Southland signed off Carisbrook's 128-year history with a strangely anti-climactic 19-12 win over Otago in the last game at the grand old ground today.
Both teams were guilty of too many handling errors for the game to really flow, but Southland secured the scrappy win on the back of three first-half tries.
The win lifts Southland off the bottom of the premiership division, leaving Wellington holding the wooden spoon with six more rounds to play over over the next three weeks.
Otago lie third in the championship, their late dropped goal leaving them one point astray of second-placed Manawatu with Hawke's Bay three points clear at the top.
Southland dominated today's opening exchanges, and were rewarded for constant pressure in the sixth minute. Second five-eighth Matt Saunders fired out a pinpoint pass to fullback Robbie Robinson, who motored down the right-hand touchline to score with a fine diving try.
Two Glenn Dickson penalties kept Otago in touch, but they made too many errors to seriously threaten the Southland line,
Flanker John Hardie continued his stellar season with a well-taken try as the 30-minute mark neared. As Southland mounted another series of attacks inside the Otago 22, Hardie hit a nicely weighted pass at pace to slice open the defence, showing good strength and reach to finish with the try.
Southland's third came on the shadow of halftime when Robinson stepped around evergreen Otago first five-eighth Tony Brown then offloaded to gift halfback Scott Cowan the easiest of tries.
Ahead 19-6 at halftime, Southland battled for the bonus try but couldn't manage to add to their scoreline as Otago stepped up their defensive game.
Southland's defence proved equally adept at keeping Otago out after a third Dickson penalty in the 55th minute narrowed Southland's lead to 10. It took an injury-time Hayden Parker dropped goal to secure the Otago a valuable bonus point.
Scores:
Southland 19 (Robbie Robinson, John Hardie, Scott Cowan tries; Robinson 2 con) Otago 12 (Glenn Dickson 3 pen, Hayden parker dropped goal). Halftime: 19-6.
