Coach: AJ Aitken (head coach), Nick Hayes, Woody Kirkwood, Jacob Coghlan.

Key Players: Morgan Mitchell, Tom Scanlan, Liam Ferguson, Woody Kirkwood, Tom Simmers, Tevita Makutu, Harrison Morton, Brenton Howden, Ben Hill, Jacob Coghlan, Taylor Peterson, Rylee Stewart, Ryan McFaul, Banuve Dretiverata, Harry McKenzie.

Interesting Recruit: Alexander Grey. Grey is a former Wales Sevens representative who is now farming in Southland and will line up for the Barbarians in Southland club rugby.

One to Watch: Ryan McFaul. McFaul is a talented all-round sportsperson whether it be on the cricket field, in the boxing ring, or playing in the midfield in rugby. Last year McFaul impressed playing for Southland B, and was one of the team’s best against Canterbury B at Rugby Park in Invercargill.

Big Year For: Banuve Dretiverata. The winger was one of the more impressive attacking threats in last year’s Southland premier club rugby season and continued that form through to the rep season with Southland Country and Southland B. Can he improve on that in 2026?

Comings and Goings: The Barbarians’ strength has traditionally centred around its front row, although they have been dealt a double blow, losing both Troy McIvor and Mykeel Sleeman ahead of the 2026 season.

McIvor, who debuted for the Stags last year, has had surgery on his shoulder and will miss the club season, while Sleeman is in Scotland playing for the club that former Stag John Hardie is involved in.

The Barbarians do still have one of the province’s premier props in Morgan Mitchell, who will captain the team in 2026 and will also bring up game No 100 for club in round one.

They have also picked up a new prop from France, Alexis Billant.

Another recruit is former Welsh sevens player Alexander Grey, while outside back Joesfa Boletakibureta has transferred from Woodlands to the Barbarians this year.

Lock Woody Kirkwood is expected to miss the early stages of the club season as he continues to recover from his knee injury, although there is some excitement around what Tevita Makutu could bring in the second row this season after a big offseason.

Other significant losses from its 2025 squad are halfback Connor Collins, flanker Leroy Ferguson and midfielder Angus Simmers.

Tribune Predication: Beaten semifinalists… The Barbarians have had a big build up to the 2026 season, which started before Christmas and included three preseason fixtures in March. They possess a squad of quality club rugby players and should be a playoff team again in 2026. Although the Gore-based team will – like most teams – need to stay healthy to ensure their depth isn’t tested, particularly in the front row department.

Morgan Mitchell will captain the Eastern-Northern Barbarians in 2026. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY

Coaches: Jeremy Crooks (head coach), Lucian Lauofo, Marty O’Connell.

Key Players: Liam McIntosh, Ollie Harris, James Moodie, Luka Cassidy, Hemi Raimona, Jack Dowd, Felix Lauofo, Xavier Wright, Jordie O’Connell, Riley Hika, Aiden Harrington, Mike Moodie, George Turanganivau, Tiam Toufan.

Interesting Recruit: Ollie Harris. The loosehead prop has developed in Brisbane playing for the Norths club. It included spending some time in the Queensland Reds setup. He’s now made the move to Southland with the plan to get some NPC game time with the Stags.

One to Watch: Tiam Toufan. The outside back has been part of Western Force’s academy system and has made the shift to Southland this year to line up for Marist in the hope of pushing for some NPC gametime with the Stags.

Big Year For: Liam McIntosh. The former Highlanders U20s prop was contracted to the Stags for the 2025 NPC season, although the coaching group was reluctant to use him even on the back of plenty of propping injuries. 2026 looms as a big year for McIntosh if he is going to progress beyond club rugby.

Comings and Goings: Marist have had some important key figures depart, with forwards Ben Fotheringham, Jackson Bevin, and Hunter Areaiiti Burgess all now in Australia.

On top of that, Marist has lost its two most senior and influential backs with Scott Eade and Keanu Kahukura not lining up this season.

The club has looked to its development team to help the rebuild, with the likes of Hesad Lemanea, Jayden Smith, Josh Newell, and Sam Downing set to spend time in the premier ranks in 2026.

The club has also promoted 2025 development coach Jeremy Crooks to coach the premier team in 2026, with club legend Marty O’Connell joining him.

