Highlanders (Super rugby franchise)

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Highlanders
Founded 1996
Union New Zealand Rugby Football Union
Location Dunedin, New Zealand
Region Otago, North Otago, and Southland
Ground Carisbrook
Capacity 35,000
Coach Greg Cooper
Captain Josh Blackie[1]
League Super 14
2006 8th
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
　
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
　
Away colours

The Highlanders (formerly known as Otago Highlanders), are a rugby union team from New Zealand. They compete in the Super 14 rugby union tournament, which is played between teams from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. The Highlanders draw their team from the South Island regions of Otago, North Otago, and Southland.

The Highlanders take their name from the fact that Otago, North Otago, and Southland were founded by Scottish emigrants in the 1840s and 1850s and the name "Highlander" was seen to conjure up images of loyalty, strength, honesty and hard work.

The team logo depicts a rampant Highlander brandishing in one hand a shield and in the other a claymore; it is intended as a symbolic indication of equal attention being paid to defence and attack.

The team plays primarily in Dunedin at Carisbrook, with one home match each year at Rugby Park Stadium in Invercargill and as of the 2007 season, one at the events centre in Queenstown. Preseason matches may be played in other parts of the Highlanders region; in 2006, the team played two preseason matches in Queenstown and one in Oamaru.

Contents

[edit] The Highlander song

We are the mighty Highlanders
we're here to play the game
From Auckland to Australia, there's no-one quite the same
As we the Otago Highlanders, and rugby is our game
Welcome to the house of pain.
[Chorus]
Go oh Highlanders, That's our name
Go oh Highlanders, Here to play the game
Go oh Highlanders, Winning is our aim
Welcome to the house of pain.
From Waitaki to the Bluff, and up to central too
For the loyal Scarfies, "Highlanders" know what to do
For we play with passion, and pride in our game
Welcome to the house of T-T-Taine.
[Chorus]
Go oh Highlanders, That's our name
Go oh Highlanders, Here to play the game
Go oh Highlanders, Winning is our aim
Welcome to the house of pain.
Go oh Highlanders.. Go oh Highlanders
Go oh Highlanders.. Go oh Highlanders
[Chorus]
Go oh Highlanders, That's our name
Go oh Highlanders, Here to play the game
Go oh Highlanders, Winning is our aim
Welcome to the house of pain.

The "Taine" in the second verse refers to former Highlanders and All Blacks captain Taine Randell and House of Pain refers to Carisbrook.

The words were changed in 2005 when the Southland Rugby Union who are in the franchise boundaries were not happy with the word "OTAGO" in the lyrics and it was changed to "Go Oh" to keep the Southland Rugby Union happy.


The song is preformed by Dunedin City Councillor Bill Acklin approximatly 15 minutes before kickoff at each home game. The music is played by Dunedin City Pipe Band.

[edit] Super records and achievements

[edit] Super 12 placings

Super 12 Results[2]
Year Played Win Draw Loss PF PA Diff BP Points Place Playoffs
1996 11 5 0 6 329 391 -62 6 26 8th
1997 11 3 0 8 299 409 -110 5 17 12th
1998 11 7 0 4 343 279 64 6 34 4th (lost semi-final to Auckland Blues)[3]
1999 11 8 0 3 280 203 77 3 35 2nd (lost final to Canterbury Crusaders)[3]
2000 11 6 0 5 320 280 40 8 32 3rd (lost semi-final to Crusaders)[3]
2001 11 6 0 5 284 295 -11 5 29 5th
2002 11 8 0 3 329 207 122 6 38 4th (lost semi-final to Crusaders)[3]
2003 11 6 0 5 287 246 41 5 29 7th
2004 11 4 1 6 299 347 -48 8 26 9th
2005 11 6 1 4 221 214 7 1 27 8th

[edit] Super 14 placings

Super 14 Results[2]
Year Played Win Draw Loss PF PA Diff BP Points Place Playoffs
2006 13 6 0 7 228 276 -48 3 27 9th

[edit] Players

[edit] 2007 Squad

The squad for the 2007 season includes:[4]

Props

Hookers

Locks

  • Filipo Levi
  • Hoani MacDonald
  • James Ryan
  • Kane Thompson
  

Loose Forwards

Half Backs

Fly Halfs

  

Centres

Wingers

Full Backs

[edit] Notable former players

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Player Profiles. highlandersrugby.com. Retrieved on 2006-11-24.
  2. ^ a b Super 14 Tables. Lassen Creative Technologies Ltd. Retrieved on 24 November 2006.
  3. ^ a b c d The Highlanders -vs- ALL (Playoffs). Lassen Creative Technologies Ltd. Retrieved on 2006-11-24.
  4. ^ Super 14 teams announced. nzherald.co.nz (27 October 2006). Retrieved on 24 November 2006.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Super Rugby

1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007

Super 12 champions
1996 Blues • 1997 Blues • 1998 Crusaders • 1999 Crusaders • 2000 Crusaders • 2001 Brumbies • 2002 Crusaders • 2003 Blues • 2004 Brumbies • 2005 Crusaders

Super 14 champions
2006 Crusaders

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