Stags victory parade - and the end of the affair

Southlanders enjoyed a golden 2009-2010 summer thanks to the heroics of the Stags at the citadel of Canterbury rugby. The victory parade in Invercargill was a joyous affair - as these pictures show.

For the record, on the night of October 22, 2009 the Southlanders turned on a great defensive effort to snaffle the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury, breaking a 50-year Shield drought for the players, their fans and the province. At the final whistle the Stags had won 9-3 (it was 3-all at the changeover). A few days later the Stags were the toast of Invercargill - weary but still beaming.

Then came the 2010 challenges at Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill:

• North Otago, July 9, 7.35pm: Stags won 48-3.
• Whanganui, July 23, 7.35pm: Stags won 62-6.
• Otago, Saturday, August 7, 4:35pm: Stags won 16-12.
• Counties Manukau, August 14, 5:30pm: Stags won 13-9
• North Harbour, September 10, 7.35pm: Stags won 47-21
• Auckland, September 23, 7.35pm: Stags won 9-6

And then, on the very day Tim Shadbolt was returned to the Mayoralty for a sixth term, the Shield slipped away:

• Canterbury, October 9, 7.35pm: Canterbury won 26-16  

Picture credits:
Fans' hands reach for the Shield - Debbie McCallum; all other images - Hayley Barker.

World Cup link:

• Invercargill and the Rugby World Cup