Their fawns rule New Zealand schoolboy rugby but the Stags are not having the same sort of success.
Southland remain winless in the national championship following their 31-13 loss to Auckland at Rugby Park yesterday.
It was a very Stags performance and, unfortunately, a very Stags result.
They tried hard and worked hard. They did the odd thing well. And they finished second by a distance.
Matt Whaanga and Viliame Fine showed some sparkle in the backs, and Blair Ryall and Jack Taylor were committed in the pack.
But, as expected, Auckland had just too much class to ever really look like leaving Invercargill with anything other than maximum points, and they richly deserved their seven-tries-to-one triumph.
Dan Hollinshead gave the Stags an early lead with a crisp penalty but Auckland scored the opening try of the game.
For all their flash and fizz, the Aucklanders have some real physicality up front, and they monstered the Stags in a scrum from a good attacking position.
One big looping pass to winger AJ Lam and the easiest of tries was scored.
That try was earned but the second was a gift as first five Zarn Sullivan, a livewire all game, intercepted an ambitious Hollinshead pass and raced half the length of the field to nudge up the score.
Hollinshead booted a second penalty — there was an argument the Stags should have been going for the tryline, given they clearly were not going to win this game by scoring in multiples of three — and there was a little period when the home team looked promising.
Indeed, the Stags had 57% possession in the first half, but while they showed glimpses of goodness, there was little cutting edge.
Auckland ended the first half with a quick visit to the attacking zone and a classic halfback’s try as Kalani Thomas grabbed the ball about 2cm from the line and quickly reached out to score.
If they were to have any chance of getting back into the game, the Stags needed to score first, and quickly, in the second half.
They did not.
Auckland rattled on two quick tries to move to 31-6 and cruise mode.
Winger Xavier Tito-Harris crossed out wide after a sweeping counter-attack, and No 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi rumbled over following another worryingly dominant Auckland scrum.
The Stags gave their faithful a boost when lightning winger Michael Manson glided inside and over the line in the 55th minute.
That was replaced by resigned frustration in the final 10 minutes when the exciting Tito-Harris completed his hat-trick on debut.
NPC
The scores
Auckland 41
Xavier Tito-Harris 3, AJ Lam, Zarn Sullivan, Kalani Thomas, Vaiolini Ekuasi tries; Sullivan 3 con.
Southland 13
Michael Manson try; Dan Hollinshead con, 2 pen.
Halftime: Auckland 19-6.
