No 'poaching' at play in Stags midfielder's move to Northland
“I went through the front door, I don’t want to be poaching players because I know it’s bloody tough.”
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Northland coach Dale MacLeod says he “went through the front door” when grabbing Southland Stags midfielder Tevita Latu to play for the Taniwha this year.
The Stags will head to Whangarei on Friday night to take on Northland in a round four NPC fixture that has some added intrigue attached.
MacLeod spent five years with the Stags from 2018 to 2022 with two of those years as an assistant coach under Dave Hewett and three as head coach.
Many of the current Stags player were introduced to NPC rugby under MacLeod’s watch.
On top of that, the current Northland squad includes three former Stags - prop Chris Apoua, halfback Lisati Milo-Harris, and Latu.
Latu’s shift north this year coincided with Northland appointing MacLeod as its new head coach.
Latu played 17 matches for the Stags from 2019 to 2023 with eight of those games played last season.
Injury hindered his time in Southland, although it felt like we started to see a glimpse of his ability in 2023 - particularly through his off-loading abilities.
Latu was playing club rugby for Sydenham in Christchurch earlier this year when MacLeod’s son Jack - who is Sydenham’s captain - suggested to his father he should look at Latu for Northland.
MacLeod said he initially thought Latu was returning to Southland.
He then watched Latu play in Christchurch and was impressed. MacLeod said he then touched base with then Rugby Southland CEO Steve Mitchell and Stags co-coach James Wilson about Latu.
“I said to them if you guys aren’t going to have him, I will grab him. For whatever reason they didn’t so he moved up here.
“I went through the front door; I don’t want to be poaching players because I know it’s bloody tough.”
Latu had struggled at times with his fitness in Southland, although MacLeod was pleased with how Latu has played through the first three rounds of the NPC season.
“He’s been performing well for us; he’s going very well. All he needed to do was to get fit. He’s working hard and he’s a very intelligent rugby player and has a good skill set.
“When we first got him [to Southland] from Auckland he was the club player of the year and made the [Auckland] team, but never got a game.”
The midfield has also been an encouraging area for the Southland Stags to date in 2024 with the return of Isaac Te Tamaki and the introduction of Faletoi Peni who has been a real find in the Stags jersey.
It sets up an interesting midfield battle on Friday night.
Like Latu, Peni was Auckland club player of the year before opting to head south for an opportunity with the Stags.
MacLeod said it has been a weird week this week digging through the video to preview his team’s showdown against a team he once coached - Southland.
He was complimentary about what he had seen from Southland to date this season.
Like Northland, Southland has a one-win two-loss record to date.
“They are very similar to what I’ve always known about them. They are gritty, they are tough, and they have got some real talent.
“They’ve obviously had some injuries, but they are hearty.”
MacLeod departed Southland at the end of 2022 NPC season to take a fulltime role with Moana Pasifika as an assistant coach while also helping the Tonga national team.
He finished up with Moana Pasifika at the end 2023, when head coach Aaron Mauger moved on, and he was then successful in landing the Northland head coaching job.
MacLeod had previously been an assistant in Northland from 2015 to 2017.
The challenges Southland and Northland had were similar around player depth, and resourcing, MacLeod said.
While both were located at one end of the country, he did note Southland probably had added travel to contend with given Northland was one of 10 North Island NPC teams.
“With Southland, there would often be two, three flights. That’s a challenge.”
MacLeod was happy enough with what Northland has shown through the first three rounds this season.
“We are really happy with where we are getting to… We played Canterbury and I believe we were the better team on the day, they just got five penalties and kicked to the corner, mauled, and got five maul tries. And we had a couple of times when we got over the line and they didn’t go upstairs and if we had got one of them, we could have come away with two bonus points at worst.
“We come back up home and we had a slow start against Manawatu but finished strong. We then went down [to Napier] for the Shield game and Hawke’s Bay brought in some of their guns who had been rested and they were very good.
“We rattled them a bit, but they are a very good side.”
“I’m happy with where the group is, we are growing and will be very competitive. But if we get injuries that’s what will undo us.”
Kick-off on Friday night is set for 7.05pm with the Heta (Peter) Tetai Trophy up for grabs.
SBS Bank Southland Stags team to play Northland:
Jack Sexton
Jack Taylor
Morgan Mitchell
Mitch Dunshea
Shneil Singh
Sean Withy (C)
Dylan Nel
Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa
Jay Renton
Jake Stachan
Charlie Powell
Faletoi Peni
Isaac Te Tamaki
Viliami Fine
Rory van Vugt
16.Nic Souchon
17.Hunter Fahey
18.Hamdahn Tuipulotu
19.Josh Bekhuis
20.Leroy Ferguson
21.Lachie Albert
22.Byron Smith
23.Angus Simmers
Not considered due to injury: Daniel Maiava, Paula Latu, Connor Collins, Blair Ryall, Matt Whaanga, Michael Manson, Joe Walsh, Hayden Michaels, Woody Kirkwood (season-ending).