141-708: The Highlanders ( Māori : Kahupeka ; formerly the Otago 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
282-570: A British Isles team visited Australia and New Zealand—although a private venture, it laid the foundations for future British and Irish Lions tours; and the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team brought the first overseas team to British spectators. During the early history of rugby union, a time before commercial air travel, teams from different continents rarely met. The first two notable tours both took place in 1888—the British Isles team touring New Zealand and Australia, followed by
423-497: A haka before each match, leading Welsh Rugby Union administrator Tom Williams to suggest that Wales player Teddy Morgan lead the crowd in singing the Welsh National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau , as a response. After Morgan began singing, the crowd joined in: the first time a national anthem was sung at the start of a sporting event. In 1905 France played England in its first international match. Rugby union
564-539: A 3-year deal as naming rights sponsor of both men's and women's teams starting in 2023. The team is named after the feral horses which inhabit Canberra's hinterland. The Brumbies mascot is Brumby Jack, with his counterpart Brumby Jill joining as a co-mascot in the 2010s. The Brumbies were originally known as the ACT Brumbies when they were accepted into the Super 12 for its inaugural season in 1996. Shortly after
705-516: A competition record. Following their last place in the 1997 season, Tony Gilbert was appointed as coach. Their first game under his guidance was an upset 26–19 win over the Queensland Reds. The Highlanders eventually became the first New Zealand side to defeat all four South African teams in one season. After defeating the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld they needed the Queensland Reds not to defeat
846-599: A difficult venue to visit. The stadium was also well known for Dunedin's large student population (known as "Scarfies") that occupied the terraces—an uncovered concrete embankment at the eastern end of the ground. The Highlanders usually play at least one regular season match outside of Dunedin, at either Rugby Park in Invercargill or the Queenstown Events Centre in Queenstown . Prior to 2007
987-524: A few years, they would bottom out with a player exodus following the 2007 Rugby World Cup . The squad's entire All Black front row of Carl Hayman , Anton Oliver , and Clarke Dermody left for lucrative contracts in Europe, while star first-five Nick Evans moved north to Auckland to play for the Blues , and hugely talented young lock James Ryan was forced to retire at age 24 due to injury problems. Joining
1128-549: A four-year deal with the club. However, he was granted a release from his contract in September 2013, with two years left on his four-year contract. In 2012, the Brumbies became the first Australian Super Rugby team to host an international fixture against a touring side. On 12 June, the Brumbies played Wales at Canberra Stadium while Wales was on their 2012 Summer tour . Wales won 25–15. The Brumbies returned to form in
1269-469: A game. The 2000 year saw perhaps their greatest victory ever with their 65–23 win against the Bulls, setting several records; most points in a match, most tries in a match with nine, and largest winning margin of 42. Former first five-eighth Tony Brown holds the record for most career points with 857. His 857 career points included 144 conversions, 183 penalties, and six drop-goals. The most points in
1410-594: A limited number of games, and Cambridge and Oxford continued their annual University Match . The first officially sanctioned international rugby sevens tournament took place in 1973 at Murrayfield, one of Scotland's biggest stadiums, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union centenary celebrations. In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, and the inaugural winners were New Zealand. The first World Cup Sevens tournament
1551-415: A lineout throw is generally awarded to the opposition at the spot on the sideline where they left the field. Exceptions include a kick out "on the full" (i.e. the ball did not land in the field-of-play before going into touch) in which case the lineout would still take place on the sideline but back in line with where the ball was kicked, or when a team takes a free kick from a penalty where they would retain
SECTION 10
#17327809375871692-614: A long history in the region around what is now Canberra. The British Isles opened their 1899 tour of Australia with a match in Goulburn . However, it was not until 1937 that the ACT Rugby Union (ACTRU) was finally established. Lieutenant-Colonel H. C. H. Robertson was the first President of the ACTRU. The First Grade competition was started on 30 April 1938. Four clubs playing in the inaugural season: University , Easts ,
1833-530: A match against the Brumbies. The combined strength of four nations was pitted against the Brumbies Second XV with the tourists winning by just two points, 30 to 28. David Nucifora took over as head coach at the Brumbies for the 2002 season. Under Nucifora the Brumbies entered their third Super 12 final in a row, again against the Crusaders who had defeated them in the 2000 final. The Crusaders won
1974-587: A new head coach, but also thirteen new players in their squad. This all contributed to them finishing the season ninth that season. The Highlanders' 2005 season started with a loss to the Blues at Carisbrook. Following this the side won six games consecutively, the first time the franchise had ever done so. After a draw with the Stormers and a bye, the Highlanders had gone unbeaten for eight weeks. Three weeks from
2115-583: A new stadium. The new stadium is not on the current Carisbrook site, but instead near the University of Otago and Otago Harbour . It is a roofed, all weather stadium with a rectangular configuration, and permanent seating capacity of 25,000 that could be expanded to 30,748 if necessary. The Highlanders' original home ground was the 29,000 capacity Carisbrook in Dunedin. Carisbrook is also known as "The Brook", or as "The House of Pain" due to its reputation as
2256-534: A preferred or standard 68 metre width, this is often used unless a ground has been specifically designed to accommodate a 70-metre rugby field. 100 metres is the typical length, with a line (see below) often marked at halfway with "50" on it, representing 50 metres from each goal line. The variations have been allowed in the Laws, possibly to accommodate older grounds (perhaps even pre-metrification when yards and feet were specified) and developing nations. The field of play
2397-674: A single match is held by former fullback Ben Blair who scored 28 against the Sharks in 2005. Most career tries is held by former player Jeff Wilson with 35. Wilson and Blair also share the record for most tries in a single match with three along with Israel Dagg , Doug Howlett , Ryan Nicholas , Jeremy Stanley , and To'o Vaega . The squad for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season is: Props Hookers Locks Loose forwards Halfbacks (scrum-halves) First five-eighths (fly-halves) Rugby union Rugby union football , commonly known simply as rugby union or often just rugby ,
2538-407: A stand-in replacement competition for Super Rugby, between New Zealand Super Rugby sides. It was played as a round robin competition, with no finals. All teams played the other four teams twice, with the title awarded to the highest ranked team at the conclusion of the round robin fixtures. ^4 Super Rugby Aotearoa adopted the same format in 2021 as the inaugural tournament in 2020, with
