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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 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 2007 Super 14 season started in February 2007 with preseason matches held from mid-January. It finished on 19 May with the final at Kings Park Stadium in Durban, in the first final between two South African teams in the history of Super Rugby. The visiting Bulls won the 2007 Super 14 Final, scoring a try in the 83rd minute and narrowly defeating the Sharks 20–19, thereby becoming the first South African side to win the Super Rugby title in the professional era.
Colin Richard Slade is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He played primarily at first five-eighth, as well as all other backline positions on occasions. He was first selected for the All Blacks in 2009. He was a key member of the 2011 Rugby World Cup winning team. He was also included in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but played in only one match against Namibia. He thus became one of only 20 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions.
Lima Zachariah Sopoaga is a professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Japan Rugby League One club Shimizu Blue Sharks. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
Demetri Catrakilis is a former South African professional rugby union player for the Southern Kings in the Pro14. He previously played for Premiership side Harlequins, Top 14 side Montpellier in France, for the Stormers and the Southern Kings in Super Rugby, for Western Province in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competition and for the UCT Ikey Tigers in the Varsity Cup. His regular playing position is fly-half.
Norman Reginald Goodes is a former South African-born rugby union player who played as a prop for Wellington in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup from 2010 to 2016 and for the Hurricanes in the international Super Rugby competition from 2012 to 2016.
Bradley David Fenner Shields is a rugby union player for Wellington in the Bunnings NPC and Hurricanes. He played 8 times for the England national rugby union team in 2018 and 2019. In November 2017 he signed with Wasps before returning to New Zealand in 2023.
Jason Emery is a New Zealand rugby union player who represents the Sunwolves in Super Rugby, as well as for Manawatu in the Mitre 10 Cup. He also plays for Rugby New York (Ironworkers) in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States. His position of choice is centre.
Matthew Phillip Proctor is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a utility back for the Northampton Saints in the Premiership Rugby and for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby.
Chris Eves is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a prop for the Bay of Plenty Steamers in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Sunwolves in the international Super Rugby competition.
Gareth Evans is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, who played as a loose forward for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Highlanders in Super Rugby.
Armand H P 'Akker' van der Merwe is a South African professional rugby union player for South African United Rugby Championship side Bulls. His regular position is hooker.
Jean Kleyn is a South African professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Irish United Rugby Championship club Munster and the South Africa national team. He came on as a replacement during South Africa’s 2023 World Cup win vs New Zealand.
Vaea Tangitau Lapota Fifita is a Tongan professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Scarlets and the Tonga national team.
James Anthony Richard Lentjes is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently for Otago the Bunnings NPC. His position is Flanker.
Leni Chris Anitoni Apisai is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a hooker for Auckland in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Highlanders in the international Super Rugby competition.
Ramone Christie Samuels is a South African rugby union player for the Stormers in Super Rugby and Western Province in the Currie Cup. He can play as a flanker, number eight or hooker.
Jordan Matthew Barrett is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a utility back internationally for New Zealand's All Blacks, and for the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby competition. Having previously been an apprentice for the All Black squad in 2016, Barrett was first selected for New Zealand in 2017, making his debut against Samoa in a warm-up test prior to the British & Irish Lions series.
Sosefo Losino 'Apikotoa is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but represents Tonga internationally, for which he is eligible due to his Tongan descent.
References
- ↑ "Treeby joins DHL Stormers ranks" (Press release). Stormers. 3 April 2017. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.