Draw expected next week

ROBYN EDIE/Southland Times

THE DEFENCE BEGINS: Steve-O Stag with the Ranfurly Shield.

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The national provincial championships draw is set to be rubber-stamped next week with a draft draw understood to have Southland and Otago meeting in a Ranfurly Shield challenge in week two of the competition.

The draw, along with a new sponsor for New Zealand's premier domestic rugby competition, is expected to be released to the public next week.

The 2010 draw has extra importance for the Stags this year, with it determining in what order Southland will receive the Shield challenges.

The Southland Times understands the Stags will start their 2010 campaign with an away game in round one of the competition before returning to play traditional rivals Otago on Saturday, August 14, in what is expected to be their first major Shield defence of the year.

The Stags will have preseason Shield games against North Otago on July 9 and Wanganui on July 21.

Following Otago's shot at the Shield, if Southland retain it, it is understood Counties and then North Harbour would be the next in line to challenge.

Southland would also have to fend off challenges from powerhouses Canterbury, Wellington and Auckland in Invercargill if they were to retain the Shield at the completion of the 2010 season.

Meanwhile, Southland's premier club rugby competition will start a week earlier than in 2009 when the 2010 season gets under way next weekend.

The top-flight competition has been trimmed from seven teams to six, with Gore club Excelsior pulling out after finding the going too tough last year.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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