2679-470: A successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points. The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years. According to World Rugby's Laws of the Game, a typical rugby ground, formally known as the "playing enclosure", is formed by two major zones: The referee (and their assistants) generally have full authority and responsibility for all players and other officials inside
2820-574: A try by the Reds' captain James O'Connor five minutes into injury time handed the Reds victory and avenged the previous year's defeat. The four years that Ewen McKenzie , who played for the Brumbies in Super 12, was coach of the Reds was considered the high water mark of the interstate rivalry. In 2010 , 2012 , and 2013 , the Rod Macqueen Cup games decided whether either the Brumbies or
2961-543: A win over the defending champions Crusaders in Dunedin and finished their season in 6th place. Despite this, they would suffer a shock loss to the Waratahs after leading 23–3 at one point, they lost 30–23 in Sydney. 2019 was another up and down season for the Highlanders. At the end of the overall season the Highlanders had won 6, drawn 3 and lost 7, which somehow put them into 8th for the playoffs. However, they would lose to
SECTION 20
#17327809375873102-483: Is Lima Sopoaga with 866 points, and highest career try scorer is Waisake Naholo with 45 tries. The Highlanders' franchise was created as one of five New Zealand teams in the Super 12. Originally named the Otago Highlanders , the Highlanders' franchise area encompassed the lower South Island of New Zealand, and was formed from the North Otago, Otago, and Southland provincial rugby unions. The 1996 team
3243-485: Is Chatswood Oval in Sydney, Australia, an elliptically shaped cricket ground which is the home of Gordon rugby club, that has curved dead-ball lines to maximise the available in-goal space. Where multiple sports share a field (e.g. a rugby league and a rugby union club sharing one field), lines may be overlaid on top of each other, sometimes in different colours. However, particularly for television, rugby union line markings are generally painted white. Some exceptions include
3384-457: Is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends. Rugby union is a popular sport around
3525-481: Is also the predominant colour of the Flag of Scotland , and is used by many sports teams in that country. On 3 June 2011, the Highlanders introduced—controversially—a new predominantly lime green home kit. It was debuted in the Highlanders' final home match of the 2011 Super Rugby season. Despite the resounding negative feedback from fans, this kit was initially confirmed for the 2012 season. On 6 September 2011, however,
3666-408: Is considered "out-of-bounds" for the ball and the players, normally resulting in the non-infringing team receiving possession of the ball at a restart. The perimeter area can be divided into two areas: For the purposes of determining if a ball is "out-of-bounds" (i.e. has left the playing area), the perimeter area extends indefinitely away from the playing area. When a ball or player goes into touch,
3807-445: Is divided by a solid "halfway" line, drawn perpendicular to the sidelines at their midpoint. A 0.5m line is marked perpendicular to the halfway lines at its midpoint, designating the spot where the kickoffs shall be taken. The areas between each goal line and the halfway line are known as "halves" as in other football codes. A pair of solid lines are also drawn perpendicular to the sidelines, 22 metres (formerly 25 yards) from each end of
3948-420: Is gold and yellow, generally worn for away matches. The Brumbies also have a traditional jersey which is used for games against fellow Australian Super 12 foundation teams NSW and Queensland , which reflects the original home jersey worn between 1996 and 2005. This features a navy 'saddle' across the shoulders and white below chest level, with gold trim. The primary jersey sponsor is Safeguard Global, who signed
4089-475: Is shown below: ^1 Teams were awarded four points for a bye during the Super Rugby seasons from 2011 to 2013. Each team took two bye rounds each season. These additional 8 points are included in their season points tally. ^2 All matches after Round 7 were cancelled. the season remained incomplete and no champion was awarded. ^3 Super Rugby Aotearoa was announced as
4230-440: Is the third and final row of the forward positions, who are often referred to as the loose forwards. The three positions in the back row are the two flankers and the number 8 . The two flanker positions, known as the blindside flanker and openside flanker, are the final row in the scrum. They are usually the most mobile forwards in the game. Their main role is to win possession through 'turn overs'. The number 8 packs down between
4371-444: The 2002 Semi Final in the 2014 Semi Final , which they won 26–8. In the absence of Dave Dennis (their regular captain), the Waratahs were captained by Michael Hooper , who was named the Brumbies' best forward only two years earlier. Brumbies fans took a lot of joy from beating the Waratahs 40–31 in the final round of 2018 , as this prevented the Waratahs from finishing 2nd on the overall table. Daryl Gibson , head coach of
Highlanders (rugby union) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4512-708: The 2012 , finishing second in the Australian conference, and seventh in the overall standings, narrowly missing the final-six and a place in the quarter finals. In 2013, the Brumbies and the other Australian super rugby teams played the British & Irish Lions as part of the Lions' 2013 tour to Australia . The Brumbies earned a hard-fought 14–12 victory, the first defeat of the Lions on their tour. The Brumbies continued their strong performances in 2013 by finishing first in
4653-482: The Australian Rugby Union prevailed upon competition organiser SANZAAR to reduce the number of Australian sides in the competition from five to four after that season. The ARU later announced that the Brumbies would remain in the competition. The Brumbies traditional colours are navy blue, white and gold. Their primary jersey is navy with gold trim, with navy shorts and socks. The alternate jersey
4794-564: The Brumbies by a large margin. Queensland were defeated by the Brumbies 23–16 and the Highlanders finished fourth, thus qualifying for the semi-finals. In the semi-final, they faced defending champions the Auckland Blues at Eden Park. The Blues were leading 20–16 at halftime, and were leading 30–26 before a controversial try to Adrian Cashmore pushed the Blues to a 37–26 lead. Joeli Vidiri had illegally taken out Highlander Stanley off
4935-910: The Bunnings NPC in New Zealand, the League One in Japan and the Currie Cup in South Africa. Other transnational club competitions include the United Rugby Championship of club teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, European Rugby Champions Cup in Europe, and Super Rugby in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Primitive forms of football included harpastum , played by
5076-624: The Canterbury Crusaders at Lancaster Park, and they finished the season eighth on the table. 1997 was the least successful season ever for the Highlanders. They finished last in the competition, and managed only three wins. They were now coached by Glenn Ross and captained by Taine Randell . Their eight defeats that season included a 75–43 loss to Natal in Durban . The points scored by Natal included 50 points by Gavin Lawless –
