo with the Highlanders U20s.
Big Year For: Kaea Nikora-Balloch. After a couple of strong club seasons for Pirates-Old Boys, the young first five-eighth picked up his first Stags contract for the 2024 NPC season. While part of the 2024 Stags squad, Nikora-Balloch got limited game time and his target in 2025 will be to push for more time in the 23.
The veteran: Craig Smith. The former Stags lock joined Pirates-Old Boys in 2007 and, barring one season when he was in England, he has played every season since. He will again play an important role in the Pirates-Old Boys second row this season.
Comings and Goings: Pirates-Old Boys has had a settled line up for a few seasons now with a limited turnover in players compared to other clubs.
Although they have lost a couple of key loose forwards in 2024 captain Jacob Harrex and former Stags openside Matt James.
Harrex has headed overseas while James has been battling some hip niggles, and this week made the call to retire from rugby.
Pirates-Old Boys do still have some quality club looseforwards to call on in the likes of Dustin Coveney, Ben Keenan, and Hayden Haggerty. They could also potentially be boosted with the arrival of another looseforward through the club’s Japanese connections.
Former Fijian international hooker Talemaitoga Tuapati will help in a coaching role this year but will step in and play when required.
Pirates-Old Boys is well served in the hooking ranks with the likes of Shaun Kempton, Josh Harwood, and Alex Fraito all in the mix.
The Surrey Park-based club should again have plenty of points in them with some strike power in the backline, most notably Jaye Thompson who has been one of Southland club rugby’s best attacking threats for a good part of a decade.
In Kaea Nikora-Balloch and Greg Dyer Pirates-Old Boys also have a couple of accomplished game drivers at club level to run the show.
Tribune Prediction: Galbraith Shield champions…. Pirates-Old Boys progressed to the 2024 Galbraith Shield and gave a quality Star outfit a decent shake. Given the bulk of the squad has returned for another crack in 2025 they should start the season as competition favorites. Across most positions, Pirates-Old Boys has one thing that most other clubs don’t, and that’s depth. That will give them the luxury of resting a player to two when niggles creep up throughout the season.

STAR
Coach: Brayden Mitchell
Key Players: Nick Souchon, Keflar Morrison, Cordell Prescott, Lachlan Springford, Josh Bekhuis, Zyon Walters, Dylan Lovett, Daniel Low, Byron Smith, Nate Corbett, Fale Iosefo, Hughan Sharp.
Interesting recruit/s: Thomas Curry & Harry Fuller. Through Chris McIlwrick’s Wales connection Star has picked up a couple of players from Welsh club Carmarthen Warriors which McIlwrick played for. Curry and Fuller have made the journey to Southland as a rugby adventure with Curry to line up in the looseforwards and Fuller as an outside back.
One to Watch: Nick Souchon. Souchon has been involved in the Stags setup for the past couple of seasons and will this year make it a fulltime stint in Southland, which includes playing club rugby. After some time with the Hurricanes, which included a debut this month, Souchon will now link with Star in Invercargill.
Big Year For: Byron Smith. The Stags first five-eighth is recovering from hip surgery and won’t feature for Star until late in the club season. But 2025 shapes as an important one in Smith’s rugby journey.
The Veteran: Mana Harrison. A couple of weeks shy of his 44th birthday, the former Stags wing is bracing for another season of premier club rugby. Last season Harrison lined up for the Blues Senior B team and also filled in at premier club level for a couple of games. But this year he is returning to the Star Rugby Club - a club where in 2011 he was named in an all-time Star team which coincided with the club’s 125th anniversary.
Comings & Goings: The defending champions have a lengthy list of off-season losses. It includes almost the entire starting 15 of the Star team that beat Pirates-Old Boys in the 2024 Galbraith Shield final.
No 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa - who is now playing at Super Rugby level for Moana Pasifika - is probably the biggest loss. Not far behind is its inspirational leader Jordan Stewart who has work commitments in Central Otago.
2024 Stags halfback Lachie Albert has also headed back to Australia and has taken brothers Jayden and Nick Henderson, along with fullback Cole Spinks, with him. They will all line up in the Shute Shield competition in Sydney.
