Renee Goldup posted on October 23, 2009 14:18
The Southland Stags were swamped by a crowd nearing a thousand at Invercargill Airport on Friday, 23 October, the clouds opened up and brilliant southern sunshine reflected off the Ranfurly Shield.
Southland Boys High School welcomed the team with a haka, children waved Southland Spirit of a Nation flags, parents pushed kids forward to photograph them with the shield, Stags players mingled and signed endless autographs. Reality was still sinking in but the shield is here for five months before the next challenge.
"This is going to be great for the community, look at all those children!" said Stags manager Leister Rutledge.
Reflecting back on the match, coach Dave Henderson said, "That last ten minutes was like an hour."
All agree - the Stags played as a team and with utter commitment and that is the Southland spirit, long may it last in Southland.
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