5217-500: The Crusaders , the Brumbies were generally competitive with the Crusaders , having been within a score in their 2013 , 2017 , and 2021 fixtures. Despite a long losing streak, the Brumbies remain one of few sides to have a (relatively) competitive win–loss record against the Crusaders . At the end of the Super 14 era, the Brumbies' record against the Crusaders was eight wins in eighteen games (44%). As on 18 May 2024, that record
5358-431: The Otago , North Otago , and Southland regions in the 1840s and 1850s. Their main ground through the 2011 Super Rugby season was Carisbrook in Dunedin , with home games occasionally being played in Invercargill and Queenstown . The Highlanders moved into Carisbrook's replacement, Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza , for the 2012 season ; the stadium opened in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup , but after
5499-589: The Pacific Rugby Cup . Known by various names including ACT A, ACT XV, Brumbies A, and Brumby Runners, the team is selected from the best emerging rugby talent in the ACT and Southern NSW. The squad is composed of Brumbies contracted players, extended training squad members, ACT Under 19s, and selected Premier Division club players. The Brumbies under 19 side plays in the URC competition. ACT teams played in
5640-682: The Waikato Chiefs and then the Crusaders. After defeating the Reds, the Highlanders lost to the New South Wales Waratahs at Carisbrook. The next week they defeated the Brumbies at the same venue. In their next match, despite leading the Wellington Hurricanes 14–3 at half time, the Highlanders lost when Hurricanes half back Jason Spice scored in the corner to give the Hurricanes a 21–19 victory. Had
5781-419: The Waratahs , exclaimed that his side "was not focused on the job at hand, and getting ahead of itself in terms of already being in next week". Brumbies fans got additional joy from Gibson's post-match press conference, where he (incorrectly) claimed that the result did not affect the Waratahs playoffs picture. Since 2016, the Brumbies have dominated the rivalry between the sides, winning in all but one of
Highlanders (rugby union) - Misplaced Pages Continue
5922-503: The Waratahs . In July 1994, before the formation of the Brumbies, the Canberra Kookaburras defeated the Waratahs 44–28 at Concord Oval in Sydney . The 1994 Waratahs side was otherwise unbeaten, but had missed an opportunity to compete for the 1994 Super 10 title due to a refusal to tour Apartheid South Africa . As a result, the Brumbies were the only team to beat the 1994 Waratahs . The original Brumbies team
6063-474: 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 Brumbies were formed in 1996 to provide a third Australian franchise for the newly formed Super 12 (now Super Rugby) competition. It was predicted that the Brumbies, made up of so-called 'rejects' – players not wanted by
6204-456: The 1830s, "running in" with the ball in hand was allowed but subject to hacking and "collaring". Former Rugby School student Albert Pell is credited with having formed the first "football" team while a student at Cambridge University . Major private schools each used different rules during this early period, with former pupils from Rugby and Eton attempting to carry their preferred rules through to their universities. A significant event in
6345-536: The 1997 Super 12 Final, but lost to the Auckland Blues. Eddie Jones took over as head coach in 1998, but the Brumbies fell to tenth place on the 1998 season ladder. However, the following season saw a big improvement, as they finished fifth for the second time in their Super rugby history, just missing out on the finals. In 2000, the Brumbies made it to the 2000 Super 12 Final for the second time, and were actually hosting it as well. They were however beaten by
6486-459: The 2001 National Provincial Championship (NPC), and was appointed the Highlanders coach for 2002. Their season started with a narrow 30–28 loss to the Crusaders at Jade Stadium. That year the Highlanders also achieved a win over all four South African teams. The Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy was also introduced that season to be contested between the Highlanders and Blues. Gordon Hunter had coached both teams before dying from cancer in 2001. The match
6627-564: The 2004 Super 12 Final. The Brumbies team did not use Canberra Stadium for their post-season APC games, instead taking their home fixtures to Canberra's Viking Park , which has a smaller capacity. The Brumbies have traditionally had a fierce rivalry with the NSW Waratahs . Ascendency in the rivalry is now formally recognised by holding the Dan Vickerman Cup . The Brumbies are currently on a thirteen-game winning streak against
6768-549: The 2004 season, two regional governing bodies in New South Wales ;– Far South Coast Rugby Union and Southern Inland Rugby Union , joined the ACT Rugby Union, which then renamed itself the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union . The team adopted a new name and logo for the 2005 season, dropping the "ACT" to become known simply as "The Brumbies". The name change identified that the team represented an area much larger than
6909-468: The ACT was in 1973, when they defeated Tonga 17–6 after trailing 0–3 at half time. The ACT team were praised for their hard work, stamina, and willingness to take shots at goal when they were on offer. In 1978, the ACT defeated Wales , who were Five Nations champions at the time, with a late penalty goal to win 21–20 after trailing 6–16 at half time. Head coach Colin Maxwell explained that his team beat
7050-780: The Australian Capital Territory ;– with "Brumbies Territory" incorporating a number of regions through southern New South Wales including the Riverina , Shoalhaven , and Southern Highlands as well as the Sunraysia region incorporating parts of Victoria . TAB, Tiparra, University of Canberra The Brumbies play all their home fixtures at Canberra Stadium , located adjacent to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. They share
7191-476: The Australian conference and 3rd on the ladder to make their first finals appearance since they won the Super title in 2004. After defeating the Cheetahs in a close home final 15 – 13, the Brumbies travelled to Pretoria to face the Bulls and again achieved victory, 23–26. The team had to travel from South Africa to New Zealand to meet the Waikato Chiefs for the championship final the following week, and
SECTION 50
#17327809375877332-605: The Blues 22–11 to retain the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy. In April that year it was revealed a rift had developed between coach Laurie Mains and some of the senior players in the squad. Anton Oliver was branded the ringleader by Mains, and after their final game of the season Mains resigned and was replaced by his assistant Greg Cooper . In contrast to their previous season, in 2004 the Highlanders conceded 44 tries, twelve more than in 2003, but scored nine more tries then in 2003. Not only did they have
7473-572: The Brumbies A and ACT Under 19 teams. These teams are closely aligned with the Brumbies and train at the same venue used by the Super Rugby squad. Many Brumbies players not involved in international rugby play for Canberra's team in the National Rugby Championship which also draws from the elite development squads. – See: Canberra Vikings The Brumbies A team plays matches against interstate and international representative teams, and has also competed in tournaments such as
7614-401: The Brumbies eventually finished fifth, missing out on the finals. The following year the competition was expanded to the Super 14, introducing one new team from Australia and one new team from South Africa. In 2006 the Brumbies finished sixth, missing out on the finals by 1 point, having never dropped out of the top four all season prior to the last round. Later that year the Brumbies played in
