Southland Rugby

Rugby team
teamname = Southland Stags

| imagesize =
fullname = Rugby Southland| union = NZRU
nickname = Stags
founded = 1887
ground = Rugby Park Stadium
capacity = 17000
coach = flagicon|New Zealand Simon Culhane and flagicon|New Zealand David Henderson
ceo =flagicon|New Zealand Roger Clark
competitions = Air New Zealand Cup
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leftarm2=|body2=|rightarm2=|shorts2=|socks2=The Southland Stags rugby team represents the Southland province in the Air New Zealand Cup, also known as the Premier Division of the National Provincial Championship. Throughout its history, the team has been able to consistently compete against larger international teams, including France, Fiji and the British and Irish Lions.

History

The Southland Rugby Football Union was founded in 1887 and celebrated its centenary in 1987. There have been notable Ranfurly Shield reigns, particularly throughout the 40's and 50's. And although the last reign ended in 1959, there has been a number of close challenges in recent times, including a heartbreaking 34-32 loss to Auckland at Eden Park in 1997.

outhland in Super Rugby

Southland are the third team to make up the Highlanders Super 14 franchise, the other two are Otago and North Otago.

Its current Super 14 representatives all play for the Highlanders, they include:
*James Wilson
*Jimmy Cowan
*Jamie Mackintosh
*Tim Boys
*David Hall
*Chris King
*Hoani MacDonald
*Blair Stewart
*Matt Saunders
*Josh Bekhuis - as a member of the backup training squad

Furthermore, the Southland Stags have more past Super Rugby Representatives including:
*Tony Koonwaiyou - Past Crusaders and Blues rep
*Jason Rutledge - Past Highlanders rep
*Willie Rickards - Past Highlanders rep
*Jason Kawau - Past Highlanders rep
*Pehi Te Whare - Past Highlanders rep

Notable players

*Adedayo Adebayo
*Pita Alatini
*Graeme Bond
*Lex Chisholm
*Jimmy Cowan
*Eion Crossan
*Simon Culhane
*Clarke Dermody
*Gus Dermody
*Mal Dermody
*Pailate Fili
*Corey Flynn
*Simon Forrest
*Davin Heaps
*Ben Herring
*David Henderson
*Paul Henderson
*Norm Hewitt
*David Hill
*Damian Hopley
*Steve Jackson
*George Konia
*Kevin Laidlaw
*Jamie Mackintosh
*Justin Marshall
*Brett McCormack
*Ash McGregor
*Brian McKechnie
*Harold Miller
*Paul Miller
*Wayne Miller
*Bobby Murrell
*Roger Newell
*Frank Oliver
*Steven Pokere
*Peter Ryan
*Leicester Rutledge
*Charlie Saxton
*Mark Seymour
*Brent Shepherd
*Billy Stead
*Ken Stewart
*Ack Soper
*Hale T-Pole
*Kane Thompson
*Mark Tinnock
*Kel Tremain
*Des Tuiavi'i
*Earl Va'a
*To'o Vaega
*Geoff Valli
*Jeff Wilson

Current Squad

Current Southland Stags Contracted Players:

*Dion Bates - Flanker *Josh Bekhuis - Lock *Tim Boys - Flanker *Jimmy Cowan - Halfback *Scott Cowan - Halfback *David Hall - Hooker *John Hardie - Flanker *Matt Holloway - Hooker *Jason Kawau - Midfielder *Chris King - Prop *Tony Koonwaiyou - Centre/Winger *Kendrick Lynn - Centre/Fullback *Hoani MacDonald - Lock/Flanker *Jamie Mackintosh - Prop and Captain *Fai Mika - Prop

*Alesana Muliaina - Winger/Centre *Michael Peterson - Prop *Daniel Ramsay - Lock *Willie Rickards - Winger/Centre *Robbie Robinson - First-Five Eighths/Fullback *Jason Rutledge - Hooker *Matt Saunders - Winger/Centre *Dane Shelford - Halfback *Noa Soqeta - Number 8/Lock/Flanker *Blair Stewart - First-Five Eighths *Hua Tamariki - Loose Forward *Pehi Te Whare - Winger/Centre *Mark Wells - Fullback/Winger/Centre *James Wilson - Fullback/First-Five Eighths

2008 Air New Zealand Cup Draw

*Sat 2 Aug - Southland 23 vs Otago 25 - Rugby Park Stadium - 4PM

*Fri 8 Aug - Manawatu 5 vs Southland 18 - FMG Stadium

*Sat 16 Aug - Hawkes Bay 16 vs Southland 20 - McLean Park

*Fri 22 Aug - Southland 7 vs Wellington 26 - Rugby Park Stadium

*Thu 28 Aug - Southland 31 vs Counties Manukau 8 - Rugby Park Stadium

*Sat 6 Sept - Auckland vs Southland (RS) - Eden Park

*Sat 13 Sept - Southland vs North Harbour - Rugby Park Stadium

*Fri 19 Sept - Tasman vs Southland - Lansdowne Park

*Thu 25 Sept - Bay of Plenty vs Southland - Rotorua International Stadium

*Fri 3 Oct - Southland vs Canterbury - Rugby Park Stadium

Current All Blacks

*Jimmy Cowan

(Also Seven New Zealand Colt players and two New Zealand Under 19 Players. TwoNew Zealand Maori Players and one New Zealand Sevens player, throughout Southland region).

International Results

(Countries in bold)

Year	Opponent	For	Against
1896	Queensland	23	3
1901	New South Wales	19	0
1908	Anglo Welsh	8	14
1913	Australia	13	8
1921	South Africa	0	12
1923	New South Wales	31	9
1928	New South Wales	31	26
1930	Great Britain	3	9
1931	Australia	14	8
1936	Australia	14	6
1937	South Africa	17	30
1946	Australia	8	6
1949	Australia	10	15
1950	British Lions	11	0
1951	Fiji	11	11
1952	Australia	24	9
1955	Australia	5	11
1956	South Africa	12	23
1957	Fiji	13	8
1958	Australia	26	8
1959	British Lions	6	11
1960	NSW Country	9	0
1961	France	6	14
1962	Australia	16	11
1965	South Africa	6	19
1966	British Lions	14	8
1968	France	6	8
1970	Fiji	6	9
1971	British Lions	3	25
1972	New Zealand	9	30
1974	All Japan	39	20
1975	Romania	9	12
1976	Ireland	3	18
1977	British Lions	12	20
1978	Australia	10	7
1979	France	12	11
1980	Fiji	21	22
1981	Queensland	12	39
1981	South Africa	6	22
1982	All Japan	16	16
1982	Australia	0	21
1983	British Lions	3	41
1985	England	9	15
1986	Australia	0	55
1989	Canada	25	19
1989	France	12	7
1990	Scotland	12	44
1993	British Lions	16	34
1994	South Africa	15	51
1996	Scotland	21	31
2005	British Lions	16	26

Player List

Name	Years
Blair Stewart	2005-06
Brian McKechnie	1979
Ash McGregor	1978-79
Ken Stewart	1978
Ian Donaldson	1978
Eion Crossan	1989

External links

* [http://www.rugbysouthland.co.nz Official site]