Honours About Even In 87 Contests

Southland Times, Issue 23888, 5 August 1939, Page 13

Honours About Even In 87 Contests

Eighty-seven games have been played between Southland and Otago. Southland has won 38, Otago 43, and six have been drawn. The annual games between the two unions began in 1887, so that this year marks the fifty-third anniversary of the matches. Of the 44 games played at Dunedin

Otago has won 30, Southland 12 and I two have been drawn. Of the 43 games played at Invercargill Southland has won 26, Otago 13 and four have been drawn. With the exception of the drawn game at Dunedin in 1929, when nine points were scored by each side, not one point was scored in any of the drawn games. Between 1906 and 1925 Southland did not win a game at Dunedin. The Southland touring team of 1925 broke down the hoodoo and won by 25 points to 15. In all games played between Otago and Southland 1574 points have been scored, 902 by Otago and 672 by Southland. < SOUTHLAND’S BEST SCORE Southland’s greatest win was 37 to 5 in the Ranfurly Shield game at Invercargill in 1930. Before that Southland’s best victory was 20 to 5 in 1907. The biggest win throughout the series Otago’s win by 41 points to 3 at Dunedin in 1931. Otago scored another big win in 1909, the scores being 35 to 0. Five games have been won by one point and five have been won by two points. Only on two occasions have wins been gained by dropped goals alone, but dropped goals have played an important part in the results of other games. Up till 1891 a try counted one point, and in 1892 and 1893 tries counted two points. Southland and Otago have played each other six times for the Ranfurly Shield; Southland won four and Otago won two.