Southland start and Waikato earn an early penalty for an early tackle

The sides are out

Welcome to the opening Mitre 10 Cup of the day and it is a Shield game to get us underway. Southland have been the whipping boys in this tournament of late but it is a Ranfurley Shield game,.

Biggest Waikato score: 95 in Hamilton 5.09.1998 (RS, NPC)
Biggest Southland score: 36 in Hamilton 2.09.2000 (RS, NPC) (match lost)

Played: 34, 1953-2015 | Waikato wins: 24 | Southland wins: 9 | Draws: 1