Team naming: Stags to start both Michaels and Ferguson
The Southland Stags has announced its team for the traditional Donald Stuart Memorial Trophy showdown with Otago in Dunedin on Saturday night.
The Southland Stags have opted to start two traditional openside flankers in the all-important showdown with Otago in Dunedin on Saturday night.
Hayden Michaels and Leroy Ferguson will start on each side on the flanks. In some part its a tip of the hat to a Stags era, an era which included current coaches David Hall and James Wilson as players.
Through the mid to late 2000s the Stags included the likes of Tim Boys and John Hardie both in the starting lineup, or Boys and Dion Bates.
Michaels is contracted to the Highlanders and is tipped to have a big future in the Southland No 7 jersey.
Although Rugby Southland director of rugby Matt Saunders told The Roaring Pen podcast this week that on the back of Ferguson’s performance against Wellington they simply couldn’t drop him.
Added to the decision to start both Michaels and Ferguson against Otago was the fact Dylan Nel has a broken bone in his foot which is likely to rule him out for the season.
It has meant the ever-improving Blair Ryall has been shifted from the blindside flank to start at No 8.
Southland will have plenty of speed and work rate with a loose forward trio of Michaels, Ferguson, and Ryall although they will miss Nel’s power with ball in hand.
The Stags decision-makers have opted to leave young No 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa to start from the bench, although his physical presence will be important late in the game.
The Stags welcome back long-serving Stags lock Mike McKee to the mix after he missed the first three rounds through injury.
McKee will partner Josh Bekhuis in the second row forming an experienced combo.
In the backline former Bay of Plenty first five-eighth Dan Hollinshead will get his first start in the Stags No 10 jersey on Saturday night.
Hollinshead missed the first two games through injury before coming off the bench against Wellington.
Halfback Jahvis Wallace missed the first three rounds through injury and will return from the bench in Saturday’s game.
Fullback Rory van Vugt has been ruled out of the Donald Stuart Memorial Trophy clash and interestingly he has been replaced in the No 15 jersey by usual wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb.
Hamer-Webb has played for Bath in the English Premiership and for the England U20 team.
In another boost, Scott Gregory returns for the showdown against Otago and will start at second five-eighth.
He will also pick up the vice-captain role with Nel injured.
THE TEAM
SBS Bank Southland Stags team to play Otago:
1. Joe Walsh
2. Jack Taylor
3.Morgan Mitchell
4.Mike McKee
5.Josh Bekhuis ©
6.Hayden Michaels
7.Leroy Ferguson
8.Blair Ryall
9.Jay Renton
10.Dan Hollinshead
11.Michael Manson
12.Scott Gregory (vc)
13.Matt Whaanga
14.Viliami Fine
15.Gabriel Hamer-Webb
The bench:
16.Ben Strang
17.Jonah Aoina
18.Quinn Harrison-Jones
19.Shneil Singh
20.Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa
21.Jahvis Wallace
22.Marty Banks
23. Tevita Latu