Stags visit Ronald McDonald House
Southland Stags players visit Brayden Scott, 2, in the Ronald McDonald house at Southland Hospital on Saturday ahead of their first home game of the season. Rugby Southland and The Southland Times joined together to support the start of the Stags’ competitive season and to promote pride in the south with Purple Work Shirt Day on Friday with donations going to the Ronald McDonald house. Last year, 83 Southland families stayed at the Family Room the charity operates at the hospital.
Don’t give away penalties in your own half against Hawke’s Bay.
That simple message will be on the mind of all rival Mitre 10 Cup Championship coaches following the Magpies’ 31-10 victory over Southland at Rugby Park in Invercargill yesterday.
Southland, who went winless in 2017, showed positive signs of improvement but struggled to score when Hawke’s Bay were down to 13 men for just over six minutes.
With a 28-10 lead, Hawke’s Bay lock Michael Allardice and then No 8 Gareth Evans both spent time in the sin-bin in the second half for collapsing a maul and repeated infringing.
Hawke’s Bay’s four tries – three in the first half and one in the second – all came from lineout drives off penalties.
Hawke’s Bay’s edge in the line out and in the maul was complemented by their scrum dominance in the scrappy contest.
The Bay were happy to turn down what would have been a ceratin three points on three occasions in the first half and each time were rewarded through lineout drives.
Bay captain Ash Dixon scored twice and was the backbone of most things positive that came from the Bay forwards.
If Hawke’s Bay are to be a contender in the Championship then first-five Tiaan Falcon will play a major role. The Chiefs pivot controlled proceedings ably and he also provided plenty of value with the boot, kickinga perfect five from five.
Southland will sweat on the fitness of stand out lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit who left the field with a leg injury after 52 minutes.