KEY POINTS:
Glory years: None
2006 finish: 8th (W4 L5) Beaten 24-12 by Waikato in quarter-final.
Best result: Beat Taranaki 20-17 in repechage to seal playoff spot.
Worst result: Beaten 29-8 by Counties-Manukau in pool play.
Dearly departed: Benjamin Coutts, Rees Logan, Sam Muir, Pale Tuilagi, Jeff Wright.
Holidaying in France: None.
New kids on the block: Fai Mika, Mark Wells.
Old stagers: Seven players have more than 40 caps, led by Clarke Dermody (80) and Quinton Cowan (71).
Shooting star: With 71 games under his belt Quinton Cowan can hardly be considered a young up and comer. But there really wasn't any other slot to drop in the fact that a player who goes by the name of Jimmy is in fact called Quinton. So what the hell.
Coaches count: Simon Culhane and David Henderson continue their co-coaching double act.
Quirks of the draw: Pretty favourable - the Stags avoid Wellington and Canterbury and host fellow battlers Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Northland and Counties-Manukau. Home: Hawkes Bay, Auckland, Northland, Counties-Manukau, Manawatu. Away: Waikato, Taranaki, Otago, Bay of Plenty, North Harbour. Not playing: Wellington, Canterbury, Tasman.
Scouting report
Lost to Canterbury (11-15) and Otago (37-38) but walloped Tasman (33-18) in a pre-season tour of the other Southern contenders. The most settled squad in the competition with no major losses and nothing in the way of exciting acquisitions.
Prospects
Every stag has its day and Southland's is about 120 years overdue. So I'm picking the men from the land of the twisted faces to have the season of their lives and go close to making the top four. No really. I'm serious. Stop laughing. They've got a pack of grizzled veterans, a solid halfback and a first five (Blair Stewart) who should have benefited from the game time he received at the Hurricanes in the Super 14. Not that they ever use their outside backs but, should they choose to, they've got a couple of blokes with Fijian-sounding names (Watisoni Lotawa, for instance) who just have to be quick. Also, despite losing six of their 10 games last season, they never once conceded 30 points. If they could only score some themselves they'll go well.
Prediction: 5th. I'm backing Southland. You should too. Send me a dollar and I'll make sure they get it. Promise.
