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.
Hirotoki Onozawa is a rugby union player who plays at Wing or occasionally Fullback for Canon Eagles. He previously played for Suntory Sungoliath and the Japan national rugby union team. Nicknamed "the eel" for his sharp sidestepping ability, Onozawa is the second most capped Japanese rugby player of all time, and fifth highest try scorer in international rugby. Despite spending much of his career in the shadow of Daisuke Ohata he is considered an all-time great of Japanese rugby in his own right.
Tokyo Sungoliath is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus. The team rebranded as Tokyo Sungoliath ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022.
Tony Eion Brown is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer, who played mainly at first five-eighth. He is an assistant coach for the Japan national rugby union team, having previously been the head coach of Otago and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
Matthew James Giteau is a retired Australian rugby union professional player who last played, for the now defunct, LA Giltinis of Major League Rugby (MLR).
Pita Faiva-ki-moana Alatini is a Tongan-born New Zealand rugby union footballer. Alatini is a midfield back who played in 17 tests for the All Blacks between 1999 and 2001, scoring 6 test tries.
Thomas Simon Maling is a retired New Zealand rugby union footballer and former All Black. His usual playing position was at lock. He played for most of his rugby career in New Zealand for the Otago Highlanders and the All Blacks from 1996 - 2004 before heading overseas to London to play part of one season at Harlequins in 2004 before heading to Japan. He joined the Scarlets at the start of the 2008–09 European season, leaving Suntory Sungoliath in Japan, where he played for three years from 2005 to 2008. In mid-2009, at age 34, Maling hung up his boots and retired from rugby and returned to his native New Zealand to live.
Kōsei Ono is a Japanese rugby union player who plays at fly half for the Japan national rugby team.
Tevita Hale Nai Tu'uhoko, often known simply as Hale T-Pole or Hale T Pole, is a Tongan rugby union footballer who plays as a flanker or number eight for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Top League in Japan. He has also played internationally for Tonga and the Pacific Islanders.
Alando Soakai is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand best known for his time with the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Otago in the ITM Cup, and as captain of Otago in their 2009 and 2010 campaigns. He currently serves on the coaching staff of the Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One, the club where he finished his playing career.
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.
Romi Ropati is a retired rugby union player best known for his time with the Highlanders Super Rugby franchise. Although born in New Zealand, he represented Samoa internationally and was a member of the Samoan squad at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is the Coach of Tahiti's Mens National Rugby Union Team.
Beauden John Barrett is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a fullback for Japan Rugby League One club Toyota Verblitz and for the New Zealand national team.
Joseph Thomas Wheeler is a New Zealand television presenter and former rugby union player. He played as a lock or flanker for Suntory Sungoliath in the Japanese Top League. Wheeler was selected in the New Zealand Māori All Blacks and represented them on the November 2013 tour of North America.
Hayden John Parker is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a first five-eighth for the Japanese based HITO-Communications Sunwolves in Super Rugby and Otago in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup.
George Naoupu is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand and current director of rugby at Gonzaga_College in Dublin. He played at number 8, as a flanker or in the second row.
Craig William Millar is a professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for Japan Rugby League One club Saitama Wild Knights. Born in New Zealand, he represents Japan at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.
Damian Sinclair McKenzie is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays fullback or First five-eighth for Waikato in the Bunnings NPC competition and Chiefs in super rugby. McKenzie has played 40 tests for New Zealand since his international debut in 2016.
Hendrik Tui is a Japanese international rugby union player who currently plays as a loose forward for Suntory Sungoliath in the Top League. From 2015 he will represent the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby. He also plays the position of Wing.
Joe Latta is a New Zealand rugby union player for Suntory Sungoliath in the Top League. His regular playing position is Lock.