Stags run North Harbour ragged
Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:39
The Southland Stags completed their Air New Zealand Cup pre-season programme with a convincing 22-3 win over North Harbour at Rugby Park, Invercargill.
The Stags held a narrow 3-0 lead after a tense first half, but opened up after the break to run the visitors ragged.
Dominating both territory and possession the first try came early in the second half to Jason Rutledge, and minutes later followed by another to Mark Wells.
Although the margin of the victory will be pleasing, there is still plenty to work on next week ahead of the ANZ Cup opener against Otago at home on August 2.
The win came against a North Harbour team that will get flogged this season if it can't find some quality tight forwards, or at least some who are fit enough to get themselves involved.
If anything, Southland had too much ball to play with in the first half, and it struggled to use it well.
Too often scrumhalf Dane Shelford had the ball sitting at his feet while the Harbour defence reorganised itself, and the game opened up noticeably when Scott Cowan came on in the No.9 jersey in the second half.
The rulings at the breakdown seemed to be as mystifying for the home team as they did for the crowd as the adjustment to the Experiment Law Variations (ELVs) continues.
On the plus side, Southland's line-out in the first half was sharp and decisive and the scrum had the push on Harbour's, even with the loss of Chris King to a back injury before kick-off.
Southland looks as ready for the start of the competition as it has at any time under co-coaches Simon Culhane and David Henderson, but the real test will come against Otago.
Scorers:
Southland:
Tries: Rutledge, Wells, Cowan
Cons: Stewart 2
Pen: Stewart
North Harbour:
Pen:
Gopperth
Teams:
Southland: 15 Mark Wells, 14 Pehi Te Whare, 13 Kendrick Lynn, 12 Jason Kawau, 11 Matt Saunders, 10 Blair Stewart, 9 Dane Shelford, 8 Noa Soqeta, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Hoani Macdonald, 5 Daniel Ramsay, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Chris King, 2 David Hall, 1 Fai Mika.
Replacements - from: Jason Rutledge, Pale Tuilagi, Matt Holloway, Michael Peterson, Dion Bates, Noa Soqeta, Scott Cowan, Willie Rickards, Tony Dodunski.
North Harbour: 15 Jack McPhee, 14 Vili Waqaseduadua, 13 George Pisi, 12 Jamie Helleur, 11 Nafi Tuitavake, 10 Jimmy Gopperth (captain), 9 Chris Smylie, 8 Vili Maafu, 7 Malakai Ravulo, 6 Tom Chamberlain, 5 Ryan Wilson, 4 Chris Smith, 3 Mike Noble, 2 James Hinchco, 1 Sam Biddles.
Replacements: 16 James Parsons, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Michael Farmer, 19 Robbie Colhoun, 20 Richard Mayhew, 22 Matt France, 22 Jona Tuitoga.
