Potential volunteer problem attached to schools comp
Sav's Sidelines - the weekly column that looks at Southland rugby, from the grassroots to the professional ranks.
This week’s Sav’s Sidelines column takes a look at a potential returnee to the Stags in 2025, it highlights how the Highlanders might regret snoozing on another Stag, and the column also shares the SBHS first XV coach’s thoughts on the proposed new South Island competition.
Potential volunteer problem attached to proposed comp…
Southland Boys’ High School first XV coach Jason Dermody believes, for the good of schoolboy rugby in the South Island, a proposed new “Super” schools competition should go ahead.
Although Dermody - who led Southland Boys’ to a national title in 2023 - does see some problems for volunteers attached to first XV rugby, including himself.
Boys’ schools across the South Island are proposing a new first XV competition that would bring together teams from the Crusaders’ Miles Toyota Premiership and the Highlanders’ Southern Schools Rugby Championship.
The competition would involve teams from as far north as Marlborough and Nelson, right down to the deep south in Southland.
How the competition would work, both logistically and financially, hasn’t been revealed, although it is understood a potential sponsorship backer has been lined up.
Dermody told The Tribune he hasn’t directly been involved in any of the discussions about the proposed concept. The school’s rector, Ray Laurenson, is taking care of that.
“For schoolboy rugby, I think it needs to go ahead. For me personally, it is tough having a family,” Dermody said.
“It is alright going away for a Saturday, but when they talk about a Super round, and I think it could be tough on the coaching staff, especially people who are volunteers, which most of us are.
“In the scheme of things, I think it is what has to go ahead for South Island rugby, but logistically for us, I think it’s going to be a nightmare.”
Southland Boys’ High School at this stage is warm favourites to take out the Highlanders-wide Southern Schools Championship in 2025 with its unbeaten run to date.
Can the Highlanders afford to snooze on Faletoi Peni?…
The Highlanders had a recruitment shocker when they showed little to no interest in young Stags No 8 Semisi Tupou Taeiloa at the end of last year.
There’s another Stag who could end up with a similar story, which may or may not result in the Highlanders’ recruitment department kicking themselves again.
Tupou Taeiloa’s journey has been well-documented. Here’s the shortened version.
After the Highlanders snub, Rugby Southland arranged for the 21-year-old to spend some time with Moana Pasifika in preseason, they liked what they saw, and then Tupou Taeiloa ended up being Moana Pasifika’s Rookie of the Year.
Faletoi Peni appears to be following a similar path.
The second five-eighth impressed on his way to being named the Stags’ Rookie of the Year in 2024.
And by Peni’s own admission, he made his outstanding mark in Southland despite being unfit and out of shape.
The 26-year-old returned to Southland on Friday to build towards the start of the 2025 NPC on August 2.
He promises he will “definitely be in better nick” heading into his second campaign with the Stags this year.
Peni spent some time in the off-season playing for the New England Free Jacks in the United States. It was an ideal growth opportunity as he focused fully on being a pro rugby player.
Although that US stint was cut short when he picked up a scary spinal injury. He returned to New Zealand early.
Encouragingly, Peni has recovered well. It was arranged for him to spend some time training with Moana Pasifika at the back end of the Super Rugby season.
“I had some good chats with [Moana Pasifika] and feedback. They were stoked with the way things are moving.
“They are really keen; they just want to see some games from me throughout this NPC.”
It could be a career-defining campaign with the Stags for Peni, and he knows it.
A strong second season with Southland, and he should find himself playing Super Rugby.
“At this point, I’ll take anything, but Moana Pasifika is probably the only realistic option I am aiming at right now.
“And just with the move and the shift [Moana Pasifika] are doing, who wouldn’t want to be part of that?” Peni told The Tribune about his Super Rugby prospects.
The question is this: Can the Highlanders afford not to also be looking to Peni as a genuine game-breaking option?
And if they snooze on Peni, as they did Tupou Taeiloa, will there be more red faces at Highlanders HQ after missing another player who is right under their noses in the deep south?
There’s no doubt there have been some question marks around Peni’s conditioning. Prospective Super Rugby teams will be wary of that.
But the 26-year-old is a unique player who offers a rare skillset that should prompt some attention.
In the right environment, Peni could and should be a quality Super Rugby player.
Peni is just as at home as a powerful ball-carrying second five-eighth as he is as a silky-skilled first five-eighth.
He isn’t sure himself which of those two positions is his best.
“That’s the question I get asked all of the time. I don’t really know, to be honest. I just want to be on the field, to be fair.
“Whether it is at 12 or 10, I will always try and put my best foot forward.”
Wherever he ends up playing for the Stags, there’s some excitement in Southland around what Peni could deliver in a maroon jersey this year.
And he’s feeling a bit more prepared second time around with the Stags after arriving in Southland last year, initially, on a four-week trial, and hardly knowing anyone.
“It’s a lot easier now, it’s not strange or anything anymore. I’ve made some good friends down here.”
Peni made an immediate mark in his Southland club debut on Saturday, coming on at halftime in the 39-32 win over Star.
Will this former Highlander be back in maroon?…
Former Highlanders back Scott Gregory is set for a return to New Zealand rugby, and it appears the Southland Stags are the frontrunners to lock in his services for the 2025 NPC season.
Since departing New Zealand in 2023, Gregory has been playing for Italian club Zebre Parma in the United Rugby Championship.
Gregory emerged as a teenage star in 2018 while playing for his home province, Northland. He also represented New Zealand in the Sevens format and at Under-20 level.
In 2020, he joined the Highlanders, where he played in 34 Super Rugby matches.
During that time, Gregory also decided to make a provincial switch from Northland to Southland.
It’s understood that both Northland and Southland were interested in locking Gregory in on his return to New Zealand, but it seems he has decided to rejoin the Stags.
Gregory played 13 games for Southland in 2022 and 2023, and we probably did not see the best of him, for various reasons.
The 26-year-old spent most of that time with the Stags at second five-eighth, and at times it felt like he was used as a bit of a battering ram.
Southland looks to be already well served in the midfield department heading into the 2025 season.
There’s a lot of excitement around what 2024 Rookie of the Year Faletoi Peni might produce at second five-eighth, with New Zealand U20 player Tayne Harvey, as well Matt Whaanga, other contenders for the 12 jersey.
The 2024 first-choice centre, Isaac Te Tamaki, is also back in 2025.
It’s likely that Gregory will be used in the outside backs, rather than in the midfield, during his second stint with the Stags.
