The Stags trailed Hawke's Bay 16-7 at halftime and with 5 minutes still to play, they were still well in the hunt, trailing 24-17. Unfortunately for the Stags, they were not accurate enough with their ball-handling in the slippery conditions and it was Hawke’s Bay who scored their fourth try of the game in the final minute.
To only be behind 16-7 at halftime was a good effort by the Stags, considering the first half penalty count against them was 6-0.
The Stags will be disappointed with their performance. They had opportunities to win the game but individual errors proved costly. Hawke’s Bay would have been feeling lucky to be still holding the Ranfurly Shield after putting out an average performance themselves.
Stags halfback Connor Collins was one to look comfortable in the conditions and centre Isaac Te Tamaki was also accurate bar one wild pass that slipped out. Wing Viliame Fine was also playing well before going off with a knee injury in the second half.
Try scoring prop Morgan Mitchell led the forward pack in scrum ruck and mauls. The lineout was not as accurate this week and being without blindside flanker Blair Ryall did not help. Ryall injured his leg at training and is out of action for at least the next month.
This was the first game between Hawke’s Bay and Southland since former All Black hooker Norm Hewitt died last month from motor neuron disease, aged 55. Hewitt had played 90 games for the Magpies from 1988 before his 22 games for Southland beginning in 1995.
Southland’s next game is in Invercargill on Saturday night, against the defending NPC champions Taranaki.
In other rugby games played last weekend, the Southland B team beat the Country team 50-0 and the Southland Hinds team had a 43-point loss to the Otago Women’s B team.
Southland Boys’ High School are the Highlander Region’s Secondary School champions again this year, after beating King’s High School 32-15 on Saturday in the competition final at Les George Oval.
The Boys’ High team are now in Nelson to play Nelson College in the South Island final this Saturday.
Boys’ High’s 2nd XV won the Highlander Region’s second division by beating Dunstan High School 17-7 in the final. Central Southland College beat Cromwell College 50-3 in the division three final.
In the Southland Under-18 final, Verdon College beat Southland Boys’ 3rd XV 26-10.
Central Southland College and James Hargest College won the two U16 competition grades, while in the U14 grade it was SBHS Maroon who beat SBHS Blue.
Columba College won the Highlanders Girls’ 1st XV final 87-0 over CSC.
- By John Langford