A former teammate of Crook’s from his days playing in Australia, Lucian Lauofo, has also made the move to help Crooks coach Marist

Lauofo has an extensive coaching background in Melbourne, and his 18-year-old son Felix has also made the move to Southland to line up for Marist this year.

Felix was part of the age-group teams in the Melbourne Rebels system, but with that Rebels pathway now taken away, he has looked to New Zealand to build his experience.

The Australia connection doesn’t end there for Marist, with prop Ollie Harris, and outside back Tiam Toufan, who were part of the Queensland Reds and Western Force academies respectively, also joining the Miller St boys.

Marist also have a handy addition at lock in Luca Cassidy. Cassidy is originally from England but has been playing for Coastal in Taranaki, where he has been on the fringes of the Taranaki NPC setup.

Probably the most significant recruit for Marist in 2026 is new Stags signing Konrad Toleafoa, although how much time the big looseforward spends in the Marist jersey this season is up in the air.

Toleafoa has played NPC rugby for Otago and spent some time with Moana Pasifika this year in a wider squad capacity.

However, he has picked up a neck injury, and Marist coach Jeremy Crooks said that while they might see him in club rugby, there is a good chance he won’t feature.

Tribune Prediction: Beaten semifinalists…. What we do know is Marist has lost five of its best players – Fotheringham, Areaiiti Burgess, Bevin, Eade, Kahukura – and that could hurt.

What we don’t know is what impact some of its Australian recruits will have in Southland club rugby, and also just how much its most significant acquisition, Konrad Toleafoa will play.

At this point, we’ve got Marist just missing fourth spot, but it’s likely they will be in a tight battle with Star for that spot.

Marist prop Liam McIntosh. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY

Coaches: Barry Smith (head coach), Liam Howley, Jason Rutledge.

Key Players: Brian Tyrell, Elroy Macomber, Harry Burgess, Jason Rutledge, Riley Smith, Nathan Va’atausili, Caleb Karangaroa, Sloane Lankshear, Koen Rarere, Tianua Poto, Liam Howley, Drew Carter, Ezekiel Hammond-Siolo, Justin Shaw.

Interesting recruit: Hugh Cameron. After a standout Heartland Championship season with Mid Canterbury last season, the fullback was named in the New Zealand Heartland XV team, which headed to Samoa.

Cameron has now shifted to Southland to link with Woodlands this season, with the hope of pushing for a spot in the Stags NPC squad.

It’s a very similar path former NZ Heartland XV player Fletcher Morgan took last year.

One to Watch: Koen Rarere. The halfback was one of the Southland Boys’ High School first XV’s best in 2025 and is now part of Rugby Southland’s academy. He brings speed at halfback and is a nuggety defender. Rarere will now get his chance to step into the senior club rugby ranks.

Big Year For: Justin Shaw. Shaw is in Year 3 of Rugby Southland’s academy programme, initially earmarked as a potential future Stags looseforward before now switching the focus to the wing.

There is also plenty of interest in Shaw as a promising prospect in the sevens game.

Comings & Goings: The defending champions have lost a few key figures, including the likes of Fletcher Morgan and Paula Latu, who are away on national sevens and Super Rugby duties respectively.

However, Woodlands have picked up enough handy new additions in 2026 to suggest they will be a real threat to lift the Galbraith Shield for a second straight year.

Included is 2025 New Zealand Heartland XV player Hugh Cameron, along with flanker Sloane Lankshear, who has previously been part of the Chiefs age-group system.

He has transferred from Bay of Plenty and impressed by winning the fitness testing in Rugby Southland’s high performance group.

Former Fiji U20 prop Elroy Macomber is another newcomer to Woodlands, along with back Tianua Poto, who has previously played his rugby in the Hawke’s Bay.

Former Stag halfback Liam Howley is back and will provide Woodlands with a utility player as his focus starts to switch more to coaching. Promising teenager Koen Rarere to take the lead at halfback under Howley’s guidance.

Rarere was a New Zealand Māori U18 rep last year, and he has also brought his 2025 SBHS first XV team mate Ezekiel Hammond-Siolo, a winger, with him to Woodlands.

As always, 48-year-old Jason Rutledge will be back for another season as he closes in on 300 games for Woodlands.

