Stags suffer fifth straight loss; one chance left to make statement
“We are trying so hard, and everyone cares so much about the team and our fans. But when results aren’t going your way, you try harder and force those errors."
Waikato 38 (Xavier Saifoloi, Aaron Cruden, Ollie Norris, Quinn Tupea, D’Angelo Leuila tries; Cruden 3 con, Leuila 2 con, 1 pen), Southland 14 (Jack Taylor, Rory van Vugt tries; Jason Robertson 2 con). HT: 14-14.
Tribune MVP Points: Mitchell Dunshea 3, Semisi Tupou Ta’ealoa 2, Blair Ryall 1.
Overall Points: Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa 11, Sean Withy 9, Isaac Te Tamaki 7, Michael Manson 5, Dylan Nel 5, Blair Ryall 5, Morgan Mitchell 4, Mitchell Dunshea 3, Viliami Fine 2, Hayden Michaels 2, Rory van Vugt 1, Lachlan Albert 1.
The Southland Stags are left with one last chance to make a statement in 2024 when it takes on North Harbour in Invercargill on Saturday.
There was some early season promise from the Stags on the back of victories over Otago and Northland.
However, Southland has since recorded five straight losses as those encouraging signs have transformed into another year of what-ifs and plenty of pondering as to where to now.
The latest setback came on Sunday at Rugby Park when Southland lost 38-14 to Waikato on the back of a wobbly second-half performance.
After trailing 14-0 15 minutes into the game, Southland bounced back to level the scores at 14-14 at halftime through tries to Rory van Vugt and Jack Taylor.
While Southland headed into the second half playing into a strong wind, there was a feeling that - in a bizarre way - it could help the Stags, in terms of keeping the ball in hand and playing some rugby.
It didn’t quite work out that way.
Waikato went about scoring 24 unanswered second-half points with the wind behind them to round out a 38-14 victory.
It was another performance where Southland competed well for long periods only to hand the ball over with relative ease through lineout mishaps, handling errors, or some speculative kicks.
Southland got hurt as a result.
There was no more prime example than in the 54-minute when the Stags had possession and had a chance to build something in attack.
However, first five-eighth Jason Robertson hoisted an up-and-under that went nowhere.
Waikato gained possession and scored at the other end. Robertson then left the field and failed an HIA which might explain the puzzling option to send the ball straight up off the boot.
Stags captain Sean Withy said the team has spoken a lot about putting in a good performance for not just the team but for the Southland fans.
“That’s all we talked about this week. We obviously can’t make the playoffs, so we talked about playing for our fans, our family, and each other, and for 40 minutes we sort of did that,” Withy said.
“We are trying so hard, and everyone cares so much about the team and our fans. But when results aren’t going your way, you try harder and force those errors. We were forcing passes and not going one more phase.
“I think it’s just a little bit of us trying a bit too hard and maybe some of us individuals lacking a bit of detail.”
Despite the loss, there were again some strong individual performances scattered across the park for Southland.
Lock Mitchell Dunshea, coming off his suspension break, probably delivered his best game for the Stags to date this season
With the risk of appearing to do another a copy and paste job for this article, Blair Ryall was explosive in attack and worked hard in defence, while 20-year-old No 8 Semisi Ta’eiloa was again a physical presence for the Stags.
Loosehead prop Jack Sexton made some key tackles, while Paula Latu, in his first appearance of 2024, added some energy from the bench.
Isaac Te Tamaki is probably one of the Stags’ more unheralded players but continues to prove a key figure, in particular in defence.
Second five-eighth Faletoi Peni again showed he is a player with real ability, although it appears long-term it will be up to him if he is to realise that potential.
At this point, the 2022 and 2023 Auckland club rugby player of the year probably only has 40 strong minutes in him at the NPC level before the Stags coaches have to go looking for a replacement.
It was again highlighted on Sunday that Southland probably has the quickest player off the mark, in Michael Manson, in the NPC.
A day when all of those individual parts click together for Southland would be a pleasant sight. If we are going to see it in 2024, it will have to be this coming Saturday.
Southland will come against a North Harbour team who will head into the game on the back of a crushing 65-19 victory over Canterbury.