Southland Stags: 17% first-half territory, no problems
Southland Stags: 17% first-half territory, no problems
“It’s been a tough old year. Coming into this storm week, it was always going to show what we’ve got with an 80-minute performance and I feel like we showed it today."
Southland 37 (Jay Renton 2, Tevita Latu, Scott Gregory, Matt Whaanga tries; Marty Banks 3 con, pen, Dan Hollinshead pen) Manawatū 12 (John Poland, Brayden Iose tries; Beaudein Waaka con). HT: 14-5
There you go Southland Stags fans, there’s something for you to smile about as you search for the jandals and clean the BBQ in preparation for summer.
The Stags have finished an otherwise disappointing 2023 NPC campaign on a high note.
In its 10th and final game of 2023, Southland has avoided a winless season with a 37-12 victory over Manawatu on Sunday.
It also ended a road trip hoodoo for Southland given Sunday was its first victory away from home since 2015.
The Stags had every excuse to come up short on Sunday given they were playing their third game in eight days at the end of their “storm week”.
But instead, we got a performance that the Stags have been threatening to produce all season.
Southland led 14-5 at halftime on the back of just 17% territory playing into a strong wind in the first half.
Those 14 points come on the back of two tries to halfback Jay Renton.
Tevita Latu helped extend it out to 21-5 lead early in the second half after scoring on the back of a nice Blair Ryall offload.
When Marty Banks then used the strong wind to bang a 50m-plus penalty to go up 24-5 at the 46min mark, Southland found itself in unfamiliar territory.
Manawatu threatened a comeback, but the Southland defence dug deep.
And to cap it off the Stags scored two tries in the final five minutes to push the final score out to 37-12 and ensure the end-of-season drinks will taste a little better.
Flanker Leroy Ferguson was immense in the win. He has emerged as a real find in 2023. Fullback Rory van Vugt also turned in his best performance in 2023 the final outing on Sunday.
Lock Mike McKee was another standout. Speaking after Sunday’s game McKee said he was proud of his team.
“It’s been a tough old year. Coming into this storm week, it was always going to show what we’ve got with an 80-minute performance and I feel like we showed it today,” he told Sky Sport.
“We’ve got what it takes. I feel like today was one of our better games and to do it on our last game, I can’t be prouder of the boys.”
Undoubtedly, the Stags group of 2023 deserved Sunday’s result following the effort that’s been put in.
But the reality is when the season reviews start in the coming days Sunday won’t mask the season as a whole.
Speaking before Sunday’s win over Manawatu, Stags co-coach James Wilson didn’t hide his frustration as to how the season had played out.
Before the season he was targeting a winning season, so more than a 50%-win rate. That was shot at the midway point in the campaign.
“When you look at the season and how it’s panned out, from my perspective right now, it’s been pretty disappointing.
“We had goals that we haven’t crossed off. It’s always disappointing and it’s something we will have to look into a go a bit deeper into what went wrong and how we can be better.”
Wilson pointed to some continuity in the coming years as a key to finally finding some more wins at the NPC level.
“For Southland to be better we need to have plans in place for the next three years. We need consistency right across the board.
“Obviously the players are a big part of it. It is keeping that group together to turn this province into being successful.
“From top to bottom, everyone needs to be better. That’s including us as management, the guys in the office working hard, community rugby, everyone needs to be better for us to be successful.”
Keep an eye on The Southland Tribune this week as we delve into how the 2023 season played out. It will include The Roaring Pen podcast’s special annual Golden Antler podcast.