7755-651: The Chiefs (28–27) and (31–33) and one against the Hurricanes (38–21) The 2021 season of Super Rugby Aotearoa saw the Highlanders finish 4th again, with 3 wins. They beat the Chiefs (23–39), Crusaders (12–33) and the Blues (35–29). After the season of Super Rugby Aotearoa finished, the Highlanders will partake in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman (competition between the NZ and Australian teams) in which they won all 5 of their games against Australian opposition, and went to
7896-473: The Chiefs proved to be too strong, winning the final 27–22. Following the end of the Super Rugby season the Brumbies sent a squad captained by Robbie Coleman to the invitational World Club 7s in England. The Brumbies won the series, defeating the Auckland Blues 17–14 in the final. Henry Speight was named the player of the tournament. During the 2017 Super Rugby season, the Brumbies were one of three Australian franchises threatened with contraction when
8037-687: The Crusaders in that game (38–14) After 7 rounds of the 2020 Super Rugby season, the Highlanders were 11th overall and 5th in the NZ conference. They were bound to play the Jaguares in round 7 but the COVID-19 pandemic suspended play of that game and cancelled the rest of the tournament. However, domestic Super Rugby competitions started up, and the one in New Zealand was Super Rugby Aotearoa. The Highlanders finished 4th in Super Rugby Aotearoa 2020 winning only 3 games, 2 of which were against
8178-417: The Crusaders once again. Though this time, the Brumbies won, 47 to 38 in front of a record crowd at Canberra Stadium. During the off-season the ACT Rugby Union was renamed the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union , and the name of the team was changed to Brumbies Rugby. Laurie Fisher took over as coach for the 2005 season. After an undefeated run in the early stages of the season, injuries began to mount up and
8319-504: The Crusaders, losing 19 to 20. In 2001 they backed up their good performance in 2000 to again enter the final, this time against the Sharks from Durban. The Brumbies won the match, and in doing so, became the first team outside of New Zealand to be crowned Super 12 champions (and the only such team in the Super 12 era; the Bulls of South Africa won the 2007 Super 14 ). That year the British Lions also came to Australia, and played
8460-409: The Crusaders, they then won their next three. After only won two of their last six games, they finished the season ranked ninth. The 2007 ended with a similar result to 2006. The Highlanders again finished ninth on the table, and worst of the New Zealand teams. They finished the season with five wins and eight losses from their thirteen matches. While the fortunes of the franchise had been declining for
8601-566: The Highlanders won they would have finished top of the table and hosted a semi-final at Carisbrook. Instead they then had to travel to South Africa where they defeated the Stormers 33–18. The Highlanders travelled back to Dunedin for the 1999 Super 12 Final , which was against South Island rivals the Canterbury Crusaders, and was billed as "the party at Tony Brown's house" after Highlanders first five-eighth Tony Brown . The Highlanders scored first, and led 14–9 at half time. However
SECTION 60
#17327809375878742-736: The Highlanders' biggest of the 2009 season. The Highlanders have fielded a development team in competitions such as the Pacific Rugby Cup and in matches against other representative teams for several seasons. Known as the Highlanders Development XV, the squad is selected from the best emerging rugby talent in the Highlanders catchment area and is composed of Highlanders contracted players, wider training group members, under 20s, and selected club players. 2015 1999 2021 1998 , 1999 , 2000 , 2002 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 , 2022 , 2024 A season-by-season summary of Highlanders regular season results
8883-513: The Laws: Generally, points where the dashed lines intersect other lines will be marked with a "T" or cross shape, although the extensions of dashed lines are generally not drawn within 5 metres of the goal lines or sidelines, to allow a clear demarcation of the field of play's boundaries. The Laws require the playing area to be rectangular in shape, however variations may be permitted with the approval of relevant unions. A notable example
9024-820: The New Zealand team touring Europe. Traditionally the most prestigious tours were the Southern Hemisphere countries of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa making a tour of a Northern Hemisphere, and the return tours made by a joint British and Irish team. Tours would last for months, due to long traveling times and the number of games undertaken; the 1888 New Zealand team began their tour in Hawkes Bay in June and did not complete their schedule until August 1889, having played 107 rugby matches. Touring international sides would play Test matches against international opponents, including national, club and county sides in
9165-537: The Reds in the final back in Viking Park . They won this more comfortably, 42–17, securing the inaugural APC. The side failed to make the playoffs at all during Super 14, though they never finished lower than ninth. After a succession of coaches over the same period, including Laurie Fisher , Andy Friend and Tony Rea , former South Africa coach Jake White took over as coach of the side in April 2011, signing
9306-422: The Reds made the playoff. In 2010 , the Rod Macqueen Cup game was the difference between the Reds finishing 4th (in the playoffs) and 5th (not in the playoffs). In 2012 and 2013 , if the losing team had won just one of the Rod Macqueen Cup games, they would have won the conference ahead of the other. The Australian Capital Territory's two elite development squads just below full-time professional level are
9447-423: The Romans, where two opposing teams competed to throw a large ball into an opposition net, fighting for possession of the ball. Medieval Irishmen played caid , carrying an inflated bladder and using arched trees as goals. The Welsh played an inter-parish game using a wooden ball called cnapan . Frenchmen played soule and Georgians played lelo. "Football" as a game was well established by 1803 at Rugby School and by
9588-433: The Royal Military College (RMC) , and Norths . There were strict eligibility rules for each of the four teams: Also in 1938, a representative ACT side faced off against the All Blacks , with Frank Hassett scoring the ACT's only try in a 5–56 loss. Five ACT players were chosen for New South Wales Country in their 1966 match against the British & Irish Lions at Manuka Oval : The first international victory for
9729-416: The Sharks, Hurricanes and Cats. However they then lost their following three; against the Crusaders, Brumbies, and Blues. They played the Crusaders at Jade Stadium in their semi-final, and were defeated 37–15 after Marika Vunibaka scored two tries for the Crusaders in the last 20 minutes. The next season opened with a 23–8 victory over the Blues. Their 39–20 defeat of the Waratahs at Carisbrook on 7 April
9870-463: The Super Rugby era. Traditionally, the ACT-NSW rivalry was dominated by home victories (The only Brumbies away loss in the 2000 Season was against the Waratahs ), with only two away victories in the Super 12 era, and none in the Super 14 era. The first away win in the rivalry came in the 2002 Semi Final , which the Brumbies won 51–10 at Sydney Football Stadium . The Waratahswon the first regular season away game in 2005 . Dan Vickerman played for