Tribune Prediction: Galbraith Shield winners… The defending champions have got the core of their team back and have picked up a few handy additions. They should again be there at the pointy end of the season when the big prize is dished out.

Nathan Va’atausili will again be a figure for Woodlands in 2026. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY

Coaches: Matt James (head coach), Mike McKenzie, Josh Walker, Dayna Cunningham, Ben McHugh.

Key Players: Shaun Kempton, Alex Fraito, Thomas Jennings, JJ Fisher, Mason Coulthard, Anton Schroder, Craig Smith, Jacob Harrex, Dustin Coveney, Hayden Hagerty, Josh Murrell, Kaea Nikora-Balloch, Napo Seru, Materua Tupou, Jaye Thompson, Greg Dyer.

Interesting Recruit: Mason Coulthard. The young lock was one of the stars of the Southland Boys’ High School first XV, which last year made the national Top Four finals.

This year, Coulthard was included in the 100-person New Zealand U20s camp in Taupo, and he will now step into his first season of senior club rugby with Pirates-Old Boys.

One to Watch: Kaea Nikora-Balloch. Nikora-Balloch is no stranger to Southland rugby, with him a regular for Pirates-Old Boys and in 2024 was contracted to the Stags.

The first five-eighth was not contracted to the Stags in 2025, but by all accounts, has returned in 2026 determined to change that.

Nikora-Balloch has previously spent a lot of his time at fullback for Pirates-Old Boys, given that they have had Greg Dyer in the No 10 jersey. However, this year, Pirates-Old Boys are doing what it takes to give Nikora-Balloch the best chance at a shot at the Stags, and he will spend the club season at first five-eighth, with Dyer shifting to fullback.

Big Year For: Shaun Kempton. It was a big 2025 for Kempton, making the New Zealand U20s and debuting for the Stags in the NPC. But 2026 looms as an even bigger year in his rugby journey as the young hooker looks to first impress in club rugby and then establish himself as a more regular fixture at the NPC level.

Comings and Goings: Pirates-Old Boys have again retained the bulk of the squad that reached the 2025 Galbraith Shield final and will head into 2026 as one of the competition favourites.

The Surrey Park boys have picked up promising young lock Mason Coulthard out of Southland Boys’ High School, while in another boost to the forward park, 2024 captain Jacob Harrex has returned after a season away.

Pirates-Old Boys has a luxury that many other clubs don’t have in their front row depth. They’ve got two of the province’s more promising props, Thomas Jennings and JJ Fisher, to call on, along with the Gage brothers in the propping department.

They also have contracted Stags hooker Shaun Kempton, with Alex Fraito as back up. If that’s not enough, former Fijian international hooker Talemaitoga Tuapati is expected to make an appearance when needed and available.

Pirates-Old Boys have lost halfback Kane O’Connor but still have Josh Murrell in the mix, while halfback-first five Ngawaka Ririnui has transferred from Bluff, along with forward Kupu Lloyd.

Pirates-Old Boys will again have plenty of strike in the midfield through Napo Seru and Jaye Thompson, while usual first five-eighth Greg Dyer will provide plenty of experience playing at fullback this season.

Tribune Prediction: Beaten finalists… The form guide suggests Pirates-Old Boys should again be playing finals footy in 2026 after being part of the past four Galbraith Shield finals.

They have a squad in 2026 that indicates they will be there again at the pointy end of the season.

Time will tell if they can shake the perennial bridesmaid tag and get past the likes of Woodlands in 2026 and etch the Pirates-Old Boys name on the Galbraith Shield again.

Kaea Nikora-Balloch will run the cutter for Pirates-Old Boys at first five-eighth this season. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY

Coach: Brayden Mitchell (head coach), Josh van Leishout, Mark McHugh, Callum Rutledge.

Key Players: Darius Fidow, Keflar Morrison, Cordell Prescott, Lachlan Springford, Josh Bekhuis, Sam White, Zyon Walters, Dylan Lovett, McKenzie Hunter, Daniel Low, Sam Mustchin, Nate Corbett, Micaiah Johnson-Brown, Fale Iosefo, Hughan Sharp.

Interesting recruit: Darius Fidow. The prop played at Heartland Championship level for South Canterbury in 2024 and last year was part of the Otago Development setup. He has made the move further south this year, linking with the Star club in a push for a spot in the Stags for the 2026 NPC.

