Stags hopefuls to start building toward 2024 season

Rugby Southland's high-performance group is returning to training with the first assignment a showdown against Highlanders Under-20 in March.

Rugby Southland director of rugby Matt Saunders. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY

The break is over.

Southland’s leading players will return to training next week as the focus quickly centres on the 2024 rugby season.

Rugby Southland director of rugby Matt Saunders confirmed its high-performance group will start training next week, just over a month after the Southland Stags wrapped up its 2023 NPC campaign.

“We need to get better,” Saunders said about a wider training group returning to training.

The group will train for five weeks in the lead-up to Christmas before the focus switches in the new year to building towards a game against the Highlanders Under-20s on March 3.

The group will be coached by Southland’s “up and coming” coaches for that game.

Rugby Southland this week advertised positions for its high-performance coaching development group for 2024.

Six coaches in total will be appointed. Three will be appointed for that game against Highlanders U-20s in March, as well as the Southland Development team, and a further three will be appointed to lead the Southland Under-19 campaign in 2024.

Rugby Southland has yet to confirm the Southland Stags coaching setup for 2024.

James Wilson and David Hall were co-coaches this year with assistance from Daryl Thompson.

Reviews have been held following the 2023 NPC campaign and Saunders said they were “getting there” in terms of working through the Stags coaching setup for 2024, although there was nothing to report at this point.

Meanwhile, as already signalled Southland Stags players Ethan de Groot, Jack Taylor, Hayden Michaels, and Matt Whaanga were on Thursday named in the 2024 Highlanders squad.

Stags outside back Viliame Fine will also line up in the 2024 Super Rugby competition with Moana Pasifika.