10011-436: The Super Rugby season. They finished the inaugural season eighth, and the following season finished last after winning only three of eleven matches. However, in the 1998, 1999 and 2000 seasons they qualified for semi-finals; hosting the 1999 competition final against fellow South Island team the Crusaders . They lost the match 24–19, and the following year were again knocked out by the Crusaders—this time in their semi-final. In
10152-537: The United States , Canada and Eastern Europe , its growth occurring during the expansion of the British Empire and through French proponents ( Rugby Europe ) in Europe. Countries that have adopted rugby union as their de facto national sport include Fiji , Georgia, Madagascar , New Zealand, Samoa , Tonga , and Wales . International matches have taken place since 1871 when the first game
10293-480: The Wallabies (Australia's national team) who often have yellow markings. Local clubs may use black, yellow, or other colours on grass, with other surfaces possibly requiring different marking techniques. Unlike association football, where on-field advertising is strictly forbidden in the laws, World Rugby allows sponsors logos to be painted on the playing surface. This is another way in which clubs can make money in
10434-487: The addition of a final between the top two ranked teams at the conclusion of the round robin stage. ^5 Super Rugby Trans Tasman was a crossover competition between the teams involved in Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU . Each team from Super Rugby AU played each team from Super Rugby Aotearoa once, and vice versa. A final was played between the top two seeded teams at the conclusion of
10575-529: The amateur Heartland Championship . Starting with the 2012 season, the Highlanders moved into the Forsyth Barr Stadium , opened in August 2011. It was built to replace their original home of Carisbrook , which was no longer suitable for international rugby, or as a venue for the 2011 Rugby World Cup . The Carisbrook Stadium Trust was established in 2006 to manage the planning and construction of
10716-431: The backs and the forwards is that the backs are expected to have superior kicking and ball-handling skills, especially the fly-half, scrum-half, and full-back. The half-backs consist of two positions, the scrum-half and the fly-half , also known in the Southern Hemisphere as half-back and first five-eighth respectively. The fly-half is crucial to a team's game plan, orchestrating the team's performance. They are usually
10857-422: The ball is kicked into touch by a player who had at least one foot on or behind their own 22-metre line, the line-out formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line instead of being taken in line with the spot from where it was kicked. Additional broken or dashed lines (of 5 metre dash lengths, according to the Laws ) are drawn in each half or on each side of, the field, each with specific purposes under
10998-587: The ball. The following season in 1999 the Highlanders improved on their 1997 season record by reaching and hosting the tournament final. They opened their season with a 19–13 victory over the Auckland Blues at Carisbrook. This was followed by a victory over the Northern Bulls, the Stormers at Carisbrook, and the Cats , before their first loss of the season to the Sharks. They returned to New Zealand to defeat
11139-417: The ball. Forwards play a vital role in tackling and rucking opposing players. Players in these positions are generally bigger and stronger and take part in the scrum and line-out. The forwards are often collectively referred to as the 'pack', especially when in the scrum formation. The front row consists of three players: two props (the loosehead prop and the tighthead prop) and the hooker . The role of
11280-453: The best team in the world by being "the first team in Australia to take them on up the guts", with the ACT forwards starving the Welsh of possession and the team ensuring territorial advantage through pressure on the Welsh kickers. Tactical kicking, ball retention, and pressuring opponents in their own half are still considered to be "The Brumbies' ... traditional strength[s]". The ACT adopted
11421-591: The case of Northern Hemisphere rugby, or provincial/state sides in the case of Southern Hemisphere rugby. Between 1905 and 1908, all three major Southern Hemisphere rugby countries sent their first touring teams to the Northern Hemisphere: New Zealand in 1905, followed by South Africa in 1906 and Australia in 1908. All three teams brought new styles of play, fitness levels and tactics, and were far more successful than critics had expected. The New Zealand 1905 touring team performed
11562-509: The club announced a change of heart—they would be returning to their traditional blue strip for home matches, and using the lime green kit for away matches during the 2012 Super Rugby season. The Highlanders' franchise area consists of the region controlled by the North Otago, Otago and Southland Rugby Unions. Both Otago and Southland compete in the semi-professional Mitre 10 Cup (formerly the ITM Cup and Air New Zealand Cup), and North Otago in
11703-588: The clubs that had favoured the Rugby Rules formed the Rugby Football Union in 1871, and their code became known as " rugby football ". In 1895, there was a major schism within rugby football in England in which numerous clubs from Northern England resigned from the RFU over the issue of reimbursing players for time lost from their workplaces. The split highlighted the social and class divisions in
11844-413: The decisive try was to Crusaders wing Afato So'oalo, who chipped the ball then out-sprinted All Blacks winger Jeff Wilson to collect the ball and score. Although the Highlanders scored a try to Isitolo Maka with three minutes remaining, the Crusaders won 24–19. The Highlanders opened their 2000 season with a 50–13 victory over the Queensland Reds at Carisbrook. They won their next three matches, against
11985-496: The early development of rugby football was the production of a written set of rules at Rugby School in 1845, followed by the Cambridge Rules that were drawn up in 1848. Formed in 1863, the national governing body The Football Association (FA) began codifying a set of universal football rules. These new rules specifically banned players from running with the ball in hand and also disallowed hacking (kicking players in
12126-470: The end of the round robin they were third, but after losing their remaining three matches fell to eighth for the season. After ten years the Super 12 was expanded to include two extra teams; the Western Force from Australia, and the Cheetahs from South Africa. The expanded competition was renamed the Super 14. The Highlanders continued under Cooper in 2006. After losing their first match of 2006 to
12267-504: The end of the year to finish 8th on the table. Highlanders won the 2015 Super Rugby season defeating the Hurricanes 21–14 in Wellington. Phil Gifford called the win the "greatest Super Rugby comeback this century". In 2017, the Highlanders won over the British & Irish Lions 23–22 at Dunedin, during the Lions tour to New Zealand . 2018 was a season of ups and downs for the Highlanders. They started their season 3–0 including
12408-432: The exodus were several other veteran starters, along with coach Greg Cooper who left the franchise to take up an assistant coaching position with the Blues. The coach for the 2008 season, Glenn Moore, was appointed 28 August 2007. Moore was left with a weak side of young and inexperienced players which would stumble to a franchise-worst record of only 3 wins against 10 losses during the 2008 Super 14 season , and finished as
