Shield game likely sellout

BY LOGAN SAVORY

Rugby Southland boss Roger Clark believes Rugby Park will sell out for the expected Ranfurly Shield game against Otago in August, with plans already made to increase the ground capacity.

The NZ Rugby Union released the national provincial championship draw yesterday and with it was confirmation Otago would be Southland's first Shield defence against a major union since they won it from Canterbury last year.

Southland will play North Otago and Wanganui in preseason Shield games and if they get through those fixtures unscathed, the showdown with Otago in week two of the competition looms as a massive occasion.

When Southland played the British and Irish Lions in 2005 a crowd of 18,500 turned up but Clark told The Southland Times yesterday he expected the figure to be closer to 19,500 for the Southland-Otago game on Saturday, August 7.

To cater for the expected large crowd a temporary grandstand would be erected at the Southland Girls' High School end of the ground and will seat 1100.

That grandstand would be put up before the North Otago game in July and will remain in place through to the end of the national provincial championships.

Clark said there had been a high level of interest for season tickets already and as of yesterday general tickets for the Otago game were on sale.

He said there had also been a high level of interest from Otago supporters already and he did fear that if Southlanders didn't get in fast they may miss out on a seat in the grandstand.

"I would think there will be thousands coming down from Dunedin; I know there have already been trains organised. We want the stand to be full of Southlanders, so they do need to get in quick," he said.

Season tickets or tickets to just the Southland-Otago game can be bought at Rugby Park.

If Clark's predicted 19,500 figure for the Otago game comes true it would be the largest crowd at a game in Southland for many years.

In 1961, 23,500 people turned out to watch Southland beat France – the ground capacity at that stage was much bigger than it is now.

Stags co-coach David Henderson said yesterday he was comfortable with the draw released but as usual their were some difficulties his team needed to deal with.

They included three shortened six-day turn-arounds in between games, which made buildup in the week leading into a game hectic, Henderson said.

He said the fact Southland, like Northland, had extra travelling time to most games, meant managing their schedule was important.

The NZRU also announced yesterday that building supplier ITM would take over from Air New Zealand as the major sponsor for the national provincial championship competition.

STAGS IN 2010

Preseason v North Otago (RS), Friday, July 9

Invercargill. v Wanganui (RS), Friday, July 23

Invercargill. ITM Cup v Manawatu, Saturday, July 31, 2.35pm

Palmerston North. v Otago (RS), Saturday, August 7, 4.35pm

Invercargill. v Counties-Manukau (RS), Saturday, August 14, 5.30pm

Invercargill. v Hawke's Bay, Sunday, August 22, 4.35pm

Napier. v Tasman, Friday, August 27, 7.35pm

Blenheim. v Northland, Saturday, September 4, 5.30pm

Whangarei. v North Harbour (RS), Friday, September 10, 7.35pm

Invercargill. v Waikato, Thursday, September 16, 7.35pm

Hamilton. v Auckland (RS), Thursday, September 23, 7.35pm

Invercargill. v Taranaki, Saturday, October 2, 7.35pm

New Plymouth. v Canterbury (RS), Saturday, October 9, 7.35pm

Invercargill. v BOP, Saturday, October 15, 2.35pm

TBC. v Wellington (RS), Saturday, October 23, 7.35pm.

- © Fairfax NZ News