Spotlight on Southland Sport: Sunday Special
The Southland Tribune wraps up some key moments in the Southland sporting weekend. Enjoy.
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Town-Country: The players with the most to play for
The Town-Country rugby day will be held at Rugby Park in Invercargill tomorrow [Monday]. Although probably more importantly the three games will act as important trial fixtures for representative teams, including the Southland Stags. We take a look at the players with the most to play for, players to keep an eye on, game details, and the teams. (READ MORE HERE).
Southland Black Ferns sevens star Texas bound
Alena Saili’s hometown visit has been cut short with the Black Ferns sevens player signed to play for Texas in the United States. The 24-year-old New Zealand Rugby contracted sevens player is home in Invercargill at the moment on a break. That stint visiting family and friends was supposed to be for about a month, but she will now depart on Monday. (READ MORE HERE).
Len Insall: 'Not a day goes by that I don't think how lucky I am to be alive'
The enjoyment Len Insall got from being involved with the racing communities had helped keep his spirits up over the years when dealing with the three strokes. (READ MORE HERE).
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Can Cunningham spark the Sharks?….
Import Josh Cunningham returns to the Shark Tank on Monday evening when he lines up for the Southland Sharks against rivals the Otago Nuggets in Invercargill.
The American played for the Sharks in 2021 and has now rejoined the club in 2023 for the remainder of the New Zealand National Basketball League season.
He replaces Romaro Gill who the Sharks let go mid-season.
The Sharks have lost three straight games at home and given the tight nature of the competition a win on Monday will be important in its push for a top-six spot.
Not to mention a win over the lads up the road is vital whatever the competition situation.
The Sharks currently have a four-win-six loss record in 2023 while the Nuggets have a seven-win-two loss record.
Tip-off at ILT Stadium Southland on Monday will be 5pm.
Buchanan impresses in Spain…
Invercargill rider Cormac Buchanan has delivered an impressive performance in qualifying in Spain as part of round three of the FIM JuniorGP World Championship.
Buchanan finished third in qualifying to get a start on the front row for race one which is scheduled to begin at 9pm [NZ time] tonight.
Race two is scheduled to start at 2am [NZ time].
“I feel comfy and confident in the setup we have and I’ll give my everything in both 15 lap races.”
All the best from Southland, Cormac.
Southland hooker helps NZU20 to win…
Southland’s Jack Taylor started at hooker in the New Zealand Under-20 rugby teams 19-18 victory Australia U20s in Wellington on Saturday.
Taylor got through 60-odd minutes in a showdown where the New Zealand scrum was put under plenty of pressure.
NZ led 19-6 at halftime before holding on in the second half for the victory.
The two teams had met earlier in the week in a game which Australia won.
The two games have been used as a build to the U20 World Championship in South Africa this month.
Gore lad Finn Hurley - who is now aligned to Otago - came off the bench on Saturday for the New Zealand U20 team.
Chatham Cup losses….
Invercargill clubs Queens Park AFC and Thistle AFC put up a good fight against some more fancied Dunedin clubs on Saturday but came up short in the games played in Invercargill.
Queens Park took on South Island League team Green Island AFC in the early game at the ILT Turf and was beaten 1-0.
Thistle - which plays in Southland’s Donald Gray league - then took on Roslyn Wakari AFC in the later game and was beaten 4-0.
In case you missed it…
Southland now has two cycling clubs, Cycling Southland and the new G Force Cycling Club. At this point in time, it appears there has been little dialogue between the two organisations which has prompted the suggestion the sport is splintered. (READ MORE HERE). (Paid subscriber content)
Locking options: We are a couple of months away from the start of the 2023 National Provincial Championship season. In this piece, Logan Savory looks at the locking stocks, which include a couple of players who have been playing in Spain and now want a crack at the Stags. (READ MORE HERE). (Paid subscriber content).
