Versatile Wilson to rejoin Southland
JAMES Wilson is returning to New Zealand and the Southland Stags.
The 35yearold former Highlanders and Chiefs Super Rugby player will line up for the Stags in this year’s Mitre 10 Cup, seven years after his last outing for the province.
Wilson carved his name into Southland rugby folklore in 2011 when he landed a matchwinning dropped goal against Canterbury to help the Stags get their hands on the Ranfurly Shield for the second time in two years.
Later that year, the former Southland Boys’ High School pupil headed overseas where he initially linked with Bourgoin in France.
In 2012, he joined Northampton Saints and played 95 games for the Saints through to 2017.
His latest stint in England was with Bath, where he added a further 13 games to a professional rugby career where he has amassed over 200 games in total.
In New Zealand rugby circles, Wilson, who played 65 games for Southland from 2003 to 2011, was best known as a first fiveeighth/ fullback. However, it was playing in the midfield where he made his mark in England.
The midfield is where he is likely to front for the Stags in this year’s Mitre 10 Cup campaign.
Stags coach Dave Hewett said his versatility was an obvious asset.
He said Wilson’s experience would be valuable in a squad which had plenty of players still trying to make a mark at Mitre 10 Cup level.
‘‘The great thing is he is a local guy and he can play every position in the backline.
‘‘So that gives us experience for the players on the park and that was part of the reason for contracting him, not only to give us cover, but to give us experience and help grow young guys,’’ Hewett said.
New Zealand under20 triallist Ray Nu’u has also signed to play for the Stags this year, further bolstering the midfield stocks which at one stage looked very bare.
Nu’u has shifted from Canterbury in search of an opportunity with Southland.
He has not played Mitre 10 Cup rugby but has played for the Crusaders Knights development team.
One of the Stags’ standouts last year, second fiveeighth Matty Johnson, will also return for another stint with Southland this year.
Up front, the Stags have signed former Northland prop Chris Apoua on a twoyear contract.
Apoua is coming off a season playing in Romania and will now shift his family south.
He joins Morgan Mitchell, Joe Walsh and Shaun Stodart, who have already signed, and one propping spot is still to be filled.
The squad is officially scheduled to assemble on July 19 and the first of three preseason games is to be played on July 28, when Southland will take on North Otago, in Oamaru.
It will then play Otago, in Alexandra, then faces Northland, in Auckland on August 9.
The Stags’ first competition game is against Hawke’s Bay in Invercargill on August 19.