Flat first half sees Donald Stuart Memorial head north

Sunday, 3 August 2025

Southland Stags winger Michael Manson kept busy during their 24-15 loss to Otago.

The Southland Stags opened their 2025 National Provincial Championship campaign with a tough 24-15 loss to Otago at Rugby Park Stadium on Saturday.

Played in front of close to 10,000 people, a lacklustre opening 40 minutes cost the Stags any chance of retaining the Donald Stuart Memorial for a second year.

With Stag Day in Invercargill for a second straight season, they would have been hoping to make it back-to-back provincial victories over Otago but it wasn’t to be.

Replacement first five-eighth Mika Muliaina said it was gutting they couldn’t get across the line for such good support.

Stags players running onto the field for their Donald Stuart Memorial Clash in front of a large home crowd at Rugby Park.

“Bit disappointed we couldn’t get a win for that great crowd. The boys really enjoyed the atmosphere and will now have to go back and tweak a few things for Northland.”

The visitors came out of the gates the strongest, but it was the Stags who opened the scoring, crossing the line off the back of a rolling maul.

Hooker Jack Taylor, who had already made some strong carries, was the man who scored the five pointer.

Other than a Byron Smith penalty, that was as good as it got for the home side in opening half as Otago scored three tries, one to Sam Gilbert, another to Christian Lio-Willie and then a third to Will Stodart.

Southland tried some different things and did find bits of space in the first half but staunch Otago defence kept them at bay.

It was all the Stags in the second half, although they only managed to score a single try through halfback Nic Shearer, who dotted down on the back of some quick thinking.

Hooker Jack Taylor was the Stags’ best performer in their first round defeat to Otago.

Winger Michael Manson went over out wide, but it was ruled out due to obstruction.

Taylor and lock Mitch Dunshea were two of the home team’s best, while Manson looked for plenty of work.

Replacement midfielder Faletoi Peni, the Stags 2024 rookie of the year, added some much needed punch in the backs, while another highlight was the 35 minutes given to Muliaina, who showed some nice touches and helped get the team going forward.

Harry Taylor, the brother of the Stags’ hooker, was Otago’s best, while Stodart powered through plenty of work.

Southland will look to improve in a few areas ahead of their clash against Northland in Whangārei next Friday evening.