12549-486: The field are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league ) and seven backs . There are typically significantly more forwards on the bench than backs with, for example, South Africa having a 7-1 split in favour of forwards in their August 2023 match against New Zealand in Twickenham. A 6-2 or 5-3 split is more common. The main responsibilities of the forward players are to gain and retain possession of
12690-401: The field of play and called the 22-metre lines, or "22"s. An area at each end, also known as the "22", is bounded by, but does not include, the sidelines, goal line and 22-metre line. In this area, a defensive player who cleanly catches a ball kicked by the other team, without the ball having already touched the ground after the kick, is entitled to claim a free kick, or " mark ". Additionally, if
12831-498: The field to accommodate fitter and faster (or heavier) players. Fixed cameras on tripods and advertising hoardings are often the main culprits for injuring players in the perimeter area. Brumbies (rugby) The ACT Brumbies (known from 2005 to 2022 as simply the Brumbies ) is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Canberra , Australian Capital Territory (ACT), The team competes in Super Rugby and named for
12972-559: The final against the Blues, which they lost 23–15. 2022 was one of the worst years ever for the Highlanders. The Highlanders were winless until Round 8, when they beat Moana Pasifika 37–17. After two more losses, things began to look up for them, beating the Drua 27–24, the Reds (27–19) and the Force (61–10) which put them in quarter-finals contention, since they had many losing bonus points alongside that. However, they lost their last two games of
13113-420: The first laws were written by pupils at Rugby School; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the decision by Blackheath F.C. to leave The Football Association in 1863 and, in 1895, the split between rugby union and rugby league . Historically rugby union was an amateur sport, but in 1995 formal restrictions on payments to players were removed, making the game openly professional at
13254-425: The first to receive the ball from the scrum-half following a breakdown, lineout, or scrum, and need to be decisive with what actions to take and be effective at communicating with the outside backs. Many fly-halves are also their team's goal kickers. The scrum-half is the link between the forwards and the backs. They receive the ball from the lineout and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to
13395-537: The fly-half. They also feed the scrum and sometimes have to act as a fourth loose forward. There are four three quarter positions: two centres (inside and outside) and two wings (left and right). In the Southern Hemisphere, the inside centre is commonly referred to as the second five-eighth, while the outside centre is simply known as the centre. The centres will attempt to tackle attacking players; whilst in attack, they should employ speed and strength to breach opposition defences. The wings are generally positioned on
13536-457: The following fifteen seasons they would only finish in the top four once more, in 2002. But in 2015, they were crowned Super Rugby champions after beating the Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium . Current Highlander, Aaron Smith has played a record 176 games for the Highlanders, and 47 other players have played over 50 games for the team. The Highlanders' highest career points scorer
13677-573: The founders of Dunedin —known as the " Edinburgh of the South", and the city where the Highlanders are based. According to the Highlanders official website: " The name and image of the Highlander conjures up visions of fierce independence, pride in one's roots, loyalty, strength, kinship, honesty, and hard work." The colours of the Highlanders formerly encompassed the provincial colours of North Otago, Otago, and Southland; yellow, blue and maroon. Blue
13818-571: The franchise. The 2003 season started with a 29–16 win over the Chiefs in Hamilton . They then defeated the Stormers and Bulls before losing to the Cats in Johannesburg. Their second loss occurred when the Crusaders defeated them 17–16 at Carisbrook. The Highlanders had gone three seasons, 2000, 2001 and 2002, and 16 games unbeaten at Carisbrook before that loss. The Highlanders then defeated
13959-414: The goal lines, equivalent to American football's "end zones". The in-goal areas must be between 6 and 22 metres (6.6 and 24.1 yards) deep and cover the full width of the field. A ball grounded in this area by an attacking player will generally result in a try being awarded, unless there has been a previous infringement, or the player has gone out-of-bounds whilst in possession of the ball. The perimeter area
14100-534: The ground with the Canberra Raiders rugby league team. Also, the Canberra Vikings , the Brumbies' affiliate in the short-lived Australian Rugby Championship , played one of their four regular-season home matches there. In 2003 matches from the 2003 Rugby World Cup were played at the stadium. Capacity is a nominal all-seated 25,011, however the largest crowd is actually 28,753, which was for
14241-437: The highest ever score in a grand final against them ( 47 points in the 2004 final ). However, the Brumbies did not win a game against the Crusaders between 2009 and 2024 , taking only two out of a maximum forty-five competition points from games against the Crusaders in the 2010s. The Brumbies were rarely criticised for their poor record against the Crusaders since 2009. Throughout the Brumbies streak of eleven losses against
14382-671: The highest level for the first time. Rugby union spread from the Home Nations of the United Kingdom and Ireland , with other early exponents of the sport including Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and France . The sport is followed primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Islands - Fiji , Tonga , Samoa , Georgia , Oceania , Southern Africa , Argentina , and in recent times also, Italy , Japan , South America ,
14523-583: The inaugural Australian Provincial Championship (APC). In their opening game they defeated the NSW Waratahs 14–13 at Viking Park . This win snapped a 3-game losing streak against their traditional rivals. They then went on to defeat the Western Force 25–10, again at Viking Park. Despite narrowly losing, 20–19, to the Queensland Reds on the road in Brisbane, the Brumbies won the right to face
14664-561: The intensity of the clashes in the Super 12 and Super 14 era to Test match rugby, saying "It was basically the Wallabies v the All Blacks" and "Every time they met it was just great running rugby". In common with the Waratahs rivalry, the away side rarely won in encounters during the Super 12 and Super 14 era. The Brumbies are the only team to have scored 50 points against the Crusaders ( when they beat them in 2001 ), and have recorded
14805-409: The last 17 meetings. The Brumbies' victory over the Waratahs in the last round of 2018 regular season kicked off their currently unbroken 13 match winning streak against their rivals. Despite the one-sided nature of the rivalry in recent years, the fixture has remained one of the most highly anticipated of the year for both teams. The Brumbies have a historic rivalry with the Crusaders due to
14946-494: The lowest-placed New Zealand team on the table. Jimmy Cowan , one of the team's few bright spots through this period, was appointed team captain for 2009, but things would improve little over the following two seasons as the team again limped to the worst record of the New Zealand clubs. When Moore was released as coach following the 2010 season, the franchise had compiled a record of only 10 wins against 29 losses in three seasons under his leadership. Former All Black Jamie Joseph
