Stags rip up substitute blueprint, but come up short
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”. The Southland Stags subscribed to that theory on Wednesday night in Invercargill.
Bay of Plenty 25 (Fehi Fineanganofo, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Kurt Eklund, Naitoa Ah Kuoi tries; Wharenui Hawera 1 pen, 1 con) Southland 23 (Jay Renton, Viliami Fine, Tevita Latu tries; Dan Hollinshead 2 pen, 1 con) HT: 10–20.
There is a well-worn Albert Einstein quote used by many in life.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”.
The Southland Stags subscribed to that theory on Wednesday night in Invercargill with a unique substitute tactic.
In fact, the Stags slid rugby’s blueprint into a paper shredder in search of its first victory in 2023 when it took on Bay of Plenty.
With a more polished Dan Hollinshead goal-kicking display at the death the calculated tactical punt would have paid out for the Stags.
Soon after Southland wing Viliame Fine scored in the 30th minute to lock the scores up at 10-10 Stags co-coaches James Wilson and David Hall rolled the dice when they cleared their entire bench.
They brought on all eight players at the same time in the first half in a move that will have sparked discussions amongst rugby traditionalists throughout the country.
Hall confirmed it was a preplanned move decided in the lead-up to the game in an attempt to try something different.
Tevita Latu - one of those eight bench players introduced at the 31-minute mark - scored soon after entering the game.
The second five-eighth has an obvious ability to get his arm free in a tackle and for the second week in a row, Latu was also able to also his arm free close to the line to score.
The Hollinshead conversion put the Stags up 17-10 before he added a long-range penalty on the stroke of halftime to make it 20-10 at the break.
It’s been rare for the Stags to play from in front in 2023. The message at halftime from the coaching staff was to not go into their shells and to continue to attack.
The problem is they spent the majority of the second half inside their own territory and got very little opportunity to play with the ball.
Bay of Plenty hooker and captain Kurt Eklund scored 17 minutes into the second half.
It was the visitor’s third try but Wharenui Hawera - a former Stags player - wasn’t able to convert all three tries so Bay of Plenty still trailed 20-15.
Although five minutes later Bay of Plenty was in again, through looseforward Naitoa Ah Kuoi.
This time Hawera’s goalkicking radar was on target to put his team up 22-20.
It then set up a kicking showdown between Hawera and Hollinshead in tense final five minutes.
With five minutes to play, Hollinshead landed a penalty to put Southland up 23-22.
Hawera responded a couple of minutes later to snatch back the lead 25-23.
With a couple of minutes to play Hawera was then pinged for a shoulder charge and after a discussion with the TMO it was decided a penalty was sufficient.
It left Hollinshead - a former Bay of Plenty player - with a shot at goal from 40m out, and on an angle, to put Southland in front. He missed.
With time almost up the Stags were running out of time.
However, Hollinshead was handed another opportunity to take on the role of matchwinner when a Bay of Plenty player was deemed to have infringed at a maul.
But with time up Hollinshead unfortunately hit the attempt terribly and the visitors were able to clear the ball and claim a 25-23 victory.
It was a cruel blow for the Stags that’s yet to latch onto any reward for its effort in 2023. After eight games they are yet to register a victory.
Southland has just one chance left to avoid a winless season when the Stags finish their NPC season against Manawatu in Palmerston North on Sunday.