Spotlight on Southland Sport: Friday Edition
Enjoy your Friday Southland sports read.
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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Returning home: Stags sign Highlanders looseforward
Sean Withy is returning to his Southland roots. Rugby Southland has confirmed it has signed the 22-year-old Highlanders loose forward on a three-year deal. (READ MORE HERE).
Opinion: One of Southland rugby's most important signings in 20 years
Sean Withy’s signing is more than just adding another quality loose forward to the mix. It is Rugby Southland putting a stake in the ground in its quest to bring Southlanders back home. (READ MORE HERE).
Southlanders amongst Halberg Awards nominees
A group of Southland sportspeople have been nominated for a possible spot as a finalist at the 61st Handa Halberg Awards. Seventy-six nominations have been received for the 2023 Halberg Awards. (READ MORE HERE).
Bitter-sweet NZ selection for Southland cricketer Nick Brown
Southlander Nick Brown’s selection in the wider squad for the New Zealand under 19 cricket team has been bitter-sweet. The SBS Bank Academy Southland athlete has been named as the back up ‘keeper for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 in South Africa in January and February, one of six non-travelling reserves. (READ MORE HERE).
Tribune Shoutout…
Congratulations to Southern Steel’s Kate Heffernan who has been announced vice-captain of the Silver Ferns for the Netball Nations Cup against Australia, England, and Uganda next month.
Silver Ferns Team - Netball Nations Cup
Shooters: Amorangi Malesala, Grace Nweke, Amelia Walmsley Midcourters:
Maddy Gordon, Kate Heffernan, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, Whitney Souness Defenders:
Karin Burger, Kelly Jury, Phoenix Karaka (captain), Michaela Sokolich-Beatson Training partners: Kate Burley, Tayla Earle, Georgia Heffernan
The jockeys to follow at Christmas at the Races
Canterbury jockeys Tina Comignaghi and Kylie Williams will be hoping the success they had at the Southland Racing Club's Christmas meeting in the past continues tomorrow (Saturday). (READ MORE HERE).
Cousins' women's shearing record bid all-go near Gore
The green light has been given for the summer’s first shearing record attempt in New Zealand in Eastern Southland today (Friday) – with the record holders on hand to cheer on their challengers. (READ MORE HERE).
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In case you missed it…
Code swap: Former Southland Stags outside back Solomon Alaimalo has signed with NRL club the West Tigers in a move that caught a few by surprise. He has joined the club’s top-30 NRL roster for the 2024 NRL season. (READ MORE HERE).
For grandad: Ollie Davis was the standout Southlander at the national secondary school athletics champs last weekend. And it was a special performance for a couple of reasons. The 16-year-old Central Southland College student won the senior boys long jump with a superb leap of 7.07m which earned him selection to the New Zealand Secondary Schools championship team. (READ MORE HERE).
Buchanan stars again: His goal going into the second New Zealand Superbike Championship round was to repeat his season-opening winning streak from Taupo and Southland’s Cormac Buchanan did just that at Manfeild on Sunday. (READ MORE HERE).
