Spotlight on Southland Sport: Friday Edition
Enjoy your Friday Southland sports read. We'll be back in a couple of days with our Sunday sport special.
Welcome to The Southland Tribune’s Spotlight on Sport: Friday Edition offering. We’ll be back with our Sunday Sports Special in a couple of days.
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Southland connection: Invercargill's 19-year Davis Cup wait over
Tennis New Zealand CEO Julie Paterson knew there was a venue that needed to be chucked into the mix for its latest Davis Cup. When it became obvious that Tennis New Zealand needed an indoor complex for a September Davis Cup showdown, Paterson quickly threw up ILT Stadium Southland in Invercargill as an option. (READ MORE HERE).
King of Te Anau eyes all-important Davis Cup showdown
“All of the top [New Zealand] players have played events in Te Anau before and I was really keen to get a Davis Cup event in this region, especially Te Anau. So, it’s great that we are close by.” (READ MORE HERE).
Pacy Stags wing living out little kid's dream
“I was born down here so I thought it would be pretty cool. I wrote down when I was six years old a dream to play for the Stags. So I thought, ‘I’m going to jump on this and see where it takes me’. Here I am.” (READ MORE HERE).
Leitch aims to extend Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe Championship lead
Having taken his maiden victory at the last round of the 2023 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe Championship in Germany, Southland driver Brendon Leitch is hungry for more heading to the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Cheste (Spain) this weekend. (READ MORE HERE).
The Roaring Pen podcast: Featuring Michael Manson
Listen here:
Southland Stags winger Michael Manson, fresh from becoming only the third Southlander to score a hat-trick of tries in an NPC first-division fixture enters The Roaring Pen to discuss the three tries, his rugby story, and why the move that led to his first try on Saturday was named "Cheeseburger." (SPOILER: He doesn't know)
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(Out & About)
New Zealand v Thailand Davis Cup tennis - Friday & Saturday - ILT Stadium Southland
Don’t miss out tennis fans. For the first time since 2004 Invercargill will host a Davis Cup tie when New Zealand take on Thailand.
The action starts at 4pm on Friday and 12 noon on Sunday.
Prepare to be blown away by the standard of tennis.
(On the Couch)
Southland Stags v Canterbury - Sunday, 2.05pm - Sky Sport
Our mates up in Counties Manukau might not have done us too much of a favour by tipping up Canterbury in the Wednesday night NPC fixture.
Southland gets to take on a Canterbury team on the rebound in Christchurch on Sunday afternoon.
In case you missed it…
Father-son combo: Gregor Rutledge has captained Southland Boys’ High School to its first national rugby title, and many are picking a bright future for the 17-year-old loose forward. Although he has circled a game of senior rugby with his father Jason as the next special rugby moment he’d love to tick off. (READ MORE HERE).
Mayoral reception: At Wednesday’s Invercargill mayoral reception, Mayor Nobby Clark, Rugby Southland CEO Steve Mitchell, and Rugby Southland board chairperson Murray Brown all expressed how proud they and the community are for what the Southland Boys’ High School first XV has achieved by becoming national champions. Check out what Mitchell had to say in the below video….
Injury news: Loosehead prop Joe Walsh is expected to miss the rest of the Southland Stags season because of injury. Walsh left the field in the second half of the Stags’ 39-29 loss to Counties on Saturday with a calf injury. (READ MORE HERE).
