yacck looks at some controversy in 1956

Bill Hazlett gained a lot of unsought publicity for his part in carrying the representations of the Dog Trials Association to the Rugby Union Union to have a dog trial on Rugby Park on Springboks day (July 28).  Everywhere in New Zealand the decisions of the SRFU and the susequent controversy proved good copy.  Hazlett was referred to as Southland's 1926-28 All Black forward.

Why he was chopped off in 1928 is not known.  He also represented New Zealand in the four tests against Britain in 1930. That distinction gave him the unusual record of the only player in the All Blacks of 1928 and 1930 to play int he eight tests against South Africa and Britain.
Bill Hazlett was one of the youngest forwards ever to represent New Zealand against Australia in 1926.  He was a young giant standing at 6 feet and weighing 15 stone.  He played for Pirates in Invercargill, and both he and his brother Jack (killed on active service) captained Southland.
Colin Shanks, the boxer, who fought his last bout in the ring against Billy Leckie at Invercargill, and well-wishers had overlooked he had gained the highest honour in amateur ranks.  He was selected to represent New Zealand at the British Empire Games at Auckland in 1950, and was prevented from taking his place in the games only be overweight of a pound or so on the eve of the contest.  It was a big disappointment for Shanks but some compensation was forthcoming by his retentions as a member of the team and with it a New Zealand games boxing blazer.  Shanks and Jim Beal were the two Southland members of the team.  Beal was runner up in his division, and later he went on to win the New Zealand professional middleweight crown.
Colin Shanks was runner-up to K. Cronin , a Wanganui southpaw, in the New Zealand amateur championships at Invercargill in 1952, and a year later, when he looked the best of good things to win a New Zealand title, he was disqualified for a technical breach on the ropes.