Southland rugby legend Ack Soper views new shield named after him
Tuesday, 2 July 2019
Rugby Southland has honoured two legends of its past as it tries to lay a pathway to its future.
Southland club rugby has undergone its biggest overhaul for some time this year which has included expanding its premier competition to 12 teams.
After the first five rounds of the season, the 12 teams split into top six and bottom six competitions.
The top six were playing off for the traditional Galbraith Shield, however the bottom six were this year scrapping it out to get its hands on the new Ack Soper Shield.
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Rugby Southland has introduced the shield to honour Ack Soper who played 103 games for Southland from 1954 to 1966.
He also played eight matches for the All Blacks on a 1957 tour to Australia and is a past president of the Southland Rugby Union.
The Gerald Dermody Shield was also introduced this year to honour the late Southland stalwart who played 120 games for Southland from 1965-77.
That shield was being contested by clubs below the premier grades.
Work on the Gerald Dermody Shield was yet to be completed, however, the Ack Soper Shield was finished on Monday.
The first stop for Rugby Southland officials after picking up the wooden shield was the Rowena Jackson Retirement Village, where 82-year-old Soper now lives.
Rugby Southland club development officer Bob Cullen said it was a nice moment.
'He thanked us for putting his name on the shield. He's a lovely man, very humble,' Cullen said.
Before retiring in Invercargill, Soper was from Athol in Northern Southland and played his club rugby for the now defunct Country Pirates club.
As a mark of respect the Midlands team also visited Ack Soper on Monday night where they were able to learn a bit more about the man behind the shield which they were now playing for.
'They all got around Ack and fussed over him. I think Ack really enjoyed it,' Cullen said.
Although the Midlands players declined any photos with the new shield as they did not want to provide their opposition any added motivation.
Midlands will take on Edendale in one of the Ack Soper Shield semifinals on Saturday, with Wyndham and Te Anau to square-off in the other.
Cullen was happy with how the new format had progressed this season and hoped the 12-team premier format would remain in 2020.
'A couple of the clubs struggled a bit early in the season but the others quite enjoyed it. 'I think they all realise now the preparation in getting players needs to start quite early.'
In Galbraith Shield action, Marist and Star will meet in one semifinal at Rugby Park on Saturday.
Blues and Eastern-Northern Barbarians will square-off in the other at the Les George Oval.