Strong Stags connection

All eyes will be on the intriguing CrusadersBritish and Irish Lions clash in Christchurch, but Southland rugby followers may like to tune in for the game before it today.

Fiji and Australia will go headto-head in Melbourne and there will be some familiar faces in the Fiji lineup.

Peni Ravai was a key asset for the Stags last season with the big ball-carrying prop showing the skills of a back at times.

Following his standout season for Southland, he picked up a contract in France where he is now playing.

Naulia Dawai is another Southland connection in the Fijian team.

Dawai moved to Southland in 2011 when he linked with the Midlands club.

He did play a few games for the Stags but it was in Otago where the loose forward probably made the biggest impact when he joined the Harbour club in Dunedin.

Dawai is now playing his rugby in Ireland for the Connacht club.

The third of the Southland trio in the Fijian lineup is Tuapati Talemaitoga.

For many years the hooker was a key figure in Southland club rugby with either the Midlands, Woodlands, or Pirates-Old Boys clubs.

He also played 20 games for Southland between 2012 and 2014 and is also now plying his trade overseas. The boys are back . . . With the club season in Europe coming to an end there have been a few familiar faces back in Southland visiting family and friends.

Former Stags captain Jamie Mackintosh is now plying his trade for Pau in France under the scrummaging tutelage of former All Black Carl Hayman.

Mackintosh is back on holiday but will return to play for Pau.

He has returned to his roots, gracing the club rugby sidelines for both Woodlands and Tokanui games.

Mackintosh is playing alongside some big names in France, including Conrad Smith, Colin Slade and Tom Taylor.

Fellow former Stags Chris King and Daniel Ramsay are also at Pau.

Another Stags centurion Josh Bekhuis is also playing his rugby in France and has also made a fleeting visit back to Invercargill.

Bekhuis will return for a second season with French Top 14 club Lyon.

Former Southland fullback James Wilson is another player back in the south.

Wilson played 65 games for the Stags from 2003 to 2011, with the most memorable moment being his drop goal to win the Ranfurly Shield in 2011.

In 2011 he headed overseas where he has impressed.

It started with a season with French team Bourgoin before playing 95 games for the Northampton Saints from 2012 to this year. The great Les George . . . Someone quizzed me the other day as to who Les George is and just why the Les George Oval is called the Les George Oval.

Here is a little history lesson for those who are not yet informed on this.

George made his Southland debut in 1928 and went on to play for the All Blacks. His involvement with Southland rugby stretched through to 1976 as an administrator.

During his involvement he played a lead role in developing land at Sandy Point into rugby grounds, where the Les George Oval is situated.

The modern connection is Stags centurion, and current Rugby Southland academy manager David Hall, who is George’s grand nephew.