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Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the Super 12 in the 1996 season with 12 teams from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, building on competitions dating back to the South Pacific Championship in 1986. The Super 12 was established by SANZAR after the sport became professional in 1995. After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the competition to split into three, the reformed competition in 2021 only included teams from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands.
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch, who compete in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in the competition's history and have won a total of 14 titles.
The Highlanders is a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Dunedin that compete in Super Rugby. The team was formed in 1996 to represent the lower South Island in the newly formed Super 12 competition, and includes the Otago, North Otago and Southland unions. The Highlanders take their name from the Scottish immigrants that founded the Otago, North Otago, and Southland regions in the 1840s and 1850s.
The Blues are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Auckland, who play in the Super Rugby competition. Like New Zealand's four other Super Rugby teams, the Blues were established by the NZRU in 1996. One of the most successful teams in Super Rugby history, the Blues won the competition in its first two seasons, 1996 and 1997, and again in 2003 and 2024. Additionally, the team were finalists in 1998 and 2022, and semi-finalists in 2007, 2011 and 2023. They won a Trans Tasman competition in 2021.
The Chiefs are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Hamilton, Waikato. The team competes in the Super Rugby competition, previously known as the Super 12 and Super 14, and are one of the competition's five New Zealand teams. Their primary home ground is FMG Stadium Waikato.
The Hurricanes is a New Zealand professional men's rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in Super Rugby. The Hurricanes were formed to represent the lower North Island, including the East Coast, Hawke's Bay, Horowhenua Kapiti, Manawatū, Poverty Bay, Taranaki, Wairarapa-Bush, Wanganui and Wellington unions. They currently play at Sky Stadium, having previously played at the now-defunct Athletic Park.
Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua is a retired Samoan rugby player who last played for the Kubota Spears of the Japanese Top League. Prior to his move to Japan in 2011, he also had long stints with the Highlanders in Super Rugby and London Irish in the Aviva Premiership. He is currently the head coach of Manu Samoa having been appointed in 2020.
The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial competition. The union was to have been liquidated in March 2012. However a deal involving the Dunedin City Council allowed it to keep operating. Otago have won the Ranfurly Shield on seven occasions. They were the National provincial championship winners in 1991 and 1998. They have a proud record playing international teams, having defeated South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.
Craig Alan Newby is a former New Zealand rugby union player and coach.
The history of the Highlanders focuses on the rugby union team in the Super Rugby competitions. The team was originally formed as one of five New Zealand franchises for the Super 12 in 1996. The team encompassed the provinces of North Otago, Otago and Southland. The Highlanders placed eighth in their first year with five wins, but slumped to last in the competition in 1997 with only three wins. They improved to qualify for their first semi-final in 1998, and became the first New Zealand team to defeat all four South African franchises in the process. They were defeated by eventual 1998 Champions the Auckland Blues in their semi-final however. Their best ever finish came in 1999 when they won eight matches, and their semi-final to host the 1999 Super 12 Final at Carisbrook, but lost to South Island rivals Crusaders in the match. They qualified for their third consecutive semi-finals in 2000, and this time played the Crusaders in Christchurch, but lost again.
Glenn Moore is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He was the Black Ferns head coach from 2015 to 2022. He guided them to their fifth World Cup title in 2017 before stepping down in 2022. Moore played as a flanker for Mid Canterbury during the 1990s playing between 1991 and 1994.
Kurt Baker is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a fullback or wing for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Gordon Rowland Robert Hunter was a New Zealand rugby union player, coach and selector.
Gareth Evans is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. He played as a loose forward for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition, and the Highlanders in Super Rugby.
Teihorangi Thomas Walden is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a midfield back for Taranaki in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Highlanders in the international Super Rugby competition. He also plays for the Rugby New York (Ironworkers) in Major League Rugby (MLR).
The 2020 Super Rugby Aotearoa season was a domestic club rugby union tournament organised by New Zealand Rugby. It was a 10-week, round robin tournament played by the five New Zealand-based teams of Super Rugby. The competition supplanted the 2020 Super Rugby season, which was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa season was a professional club rugby union tournament organised by New Zealand Rugby. Announced on 11 November 2020, the tournament was the second season of Super Rugby Aotearoa, featuring the 5 New Zealand Super Rugby sides, ran from 26 February to 8 May 2021. The tournament was won by the Crusaders, who defeated the Chiefs 24–13 in the final at Orangetheory Stadium, earning them their second consecutive Super Rugby Aotearoa title, and fifth straight Super Rugby competition title.
Sean Withy is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays for the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Otago in the National Provincial Championship (NPC). His playing position is flanker.
Kelvin Jon Middleton is a New Zealand former professional rugby union player.
References
- ↑ Edwards, Brent (2002). "Highlanders devastated by loss Gordon Hunter Renowned rugby coach dies". Otago Rugby Football Union News. Archived from the original on 19 August 2005. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ↑ Hepburn, Steve (1 August 2020). "Highlanders moved by Hunter's legacy". Otago Daily Times . Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ↑ Stevenson, Scotty (6 April 2017). "Why the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy is a special piece of New Zealand rugby silverware". The Spinoff . Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- 1 2 "What you didn't know about the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy". Ultimate Rugby. 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ↑ Hepburn, Steve (7 April 2017). "Landers to defend trophy". Otago Daily Times . Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- 1 2 Chapman, Grant (2 August 2020). "Live updates: Super Rugby Aotearoa - Highlanders v Blues". Newshub . Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- 1 2 "Match Blues vs Highlanders". All.rugby. 2 June 2023. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ↑ "Rugby: Highlanders beat the Blues 22-11". NZ Herald . 4 April 2003. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ↑ "Blues knock over Highlanders". ABC News . 25 February 2005. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ Manson, Dianne (9 April 2017). "Highlanders retain Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy in Dunedin thriller". Stuff . Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ↑ Churches, Marc (11 March 2022). "Blues come from behind to defeat Highlanders and retain Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy". 9 Wide World of Sports . Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2024.