 |
 | |
| Union | Fiji Rugby Union |
|---|---|
| Coach(es) | Iliesa Tanivula |
| Captain(s) | Aporosa Vata |
| League(s) | Colonial Cup |
The Western Crusaders is a Fijian former rugby union team that had a franchise area coverering Lautoka, Nadi, and Yasawa. The team played in the Colonial Cup from 2004 to 2008 before the competition ceased in 2008.
The franchise was one of four original teams created for the inaugural Colonial Cup in 2004. Western Crusaders made the Grand final of the 2005 Colonial Cup but lost 35–27 to Suva Highlanders. Bligh Roosters joined the 2007 competition; Western Crusaders gave up Tavua, Vatukoula, Ba and Ra to the new franchise.
Taniela Rawaqa, Jona Nareki, Kusitino Vatu, Vereniki Goneva, Atunaisa Ratu, Jo Tora, Aseri Latianara, Waisea Luveniyali, Aporosa Vata (capt), Sunia Nadruku, Kelepi Ketedromo, Sam Tabua, Ifereimi Naruma, Ropate Senikuraciri, Jonacani Batirua, Sikeli Donu, Aseri Tale, Sikeli Gavidi, Sikeli Nasau, Aseri Buli, Paula Cata, Semi Lotawa
 | This article about sports in Fiji is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This rugby union team article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Building on various Southern Hemisphere competitions dating back to the South Pacific Championship in 1986, with teams from a number of southern nations, the Super Rugby started as the Super 12 in the 1996 season with 12 teams from 3 countries: Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The Super 12 was established by SANZAR after the sport became professional in 1995. At its peak the tournament featured the top players from nations representing 16 of the 24 top-three finishes in the history of the Rugby World Cup. After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the competition to split into three, the reformed competition in 2021 and beyond will only include Oceanian clubs representing Australia, New Zealand and from 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 11 titles, as well as two regionalised titles in 2020 and 2021.
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 ACT Brumbies is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), The team competes in Super Rugby and named for the feral horses which inhabit the capital's hinterland. The team represents the ACT, as well as the Far South Coast and Southern Inland regions of New South Wales (NSW).
The Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Bulls, is a South African professional rugby union team based in Pretoria and they play their home matches at Loftus Versfeld. They compete in the United Rugby Championship, having competed in the Super Rugby competition until 2020. Prior to 1998, the Bulls competed in the then-Super 12 as Northern Transvaal, as in those years South Africa was represented in the competition by its top four Currie Cup sides from the previous season, instead of the modern Super Rugby teams.
The Sharks is a South African professional rugby union team based in Durban in KwaZulu Natal. They compete internationally in the United Rugby Championship and EPCR Challenge Cup, having competed in the Super Rugby competition until 2020. They are centred on the Sharks union, also based in Durban and drawing players from all of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. The team plays its home matches at the Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium in Durban.
The Lions is a South African professional rugby union team based in Johannesburg in the Gauteng province. They competed in the Super Rugby competition until 2020, and have competed in the United Rugby Championship since 2021. They are the successor of the teams known as Transvaal (1996), Gauteng Lions (1997) and the Cats (1998–2006).
The Stormers is a South African professional rugby union team based in Cape Town in the Western Cape that competes in the United Rugby Championship, a trans-hemispheric competition that also involves sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. They competed in the Super Rugby competition until 2020.
The Western Force is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia, currently competing in Super Rugby Pacific. They previously played in Super Rugby from 2006 until they were axed from the competition in 2017. Following their axing they played in the National Rugby Championship in 2018 and 2019, replacing the Perth Spirit, and Global Rapid Rugby from 2018 to 2020, an Indo-Pacific competition organised by Andrew Forrest.
The Cheetahs, is a South African professional rugby union team that played Super Rugby between 2006 and 2017, before joining the Pro14 competition prior to the 2017–18 season. They are based at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein. They have been included with the Lions to compete in the 2022-23 EPCR Challenge Cup.
The Burleigh Bears are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Gold Coast, Australia. They compete in Queensland's top rugby league competition, the Queensland Cup.
The Colonial Cup is a defunct rugby union football competition that was played in Fiji between 2004 and 2008. The Colonial Cup was Fiji's first attempt at a professional rugby competition, but it did not draw sufficient crowds and ceased after five seasons.
The Trinidad and Tobago cricket team, or officially the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, is the representative cricket team of the country of Trinidad and Tobago. The team competes under the franchise name, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the Cricket West Indies' Professional Cricket League which comprises both the Regional Four Day Competition and the Regional Super50. Trinidad has also won a sum of 13 regional one day titles, which is the most in the history of West Indies cricket.
The Six Gun Grill Western Province is a first-class cricket team representing Western Cape province within the domestic cricket structure of South Africa. A Western Province team has played top-class cricket since the 1890s, including the franchise era team of Cape Cobras that existed between 2005 and 2021. The current Western Province team was re-formed for the 2021/22 season after the previous franchise structure was disbanded following CSA domestic reorganisation. Whereas many teams opted to keep their former franchise brands, Cape Cobras elected to return to their traditional name.
The Northern Sharks is a former Fijian rugby union team that had a franchise area covering Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Ovalau, and Island Zone. The team was added to Fiji's premier Colonial Cup competition in 2005; previously the Northern Division had belonged to the Suva franchise. The Sharks competed in the Cup from 2005 to 2008 before the competition ceased in 2008.
Mark Garry 'Hammer' Hammett is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. Having represented Canterbury provincially 76 times, and the Crusaders 81 times and the All Blacks 30 times – including 29 Test matches, Hammett later went on to coach both Canterbury and Crusaders as a forwards/assistant coach. He is currently on the assistant coach of the Highlanders in Super Rugby and the Tasman Makos in the Mitre 10 Cup.
The Suva Highlanders is a Fijian former rugby union team that had a franchise area covering Suva, Naitasiri and Kadavu. The team played in Fiji's premier the Colonial Cup from 2004 to 2008 before the competition ceased in 2008.
The Coastal Stallions is a former Fijian rugby union team.
The Tailevu Knights is a Fijian former rugby union team that had a franchise area coverering Tailevu, Northland, and Rewa.The team played in Fiji's premier competition the Colonial Cup from 2004 to 2008 before the competition ceased in 2008.
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.