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.
Carisbrook was a major sporting venue in Dunedin, New Zealand. The city's main domestic and international rugby union venue, it was also used for other sports such as cricket, football, rugby league and motocross. In 1922, Carisbrook hosted the first international football match between Australia and New Zealand. The hosts won 3-1.
Rugby Southland is the provincial rugby union who govern the Southland region of New Zealand. Their headquarters are at Rugby Park Stadium in Invercargill, which is also the home ground of the union's professional team, the Southland Stags who compete in the Mitre 10 Cup Championship Division and challenge for the Ranfurly Shield.
Wesley College is a secondary school in Paerata, at the northern edge of Pukekohe, Auckland Region, New Zealand. The school provides education from year 9 to 13.
Marc Christopher Gwynne Ellis is a New Zealand businessman, television presenter, and former rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A graduate of the University of Otago, his primary business interest was in Charlie's, a juice company. During the 1995 Rugby World Cup he scored six tries in the game against Japan, which is the record for the most tries by an individual in a Rugby World Cup match.
Christopher Bradley Smylie is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the scrum-half position for Taranaki in the ITM Cup. He was born in Greater Auckland and attended Massey High School. In 2002 he made his professional debut for North Harbour against Auckland in the National Provincial Championship. Smylie then went south and had one season for the Highlanders in 2006, off the back of a hugely impressive debut season for Otago in 2005. The following year he played for the New Zealand Māori and in 2007 saw him play for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby, before debuting in 2009 for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup.
Tasesa James Lavea is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer. He is of Samoan and Māori descent and heritage, and he coaches the 1st XV for Saint Kentigern College.
Brent Ward is a New Zealand rugby union player. His usual playing position is fullback, though he can also play on the wing and is a confident goal-kicker. A product of Auckland Grammar School and the Auckland University club, he notably played for Auckland in the National Provincial Championship, making his debut in 2002 against Southland. In 2005 he was the highest individual point-scorer in the NPC, with 137 points, and passed a landmark of 500 points for Auckland.
Jason Kawau is a rugby union player currently playing for the Kobelco Steelers in the Top League in Japan.
Liston College is a school in Henderson, Auckland, New Zealand, for year seven to 13 boys and offers a Catholic education to its students. It was the second school opened by the Christian Brothers in Auckland. It was named after Archbishop Liston (1881–1976), the seventh Catholic Bishop of Auckland (1929–1970). The school was founded in 1974 to serve the Catholic families of West Auckland and to absorb the growing number of boys who travelled daily to St Peter's College in central Auckland.
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.
Adam Thomson is a New Zealand rugby union player. He represented the New Zealand All Blacks between 2008 and 2012, playing a total of 29 tests including two during the victorious 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign. He played for the Melbourne Rebels in 2016, having also played Super Rugby with the Queensland Reds (2015) and Highlanders (2006-2012). He has also represented the Canon Eagles in Japan's Top League and New Zealand province Otago.
James Whitinui Joseph is a New Zealand-born Japanese former rugby union player and current rugby union coach. A flanker, Joseph represented Otago at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1992 to 1995, before representing Japan in 1999. Joseph, now head coach of the Japanese national side, has coached since his retirement, coming through the ranks in New Zealand before his first national stint.
James Arlidge; born 11 August 1979) is a Japanese international rugby union player. He plays primarily at fly-half.
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).
Benjamin Robert Smith is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, currently working for Super Rugby side Highlanders' management team. He formerly played for the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition, Otago in the ITM Cup, Pau in the Top 14 and Kobelco Steelers in the Japan Rugby League One.
Richard Buckman is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a midfield back, wing or fullback for the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in the Japan Rugby League One competition.
Ash Dixon is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a hooker for Green Rockets Tokatsu in the Japan Rugby League One. He formerly played for the Highlanders in Super Rugby and for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He has also played for the Hurricanes and Auckland.
Tom Franklin is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a lock for Taranaki in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Western Force in Super Rugby.
Dan Pryor is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a loose forward for the Miami Sharks in Major League Rugby (MLR). He previously played for San Diego Legion, for Northland in the ITM Cup, for the Highlanders, Blues and Sunwolves in Super Rugby, and for the Munakata Sanix Blues in the Japanese Top League.
