Surprise finalist
SUPER RUGBY TRANS TASMAN
WHEN Super Rugby Trans-Tasman kicked off, not many rugby pundits had predicted the Highlanders to feature in the grand finale.
Many had gone for the Crusaders, Blues, Hurricanes and Chiefs.
However, the Highlanders proved critics wrong, and inspired by their ‘little master’ Aaron Smith, the Highlanders did enough to deny the Crusaders another final appearance.
Nicknamed ‘The Landers’, the men from Dunedin finished the inaugural season eighth, and the following season finished last after winning only three of their eleven matches.
However, from 1998-2000, they qualified for the semi-finals- hosting the 1999 competition final against fellow South Island team the Crusaders.
They lost the match 24-19, and the following year they were again knocked out by the Crusaders - this time in their semi-final clash.
In the following fifteen seasons they would only finish in the top four once more, in 2002. But in 2015, they were crowned Super Rugby champs after beating the Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium 21-14.
This year, when Super Rugby
Aotearoa concluded, the Highlanders finished fourth with 14 points.
However, they finished second in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman with 23 points, and they trailed the top finisher the Blues on point differential.
The Highlanders beat the Reds 4019, Force 25-15, Rebels 42-27, Waratahs 59-23 and Brumbies 33-12.
Their bonus point-win over the Brumbies did the job, as they slid past their arch rivals and neighbours the Crusaders. Coached by Tony Brown, Clarke Dermondy, Riki Flutey and Shane Christie, the Highlanders have impressed and they will pose a threat to the Blues.
The likes of Daniel LienertBrown, Ayden Johnstone, Liam Coltman, Ash Dixon, Paripari Parkinson, Josh Dickson, Shannon Frizell, Sione Misiloi, Kazuki Himeno, Liam Squire, Aaron Smith, Kayne
Hammington, Folau Fakatava, Josh Ioane, Mitchell Hunt, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Scott Gregory, Jona Nareki, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Vilimoni Koroi and Connor Garden-Bachop have starred for the Highlanders.
Some notable names in rugby that have donned the Highlanders jumper include Lima Sopoaga, Tony Brown, Waisake Naholo, Jeff Wilson, Ben Blair, Colin Slade, Adam Thomson, Ben Smith, Aisea Tuilevu, Hosea Gear, Patrick Osborne, Brian Lima, Malakai Fekitoa, Byron Kelleher, Pita Alatini, Anton Oliver, Jimmy Cowan, Chris King, Elliot Dixon, Liam Coltman, Carl Hoeft and Carl Hayman.
The Highlanders have worked hard to reach the final, and I’m adamant that they’ll fight tooth and nail against the Blues for the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman trophy at stake. They will play at Eden Park, and they’ll need a dynamic performance there. Go ‘The Landers’!