This year’s Heartland Championship has delivered action aplenty, but it’s South Canterbury’s incredible run that continues to steal the show.
The province are undefeated through the first six rounds, extending their win streak to 37 matches dating back to 2019.
After narrowly escaping against Whanganui in the opening week courtesy of an 82nd-minute penalty, the green and black hoops have been running roughshod over their competition.
At 28-5, North Otago appeared to have a sniff, until the South Cantabrians stormed back to close out a 44-31 victory.
“This is a team that has literally forgotten how to lose,” Heartland rugby aficionado Kevin Hare told SENZ Mornings on Wednesday.
They’ve contributed a large chunk of the staggering total of 316 tries scored across the Championship so far, equating to an average of 63 points per game.
According to Hare, the secret to their success has been their stability – both in their coaching staff under Nigel Walsh and their selections.
The squad has used just three debutants so far this year, which is in stark contrast to the likes of West Coast, who have already used 17 newcomers.
It’s resulted in a strong and cohesive team culture Hare believes has been the province’s foundation.
“They’ve also had very few imports in their team. They have a great competition within the team. They’ve just got a setup where they’re all in it together. The whole team culture there is just crazy.
“It’s something I think other teams could look at – that consistency of the same guys every week.”
In another boost to the cause, the team will return to the revamped Fraser Park this weekend, which is reopening after an $8.2 million facelift – an occasion they hope to mark with a streak-extending win against East Coast.
Listen to the full interview below:
