Alex Sutherland retires in 1946 after controversy Ranfurly Challenge against North Otago.

Alex Sutherland makes a dash with the ball.

The last representative game of the 1946 season was held on Saturday September 28 against North Otago.  There was a lot of controversy surrounding the game as originally the New Zealand Rugby Football Union advised that the challenge for the Ranfurly Shield could not go ahead due to North Otago only being a sub-union.  R.J. McEwan, the president of Southland Rugby Union was horrified and made it his mission to ensure get the decision reversed.  With a lot of support from both Unions he managed to get the game reinstated.

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Alex Sutherland
It was Sutherland's last game for Southland that day.  His first game was against Otago in the 1936 Shield game.  The following year he won fame by a great potted goal which helped Southland to win the Ranfurly Shield.  He played 47 games for Southland between 1936-40 and 1945-46 from the Invercargill club.

The teams were:
Southland - T. Webster, A . G. Sutherland (captain), J. Prendeville, A. Chandler, N. D. Bennett, R. F. Waldron, E. D. Calder, R. Ogilvie, G. Cameron, M. B. Fearn, R.Cody, D. Brown, S. R. Pittaway, R. Hazlett, J. Stuck, H. Sandri, H. Hammond, R. Grenfell, J. Cameron, R. Whyte.
North Otago - E. Russell, A. Hopley, R. Harris, H. Kilgour, H. Pittaway, D. Gillies (captain), V. Wright, E. Cleverley, E. Strachan, R. Miller, I. Cameron, R. McIntosh, R. Wilson, E. Harris, R. Brown, B. Robertson, G. Hunter, J. Dunne, W. Muldrew, R. Twaddle, E. Laney.

TRD Webster kicking threw.

North Otago had the wind at their back and made the most of it with Gillies kicking long deep kicks to keep Southland in their own half.
Webster was finding it difficult kicking in the strong wind and the frustration caused a couple of penalties being awarded against them.  Gillies was successful with the second which meant they were the first team to score first against Southland that season.
The play went up and down the field with both defensive lines not giving an inch.
Hazlett for Southland was the only one that made any decent ground when he ran 60 yards unopposed.  Southland was awarded a penalty but Webster just could not convert.
The first try went to Southland when they won a lineout - Calder sent the backs away - Prendeville showed great speed to score in the corner.
After half time the Southland crowd were confident that things would change, but it was not to be and in the first ten minutes where they could not get their hands on the ball.  
It was not until the 18th minute where a scrum was formed after a lineout. The ball again went through the backline to Sutherland where he kicked downfield.  North Otago's Brown won the ball, Wright got the ball away to Hopley on the short side, he then inpassed to Pittaway, who was caught by Calder, the half back for Southland, Hazlett appeared - gained possession and scored.
Southland were growing in confidence and from a scrum sent the ball through the backs to Sutherland who scored.
South Otago were unlucky when a clearing kick by Calder had been charged down, and if it were not for Bennett North Otago would have scored.
Sutherland and Webster worked a great scissor movement and gained a lot of ground. 
Sutherland finished his time with Southland on a high when Bennett and Prendeville caught North Otago's full back, E. Russell - Stuck was in support and gathered the ball, passed to Sutherland who tip toed down the sideline to score.

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Primary Schools - Southland V Otago.

Both teams used their backs to play an open game of rugby.  Southland's half back L. Townsend and first five eight, showed their class, the latter making little dashes round the side of the scrum and sending out quick accurate ball to his backs.

Southland Team:
C. Henry, A. Frewyn, N. Clark, A. Anderson, L. Ward, Allan Jack, J. Heenan, E. Ball, L. Townsend, D. Snow, P. Lyon, L. Diack, S. Harper, A. Watson, R. Murray, R. Frampton, G. Dyer, G. Alabaster, D. Hackett, A. Malcolm, R. Todd.
Otago Team:
K. Rawlings, A. Walker, G. Wallace, J. Devenie, K. Willcocks, P. Bennie, L. Freeman, E. Dick, M. Inglis, R. Robson, C. South, K. Wardell, B. Aitchison, G. Smith, E. Brass, D. Wilkie, A. Robertson, G. Amos, R. Mitchell.
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Sub Unions - South Otago V Southland

This match was won by Otago Sub-Unions 12-0 and a encouraging factor was the great tackling by both teams.  There was a lot of broken play - but Southland lost opportunities as they had the wind at their back in the first half and came away with nothing to show for it.

The teams:
Southland - W. Carran, G. Kennedy, J. McInerney, J. Blackmore, M. Patterson, C. Boyd, R. Gillespie, A. Fisher, C. McKenzie, F. Smith, B. McIvor, P. McDonald, I. Overton, R. Robb, D. Crosbie, W. Cooper, W. McKenzie, M. McInerney, M. McMullan.
South Otago - A. Hanley, K. McLennan, C. Cockerill, R. Matchett, W. Stewart, B. Haig, I. Gray, N. O'Leary, A. Storer, E. Wheeler, T. McNab, J. Thomas, F. Williams, J McNab, V. Hughes, J. Walker, R. J. McPhee, E. Muir, I. Brown.

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