15087-406: The match, 31 to 13. The following season, going for four straight final appearances, the Brumbies fell just short, being knocked out in the semi-finals by the Blues. They did however go on to beat Fiji and Tonga later that year. In 2004 the Brumbies finished at the top of the Super 12 table, six points clear of the next best team. The Brumbies hosted the 2004 Super 12 Final as well, and were to face
15228-414: The most important attributes of a good full-back are dependable catching skills and a good kicking game. Rugby union is played between two teams – the one that scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try , scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area (between the goal line and the dead-ball line), is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points;
15369-562: The name 'Kookaburras' in 1989. The Kookaburras defeated the Waratahs 44–28 at Sydney's Concord Oval in 1994. The Waratahs team was filled with international representatives, which made the Kookaburras win all the more impressive, and led the way for the ACT becoming a professional franchise. Concerns over player depth in the ACT were assuaged when the ACT reserve team beat the New South Wales reserve team. The ACT Brumbies
15510-424: The only away win in this rivalry since 2015, beating the Brumbies 40–38 in Canberra in a great Australian derby despite trailing 17-0 early in the game. The fierce rivals contested the 2021 Super Rugby AU final later that year. In a rematch of the previous year's fixture The Reds prevailed 19–16. The Brumbies led for almost the entire match and spent the final 10 minutes desperately defending their own line before
15651-615: The other two teams – would perform poorly. Since then, they have enjoyed more success than all the other Australian teams combined, reaching seven finals and winning three. The Brumbies are traditionally known for their strong tactical kicking, set piece play, ball retention, and pressuring of opponents in their own half. The Brumbies are one of only two Super Rugby teams to win 200 games. The Brumbies play in navy blue, white and gold kits. The team plays at Canberra Stadium (formerly known as Bruce Stadium) in Canberra, and are currently coached by Stephen Larkham . Rugby union football has
15792-414: The outside of the backline. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wings are usually the fastest players in the team and are elusive runners who use their speed to avoid tackles. The full-back is normally positioned several metres behind the back line. They often field opposition kicks and are usually the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. Two of
15933-440: The playing area and perimeter area, although depending on how large the perimeter is, other surfaces such as dirt, artificial turf, etc. may be used outside of a "sliding" perimeter from the bounds of the playing area. For the most part, the "playing area" is where the majority of play occurs. The ball is generally considered live whilst in this area, so long as players do not infringe, with special rules applied to specific zones of
16074-442: The playing area. The playing area consists of: A typical "field of play" is generally 100 metres long by 68–70 metres wide for senior rugby, depending on the specific requirements of each ground. The Laws require the field of play to be between 94 and 100 metres (103 and 109 yards) long, with a width of between 68 and 70 metres (74 and 77 yards). As other football codes, such as association football and rugby league, have specified
16215-432: The playing enclosure. Fences or ropes (particularly at amateur clubs) are generally used to mark the extent of this area, although in modern stadia this may include the entire arena floor or other designated space. The Laws, above all, require that the playing enclosure's surface be safe, whilst also permitting grass, sand, clay, snow or conforming artificial turf to be used; the surface would generally be uniform across both
16356-719: The pre-1995 period of rugby union was marked by frequent accusations of " shamateurism ", including an investigation in Britain by a House of Commons Select committee in early 1995. Following the introduction of professionalism trans-national club competitions were started, with the Heineken Cup in the Northern Hemisphere and Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere. The Tri Nations , an annual international tournament involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, kicked off in 1996. In 2012 , this competition
16497-415: The professional era and is also often used by host nations, professional leagues and tournaments as additional revenue streams, particularly when games are broadcast. In recent years, augmented reality technology has been used to replace painting to protect the surface or save costs on painting fields, producing a similar effect for broadcast albeit sometimes with poorer results. The in-goal areas sit behind
16638-723: The regular season match was usually played at Rugby Park, however in 2007 they played a match at the Queenstown Events Centre. The Highlanders have also played pre-season matches at Centennial Park in Oamaru and at the Showgrounds in Balclutha . On 28 March 2009, the Highlanders played a home game at FMG Stadium in Palmerston North against the Bulls . This game attracted a crowd of 10,000; one of
16779-502: The regular season, and despite the final round loss to the Rebels (31–30) they only just made it into the quarters thanks to their losing bonus point. They ended up getting heavily beaten by the Blues in the quarter finals 35–6, ending the Highlanders worst season ever, with 4 games won from 14 in the regular season. The name Highlanders was chosen after the early Scottish settlers in the lower South Island . These Scottish settlers were
16920-425: The right to throw-in. The perimeter area should be clear and free of obstructions and heavy, solid objects which could pose a danger to players for at least 5 metres from the playing area, according to the Laws. Players often leave the playing area whether accidentally or due to being forced off of the field, sometimes sliding or needing to slow down from a sprint. Many venues at elite levels leave larger spaces around
17061-426: The round robin matches. Highlanders Super Rugby results vs different opponents Super Rugby Match Results The 2014 season set several new records for the team, that had stood since the 1998 and 1999 seasons. They scored their most ever points (425), and most ever tries (42) in a season. Lima Sopoaga set a franchise record for most points in a season with 178, becoming just the third Highlander to score 25 points in
17202-590: The shins), both of which were legal and common tactics under the Rugby School's rules of the sport. In protest at the imposition of the new rules, the Blackheath Club left the FA followed by several other clubs that also favoured the "Rugby Rules". Although these clubs decided to ban hacking soon afterwards, the split was permanent, and the FA's codified rules became known as " association football " whilst
17343-427: The sport in England. Although the rules of the game were not a factor in the split, the breakaway teams subsequently adopted some rule changes and this became the separate code of " rugby league ". The RFU's code thereafter took on the name "rugby union" to differentiate it from rugby league, but both versions of the sport are known simply as "rugby" throughout most of the world. The first rugby football international