One to Watch: Sam Mustchin. Mustchin impressed last year when the teenage midfielder joined Star midway through the season after moving to Invercargill. He is part of Rugby Southland’s academy setup and attended the New Zealand U20s development camp in Taupo in March.

Big Year For: Nate Corbett. Corbett is a young back who provides a real attacking threat. He is currently part of Rugby Southland’s high-performance group. A big club season could elevate the interest in him further.

Comings & Goings: Star has retained the bulk of its squad from 2025, although whether the new additions can help provide enough improvement to see the Waverley Park lads return to the playoffs after missing last season, only time will tell.

While one of its best in 2025, Jackson Hughan, is technically back at Star, Hughan is unlikely to feature much in 2026 because of New Zealand Under-20 commitments, meaning Star will be light on halfback options.

They will also be operating with a young first five-eighth, with 18-year-old Jad Ford transferring from Collegiate to have a crack at premier rugby and fill that role for Star.

Daniel Low will miss the start of the season with a broken thumb, but will provide an experienced first five-eighth option when he returns.

Star has picked up loose forward McKenzie Hunter, who last played for Alhambra-Union in Dunedin last year, and got through plenty of work defensively.

Its most notable addition is prop Darius Fidow, who has moved south from Dunedin and is pushing for a Stags spot through a good club season.

Other newcomers to Star include young backs Orlando Uamaki, William and Cassius Henry, along with Hunter Morrison and Jaydan Terry upfront.

Tribune Prediction: Beaten semifinalists… Star struggled in 2025, although they did show some promise later in the season. There is a real unknown as to how they will perform 12 months on.

At this point, we’ve got Star just squeaking the playoffs, although they are likely to be challenged hard by Marist for that fourth and final semifinal spot.

Sam Mustchin will be a key figure in the Star backline during the 2026 season. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY

Coaches: Mike Cunningham (head coach), Daniel Townson, Pale Tuilagi, Micheal Peterson.

Key Players: TJ Gallen, Albert Qoro, Jay Naqianvalu, Kepu Tuifua and Sione Pouha, Hamish Gray, Osika Kaufononga, Connor Bolton, Tim Winsloe,

Interesting Recruit/s: Toyota Verblitz connection. Blues have, in recent seasons, called on the services of some players out of the Toyota Verblitz club in Japan, and that appears to be the case again in 2026. A hooker and back is set to join the club in the coming weeks.

One to Watch: Jay Naqianivalu. Naqianivalu made the unique shift in 2025 when he was moved from lock to centre and turned out to be a real handful out wide with ball in hand. Blues will need more of the same from him in 2026.

Big Year For: Connor Bolton. Blues probably have enough size and power to threaten teams in 2026, with Bolton set to be a key figure at first five-eighth in directing the team around the field.

Comings & Goings: Blues probably don’t have the number of Stags hopefuls that other clubs possess, but they will roll out one of the bigger sides in Southland premier club rugby this season, which should test opposition teams.

The likes of the Qoro brothers, Bill and Albert, will lead the way in that department, along with loose forwards Kepu Tuifua and Sione Pouha.

Blues have picked up prop Nico Tuisani from North Otago to help with their front row depth.

Blues have lost outside back Brad Kooman, but have been bolstered with the return of Osika Kaufononga, who is likely to slot in at fullback. As an added bonus, Blues have also picked up his cousin Izzy Falekaono, who will be another handy addition to the backline.

Blues will also be bolstered with a couple of recruits from Japanese club Toyota Verblitz later in the season, with a hooker and a back expected to join the club.

Blues looked set to have the services of former Stags halfback Jay Renton in 2026 before Renton was picked up by Old Glory DC to play in the Major League Rugby competition in the United States.

Veteran Daniel Townson is unlikely to feature as a player in 2026 after picking up a nasty shoulder injury last season but will still be in the mix as an assistant coach.

The Prediction: Missing playoffs… At 31 titles, Blues has the record for the club with the most Galbraith Shield titles, although it would be a shock for that number to increase in 2026. They should test some teams in 2026 with their size and power, though.

First five-eighth Connor Bolton will be a key figure for the Blues in 2026. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY