Spotlight on Southland Sport: Friday Edition
Plenty of sport to delve into in this week's Spotlight on Sport: Friday Edition. Enjoy the read.
Welcome to The Southland Tribune’s Spotlight on Sport: Friday Edition offering. We’ll be back again on Sunday with our “Sunday Special”.
Club Rugby: Competition tipped on its head with bizarre midweek results
Logan Savory wraps up round eight Southland premier club rugby action played on Thursday night. It included a big win to Marist, a well-deserved confidence booster for Blues, and the Barbarians being made to work very hard to keep its unbeaten 2023 record intact. (READ MORE HERE).
Club rugby: 15 players who have impressed to date
Logan Savory identifies 15 players who have impressed through round one of Southland’s premier club rugby competition. He shows his appreciation of the art of the frontrow and starts by naming three props. (READ MORE HERE). (Paid subscriber content).
Q&A: The sporting love that started with a bribe and ended up with national success
“My dream is to go to the Commonwealth Games in 2034 when they are in NZ and maybe win some more national titles.” We quiz talented 14-year-old athlete Abby Boyle about how she got involved in the sport, why she loves it so much, and what she’s achieved to date. (READ MORE HERE).
Kate Burley, a netball defender of the highest degree
From a psychological perspective, defender Kate Burley now boasts the right credentials to conduct a post-season analysis for her netball team. The formidable Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel defender graduates on Friday from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Science, double major in physiology and psychology. (READ MORE HERE).
Round 11: Tribune Super Rugby picks panel….
Overall standings: Scott Eade (252 points), Jason Rutledge (227), Matt Saunders (202).
Five points are allocated for each winner picked, and a bonus point if the margin is also correct.
Southland Mountain Bike Club’s annual Winter XC Series returns
This weekend sees the return of one of the best-attended cycling events on the local calendar - the Southland Mountain Bike Club’s annual Outdoor H&J Smith Winter XC Series. (READ MORE HERE).
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(Out & About)
Southland Sharks v Wellington Saints - Sunday, 6pm - ILT Stadium Southland
In terms of rivalries the Southland Sharks and Wellington Saints rivalry in the National Basketball League has festered over many years.
There was a period where the two organisations dominated New Zealand’s domestic basketball league and they…. let’s just say… enjoyed beating each other that bit more than other teams.
The Sharks and Saints will do battle at ILT Stadium Southland in a unique 6pm Sunday night fixture being dubbed “Sunday Funday”. What better way to wrap up your weekend?
Catch you there!
(On The Couch)
Southern Steel v Northern Mystics - 7pm, Saturday - Sky Sport
Third time lucky? The Southern Steel will for the third time in 2023 take on the Northern Mystics in ANZ Premiership action in Auckland on Saturday night.
The Mystics won the first encounter 64-38 and the second 64-48. A 64-58 scoreline this Saturday night?
Nah, let’s aim higher… An upset Steel victory to break the string of losses.
In case you missed it…
Financial recovery: Rugby Southland’s decade-plus financial recovery has reached the point where the organisation feels it’s now back to “square-one”. Rugby Southland’s historic financial troubles have been well documented, but the outlook now is more encouraging. (READ MORE HERE).
More than sport: Sporting success is really only half the story when it comes to SBS Bank Academy Southland. Since 2004 the two-year programme has been supporting many of the province’s best young athletes to be the best they can be, playing an integral role alongside their parents and wider families, schools, coaches, regional and national sporting bodies, sponsors and community funders. (READ MORE HERE).
Saunders’ Take: Rugby Southland director of Rugby Matt Saunders is happy with some of the physicality shown in games but concedes the conditioning and skill level in club rugby isn’t where it needs to be. (READ MORE HERE).
Get in touch….
If you have something you think is worth featuring in either our Friday or Sunday Spotlight on Sport editions, please get in touch. NOTE: Please provide as much detail as possible to help us collate everything at this end. Email logan@southlandtribune.com