17484-432: The tallest players in the team and specialise as line-out jumpers. The main role of the lock in line-outs is to make a standing jump, often supported by the other forwards, to either collect the thrown ball or ensure the ball comes down on their side. Locks also have an important role in the scrum, binding directly behind the three front row players and providing forward drive. The back row, not to be confused with 'Backs',
17625-424: The two locks at the back of the scrum. The role of the number 8 in the scrum is to control the ball after it has been heeled back from the front of the pack, and the position provides a link between the forwards and backs during attacking phases. The role of the backs is to create and convert point-scoring opportunities. They are generally smaller, faster and more agile than the forwards. Another distinction between
17766-453: The two props is to support the hooker during scrums, to provide support for the jumpers during line-outs and to provide strength and power in rucks and mauls. The third position in the front row is the hooker. The hooker is a key position in attacking and defensive play and is responsible for winning the ball in the scrum. Hookers normally throw the ball in at line-outs. The second row consists of two locks or lock forwards. Locks are usually
17907-410: The two teams' predominance in early Super Rugby history. From 2010 to 2023, the Brumbies lost eleven games in a row against the Crusaders . In 2024, the Brumbies won their first game against the Crusaders in 15 years. Between 1997 and 2006 , every Grand Final included at least one of the Brumbies or the Crusaders . The two sides have met in three grand finals: Former players and pundits likened
18048-570: The winning team in both victories. Since 2011, home dominance is no longer as significant: the first clash in the Super 15 era saw the Waratahswin 29–22 at Canberra Stadium , with the Brumbies getting revenge the following year with a 19–15 victory at the Sydney Football Stadium . Between the round 12 clash in 2015 and the round 17 clash in 2019 , the homes team lost six of the seven games. The Waratahs got revenge for
18189-616: The world, played by people regardless of gender, age or size. In 2023, there were more than 10 million people playing worldwide, of whom 8.4 million were registered players. World Rugby , previously called the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), has been the governing body for rugby union since 1886, and currently has 116 countries as full members and 18 associate members. In 1845,
18330-469: Was captained by John Leslie and coached by Gordon Hunter . Their first Super 12 match was against the Queensland Reds at Carisbrook on 3 March 1996, whom they defeated 57–17. After three matches the Highlanders were undefeated and leading the competition. However the following week at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in South Africa they were defeated 59–29 by Northern Transvaal . They only won two more games that season, against Natal at Carisbrook and against
18471-463: Was extended to include Argentina , a country whose impressive performances in international games (especially finishing in third place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup) was deemed to merit inclusion in the competition. As a result of the expansion to four teams, the tournament was renamed The Rugby Championship. Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field and typically seven or eight substitutes but this varies at amateur level. The 15 players on
18612-466: Was formally established on 9 December 1995 in Jindabyne , Southern New South Wales and became Australia's third provincial team with the start of Super Rugby . In the inaugural Super 12 season, under coach Rod Macqueen , the Brumbies finished fifth on the table after the regular season, narrowly missing out on a finals position. The following season was even more successful as the Brumbies entered
18753-651: Was held at Murrayfield in 1993. Rugby Sevens was introduced into the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and was added to the Olympic Games of 2016. Both men and women's Sevens took place at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Rugby union was an amateur sport until the IRB declared the game "open" in August 1995 (shortly after the completion of the 1995 World Cup), removing restrictions on payments to players. However,
18894-479: Was hired as coach for the 2011 Super Rugby season , while Jamie Mackintosh replaced Cowan as team captain. The campaign would prove to be the franchise's most successful in several years, as they raced out to a 3–0 start including a monumental away win over the Bulls in Pretoria . They remained in playoff contention for almost the entire season, sitting 8–4 at one juncture, before slumping under an injury cloud at
19035-599: Was included as an event in the Olympic Games four times during the early 20th century. No international rugby games and union-sponsored club matches were played during the First World War, but competitions continued through service teams such as the New Zealand Army team . During the Second World War no international matches were played by most countries, though Italy, Germany and Romania played
19176-480: Was nine wins in thirty games (30%). At that time, only two other current Super Rugby teams have a higher win rate against the Crusaders : the Hurricanes (15/46, or 33%), and the Chiefs (20/51, or 39%). The 2020 Super Rugby AU final was contested by the Brumbies and the Reds , with the Brumbies winning 28–23. The Reds only won one game between these teams in the first fifteen years of Super Rugby. The Reds have
19317-480: Was played at Eden Park, and the Highlanders were ahead 15–3 at half time, and eventually won 20–13. Their last home match of the season was against the Reds at Carisbrook. The Highlanders' 40–26 win meant that they had gone three seasons undefeated at Carisbrook. The Highlanders finished fourth and played the Crusaders in Christchurch where they lost 34–23, although Jeff Wilson did score a try in his last match for
19458-632: Was played between Scotland and England at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. The Rugby World Cup , first held in 1987, is held every four years. The Six Nations Championship in Europe and The Rugby Championship in the Southern Hemisphere are other important international competitions that are held annually. National club and provincial competitions include the Premiership in England, the Top 14 in France,
19599-652: Was played on 27 March 1871 between Scotland and England in Edinburgh . Scotland won the game by one goal and one try to one goal. By 1881 both Ireland and Wales had representative teams and in 1883 the first international competition, the Home Nations Championship had begun. 1883 is also the year of the first rugby sevens tournament, the Melrose Sevens , which is still held annually. Two important overseas tours took place in 1888:
19740-440: Was primarily made of players from the 1994 Kookaburras game, Waratahs 'rejects', and Queenslanders: all groups with reasons to dislike the Waratahs . Brisbane-born Brumby Troy Coker summed it up with "There was this entitlement thing around NSW rugby that the Canberra boys had a real distaste for." Ironically, despite being a team of 'rejects', the Brumbies have been the most successful Australian team in all competitions in
19881-551: Was the first defeat of New South Wales by an Otago-based side since the Otago provincial team defeated New South Wales 5–0 in 1901. The Highlanders narrowly lost to the Hurricanes in Napier 35–33 before defeating the Brumbies at Carisbrook on 20 April. Although the Highlanders went undefeated at home for a second consecutive season, they finished fifth with six wins that season. Laurie Mains had returned from South Africa to coach Otago in
#586413