Woodlands in front as competition reaches halfway

SOUTHLAND’S 2020 premier club rugby clubs reach the halfway point of their season tomorrow.

Most clubs will be fielding their strongest lineups for round five of the Galbraith Shield competition.

The players from outside the province with aspirations of playing for Southland in the Mitre 10 Cup have mostly arrived and settled into their new clubs.

Tomorrow, Woodlands hosts Marist in the last game of the first round.

The battle of the halfbacks was to be a feature of this match. Liam Howley at Woodlands was to give Marist’s new recruit Raniera Takarangi a warm welcome to the South, but an injury may delay Takarangi’s debut until next week. Takarangi already has experience in the Mitre 10 Cup with Waikato,

Woodlands is leading the division after beating Star 345 last week, while Marist’s latest winning effort against Blues has put it in third.

Another important game is at Waverley Park, where Star will host Pirates Old Boys. A win will put Pirates Old Boys in second spot on the competition ladder.

POB supporters are anticipating the return of former Southland Stag utility back Mike Molloy this week. Star expects to have its rollicking loose forward Jordan Stewart back in business after he missed his team’s loss to Woodlands.

Blues will start as slight favourite against the Eastern Northern Barbarians on ‘‘Club Day’’ at Balmoral Drive.

Midlands is leading the Ack Soper Shield division one competition and will start favourite again this week in Winton, against Waikaka.

Riversdale upset Wyndham 2413 last week and will be back on its home ground again this week, against Te Anau.

Te Anau is in second position and coming off a 2010 win over Waikaka.

In the division two Gerald Dermody Shield competition, the Mossburn Stags sit on top of the table after beating Tokanui 179 last week. Mossburn hosts Pioneer tomorrow.