A group of Southland Stags players are wearing mouth guards, which include a battery and two microchips, to help World Rugby with their head impact research.
Southland has delivered another spirited display against Wellington, but yet again victory has eluded the Stags as a 17-5 penalty count takes its toll.
Chris Apoua was ready to give up on his rugby dream earlier this year, now he is one of the Southland Stags' standout players and is on the Super Rugby radar.
With the Southland Stags leading Manawatu 20-6 on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Rugby Park in Invercargill life was good for the southern faithful. But that quickly changed.