He cannot vouch for everyone else in the changing rooms in Hamilton on Sunday night, though.
‘‘There has been a bit of that,’’ he chuckled.
‘‘Hopefully they don’t get out and about.’’
Who could deny the Stags some wild celebrations?
They wrestled the Log o’ Wood off Waikato with a 25-10 win.
It brought an end to a 14-year drought for the province and completed the circle for Wilson.
He joined the late Ron Ward as the only person who has played and coached in a successful Ranfurly Shield challenge for Southland.
‘‘As a player, you don’t really reflect too much.
‘‘But as a coach, I’ve reflected on the journey that I’ve had coming back here and finishing up playing professionally and then getting into coaching.
‘‘And seeing some of the guys that I started off with here were still involved, and being able to celebrate that with them, has been really awesome,’’ Wilson said.
‘‘So I think more proud, I suppose, of being a winner as a coach, more so than as a player.
‘‘It was a hell of a wave we rode back then [as a player], but yeah, I sort of sit back and reflect nowadays, which is awesome all the same. Slightly different, but thoroughly enjoyable.’’
Wilson was part of the team that won the Shield off Canterbury in 2009, but did not get on the field that day.
But he played a starring role in 2011. He nailed a late drop goal to seal a 22-19 win against Canterbury.
Southland defence coach Scott Eade was on the bench in 2011 but did not take the field.
However, he was in the coaching box on Sunday, which is quite an achievement as well.
The job now was to ‘‘win it again’’ when they hosted Canterbury today.
The visitors are the only unbeaten team in the competition and it will take a mighty effort for the Stags to hold on to their prize.
‘‘It’s going to be a big one.
‘‘Canterbury have been playing really well.
‘‘They’ve started the season fantastically and they’ll throw everything at us.
‘‘But we’ve got our supporters right behind us. You’ll see on Saturday that they’ll be important for us.’’
Southland are firmly in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs at the midway stage of the NPC round-robin.
The Stags started with back-to-back losses, but produced a stunning fight back in the second half to beat Manawatū 29-22 in Invercargill in round three.
They followed that up with an impressive 30-25 win against Bay of Plenty in Rotorua and the Shield win against Waikato.
Wilson singled out the leadership group for special praise.
Stags captain and Highlanders loose Sean Withy has been immense at the breakdown.
Highlander lock Mitchell Dunshea has been running the lineout, and No 8 Semisi Topou Ta’eiloa is the leading tackler in the competition. He has also hit the ball up more than anyone else.
Second five Faletoi Peni has been fearlessly charging at the defensive line and creating endless problems for his opponents.
Halfback Nic Shearer has been a ‘‘livewire around the breakdown’’.
‘‘He just sees an opportunity and backs himself, which is exactly how we want him to play.’’
The whole team will need to play that way against an impressive Canterbury team.
The silver lining for Otago is if the Stags lose, that sets up a potential challenge for Otago in round 8.
Ranfurly Shield
Invercargill, 4.05pm
Southland: Michael Manson, Tayne Harvey, Matt Whaanga, Faletoi Peni, Fletcher Morgan, Byron Smith, Nic Shearer, Semisi Tupo Ta’eiloa, Nathan Va’atausili, Sean Withy, Ale Aho, Mitch Dunshea, Morgan Mitchell, Jack Taylor, Paula Latu.
Reserves: Nic Souchon, Joe Walsh, Jone Tiko, Sam Fischli, George Reeves, Connor McLeod, Dan Hollinshead, Isaac Te Tamaki.
Canterbury: Andrew Knewstubb, Chay Fihaki, Braydon Ennor, Dallas McLeod, Ngatungane Punivai, James White, Louie Chapman, Corey Kellow, Tom Christie (captain), Dominic Gardiner, Jamie Hannah, Zach Gallagher, Seb Calder, George Bell, Finlay Brewis.
Reserves: Ben Funnell, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Darcy Breen, Tahlor Cahill, Torian Barnes, Tyson Belworthy, Manasa Mataele, Jone Rova.
