Stags impress in first win

• Published date: 04 November 2021
• Publication title: Southland Express

The task in Inglewood will be a difficult one against the unbeaten Taranaki team.

The Stags are fresh off winning their first NPC game of the season, beating Northland 37-33 at Rugby Park in Invercargill last Saturday.

Southland’s bonus-point win pushed it into fourth spot in the championship standings with 13 competition points, one point ahead of Northland on 12.

Fortunately for Southland, the teams left in the competition were awarded two competition points from their cancelled games against the locked down Auckland teams. Southland had three fixtures against Auckland, Counties, and North Harbour cancelled.

If both Northland and Southland finish the round on the same amount of points, Southland will go through to the semis, because of the head-to-head rule.

The Stags have definitely improved in recent weeks and demonstrated their usual commitment as well as some attacking flair against Northland.

Northland’s tight forwards were able to get dominance at the breakdown and this resulted in penalties being conceded by Southland. But the Southland backs often broke through their opposition’s defence.

Northland started best and led 15-3 after 20 minutes. After a second Marty Banks penalty, Southland halfback Josh Renton weaved his way through the Northland defence and off-loaded to winger Josh Moorby to score.

In the 30th...