That game was the start of an intense annual battle between Otago's's two top rugby clubs.
The students have won 47 banners and Southern 21.
The match honours Vic Cavanagh sen, who coached both Southern and University A, and his son, Vic Cavanagh jun.
The 50th game will be held at Bathgate Park today.
Cavanagh sen coached Southern to the Dunedin premier championship in 1912, retired and returned to coach University A from 1922-36.
The students won the championship 11 times in the 15 years he was in charge.
Former Otago halfback and later Otago coach Alan Stevens played in that first game in 1958 when 10,000 spectators watched the game.
Bob Little was the referee. "Carisbrook was damp and muddy in those days and it was worse late in the game," Stevens said.
"It did not have the grassy covering it has today."
Southern had 80% of the territory and was unlucky not to win the game.
Bill McAuley kicked three penalty goals for Southern and Sam Simpson (vice-captain) scored a try in the corner after being fed by Stevens.
Diack and Ian Bassett scored tries for University A and Diack kicked two penalty goals. Sam Leary played superbly at fullback to get the students out of their own territory.
The great Roy Nieper was the Southern coach and Charlie Buckley the masseur.
Other Southern players that day included Ian Stevens (captain), Lindsay Reid, Jim Darling, Graeme Watt and Jim Devenie.
Southern used only 17 premier players in 1958 and McAuley was the only new member of the team.
Two premier club matches were played at Carisbrook each week in the 1950s and it was no novelty for Southern to play at the 'Brook.
Only two of Southern's games in 1958 were played away from Carisbrook. The students played all their games at the ground.
The Cavanaghs were innovators and introduced the ruck to the game. They had a lasting influence on the game worldwide.
When Cavanagh sen died in 1952, Dunedin dentist Ernie Martin, a University A player in the 1930s, organised donations to purchase a trophy in memory of his old coach.
University A became the first winner of the trophy when it won the second game 8-6 in 1959.
Southern did not win the trophy until 1969 when it beat the students 16-9.
All Black Mark Irwin captained University A in the first game and Otago hooker Ian Stevens was the Magpies captain.
Cavanagh Trophy
Results of games since 1976
University wins: 1979, 15-9; 1980, 19-10; 1983, 10-9; 1986, 15-7; 1987, 27-15; 1988, 19-10; 1989, 26-13; 1990, 39-11; 1991, 24-7; 1993, 97-6; 1994, 40-11; 1995, 34-14; 1997, 44-34; 1998, 16-11; 1999, 55-5; 2000, 17-11; 2001, 25-23; 2005, 55-27; 2007, 15-13.
Southern wins: 1976, 20-9; 1977, 13-7; 1978, 16-3; 1981, 21-18; 1982, 16-15; 1984, 11-6; 1985, 16-3; 1992, 27-22; 1996, 23-18; 2002, 23-9; 2003, 30-10; 2004, 27-20; 2006, 31-10.
