Live: Stags v North Harbour

RANFURLY SHIELD DEFENCE #5

BY LOGAN SAVORY

The Southland Stags are about to enter Ranfurly Shield defence No 5 when they meet North Harbour at Rugby Park in Invercargill tonight.

Stay with us as rugby writer Logan Savory provides you live updates and dishes up his opinion on what is unfolding throughout the game. Kick-off is at 7.35pm.

10 minutes until kick-off folks.

Stags playing towards Southland Girls' High end of the ground in the first half.

Robbie Robinson has kicked-off, we're underway.

1min: First mistake of the game, Robinson points up big floater punt and North Harbour fullback Jack McPhee puts it down.

TRY

3min: Stags No 12 Matt Suanders cuts through to score for an individual try. Robinson adds extras 7-nil Stags.

7min: Harbour had their first stint at attacking inside Stags half but a handling mistake ended their efforts.

10min: Harbour still on attack.

16min: Stags starting to make some inroads with a host of possesion,

TRY HARBOUR

20min: Nafi Tuitavake has too much speed with James Paterson caught out on defence for the Stags. Horton was also to fault on defence a litte as well. Michael Harris lands conversion, 7-all.

21min: Tuineau isolated on the ground and Stags pinged. Harbour heads for lineout.

UPSTAIRS THEY GO WITH STAGS TRY LIKELY

23min: Try it is to Jamie Mackintosh after some harlem globe trooters type rugby. Robinson adds extra 14-7 Stags.

27min: Harbour hard on attack with lineout 5m out.

28min: Harbour duff it. Stags ball 5m out with scrum.

30min: Stags looking not too bad to date. Horton solid at back and forwards to date working together well.

35min: Stags would probably have liked to be up by more points with the possesion and territory they have had to date.

TRY STAGS

38min: Kenny Lynn shows some great toe down the terrace touchline and feeds halfback Scott Cowan on the inside who scores. Robinson adds the extras from wide out. Stags lead 21-7.

Halftime; Stags lead 21-7 after a good first half of play.

More of the same needed from the Stags in the second half, They are getting their hands on plenty of ball and generally using it well.

Regular readers of our live updates will be well aware of my thoughts on the halftime entertainment at Rugby Park which is Grab 'A' Grand of course. But for those that aren't aware I'm sick of it. Time for Rugby Southland officials to dream up something other than that for the crowd to view at halftime. It's old and boring.

Teams back on the field after the halftime break.

Stags playing towards the scoreboard end of the ground in the second half. No wind to speak of.

STAGS TRY

42min: Again a nice break from Kenny Lynn and the ball eventually got flicked on to Glen Horton who scored on the grandstand side of the field. That's the bonus point. Robinson missed the conversion. 26-7 to Stags.

TRY HARBOUR

47min: Harbour first five Michael Harris gets in the clear and puts the foot down to gas Tony Koonwaiyou to score, Harris converts his own try to make it 26-14.

TRY STAGS

52min: Take a bow Kenny Lynn. After setting up two tries this time he carves through the Harbour defence and scores his own five pointer. Robinson adds extras, 33-14.

60min: Harbour have a lineout 5m out on attack.

62min: Stags defending well and Harbour offering little on attack.

66min: Alex Ryan on for Joe Tuineau for the Stags.

TRY STAGS

67min: Saunders sends a great long pass to Koonwaiyou to score. Robinson kicks conversion from out wide to make it 40-14.

67min; Brayden Mitchell and Dion Bates on for the Stags.

70min: Sonny Rangitoheriri, Mark Wells and Seminar Manu on for the Stags.

73min: Nic Barrett on for the Stags.

76min: Harbour hot on attack but it is all to late for them.

78min: North Harbour think they've scored ref Vinny Munro goes up stairs for confirmation.

TRY HARBOUR

78min: TMO agrees that it is a try to Harbour. Ben Botica converts. 40-21.

TRY STAGS

80min: Koonwaiyou makes a break and flicks a pass to Kenny Lynn who sprints almost 50m to score after looking like he was carrying a ankle injury. Lynn has had a blinder tonight. Robinson converts, 47-14 fulltime score.

- © Fairfax NZ News