Stags prop Jack Sexton is part of the Highlanders wider setup and will now play for Taieri in Dunedin this season. Another big loss is hard-hitting hooker Kaya Symon.
Halfback Hayden Edgley has been one of Star’s best in recent seasons, but he has opted not to line up again in 2025.
Former Samoan sevens representative Johnny Vaili also won’t be back for a second season with Star, with prop Leo Wiki-Quest, lock Lachie Devereux, wing Richie Kuresa, and prop Campbell Addenbrooke other players who also won’t be back this year for Star.
While Star hasn’t been able to fill all the gaps, they have some new additions, headlined by hooker Nic Souchon who this month made his Super Rugby debut for the Hurricanes. Souchon is expected to be available for Star from round three.
Prop Jacob Stewart has returned after a break to line up for Star this season, and the propping stocks have also been boosted with Stefano Mazaeda joining Star in his first year out of Southland Boys’ High School.
Meanwhile last year’s Otago Boys’ High School first XV halfback Jackson Hughan has made the shift south to join the Rugby Southland academy and has linked with Star.
Promising midfielder Nate Corbett - the grandson of late Star legend and Southland prop Chris Corbett - has also joined Star this year.
Lock Sam White is stepping up from the Star Bs this season, while midfielder Ryan White has transferred from Kaikorai in Dunedin to join Star.
Tribune Prediction: Missing the playoffs… It will take a mammoth effort for Star to bounce back after losing almost its entire starting 15 from last year, as well as a host of other key players. There have been a couple of handy off-season pick-ups but whether those recruits are enough to have Star again pushing for a playoff berth is the key question.
BLUES
Coaches: Ben Paulin, Mike Cunningham, James Wilson
Key Players: Connor Morrison, TJ Gallen, Albert Qoro, Jay Naqianvalu, Billy Andrew, Hamish Gray, Connor Rous, Sione Kaufononga, Connor Bolton, Tim Winsloe, Kelepi Holi, Brad Kooman.
Interesting Recruit: Connor Rous. Rous will join Blues this year from Australia where it’s understood he has been in and around the Brumbies system. He will look to state a case for a chance with the Stags at NPC level.
One to Watch: Billy Andrew. The young looseforward had an outstanding 2023 season and was a player on the rise until a broken leg early last year ruled him out of the majority of the 2024 club season. There will be interest around if he can get back to that form he showed in 2023 through the 2025 season.
Big Year For: Brad Kooman. In previous years Kooman has been one of Southland rugby’s more exciting attacking threats both in the sevens game and for Blues at fullback. Kooman only managed one appearance for the Stags in 2020 and later departed for Taranaki where he made two further NPC appearances in 2023 and 2024. The 25-year-old is now back in Southland and again looms as a Stags contender.
The veteran: Daniel Townson. Townson joined the Blues straight out of school in 2002 and has been putting his body on the line for the club ever since. He’s now closing in on the remarkable 300-game feat for Blues.
Comings & Goings: Blues has been dealt a double blow at hooker with 2024 Stags hooker Jacob Payne now playing in Christchurch and Tupou Kaufononga heading to Australia. It makes hooker a really troublesome area for Blues heading into the 2025 season.
There is also a real shortage of props, with just Ben Soper and Jeremy Borland at this stage on hand to hold up the scrum.
A key loss for Blues out wide is Osika Kaufononga, who had been one of their main attacking threats in recent years. Although his departure has been offset by the return of Brad Kooman to the province after a stint in Taranaki.
Blues also appear to have picked up a handy halfback in Connor Rous from Australia, while the return of looseforward Billy Andrew after missing most of last season through injury should not be underestimated.
Probably the biggest recruit comes in the coaching department with Stags coach James Wilson stepping in to help his beloved Blues club in a coaching capacity this season.
The Prediction: Missing playoffs… At 31 titles, Blues has the record for the club with the most Galbraith Shield titles, although it would be a shock for that number to increase in 2024. They are likely to lack the firepower in certain positions, particularly in the front row, that some other contenders possess.
ROUND ONE GAMES
(Home teams first - all games 3pm Saturday)
Star v Pirates-Old Boys
Blues v Marist
Woodlands v Eastern-Northern Barbarians