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The Highlanders' best ever Super XV

Roar Guru
3rd March, 2014
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Waratahs' Wycliff Palu comes under pressure from the Highlanders' defence during round 3 of the Super 14 Rugby match at Sydney Football Stadium, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. AAP Image/Dean Lewins
Roar Guru
3rd March, 2014
45
1168 Reads

Today we analyse the best ever team from the Highlanders, who are based in Dunedin at the bottom end of the South Island of New Zealand.

But first, here’s the Reds’ best ever XV:

Fullback – Chris Latham
Wings – Ben Tune and Digby Ioane
Centres – Tim Horan and Dan Herbert (Jason Little out)
First five – Quade Cooper
Halfback – Will Genia
Number 8 – Totai Kefu
Flankers – David Wilson and Matt Cockbain (Scott Higgenbotham out)
Locks – John Eales (c) and James Horwill (Nathan Sharpe out)
Props – Dan Crowley and James Slipper
Hooker – Michael Foley

The Highlanders were originally known as the Otago Highlanders and were one of five franchise formed in New Zealand at the formation of the first professional Super Rugby competition, Super 12.

The Highlanders were formed to represent the southern-most regions of New Zealand and includes three rugby provincial unions – Otago, North Otago and Southland.

In 2000, along with the four other New Zealand franchises, the regional identifier was dropped and they have since been simply known as ‘Highlanders’.

The Highlanders did not have a good start to Super Rugby, failing to feature in the playoffs in the first two years and picked up the dreaded wooden spoon in 1997.

However in true southern style they bounced back strongly, making the playoffs for the first time in 1998 bowing out in the semi-final to the Auckland Blues and in 1999 reaching and hosting the final, which was affectionately referred to as ‘the party at Tony Brown’s house’ however the Crusaders crashed the party and took out the title.

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The following three years would prove to be successful, with the Highlanders reaching the semi-finals in 2000 and 2002 along with a fifth placing in 2001.

Unfortunately from 2003 onwards pickings have been slim for the Highlanders and they have regularly finished in the bottom half of the table through the Super 12, 14 and Super Rugby formats with only a sixth place in 2006 bucking the trend.

Before the start of the 2014 competition the Highlanders were favoured to finish in last place in the New Zealand conference, however they obviously have other plans and have put away a highly-fancied Blues team at home and scrapped to a narrow loss against the defending champion Chiefs in Hamilton.

They will prove to be no easy-beats this year and while I cannot see them featuring in the play offs I am picking they will upset some teams along the way.

To recap on the rules of ‘best ever’ teams from each franchise:

• Players that have played for two or more teams will be eligible for the team they have earned the most caps for.
• I will change my selections based on receiving three or more votes received for an alternative – any potential stalemates will be decided by the player with the most international caps.

Just quickly, can I ask you post your own preferences where they differ from my own, just makes it a bit easier to count up.

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Here are my selections for the all-time Highlanders Super Rugby –

Highlanders all time Super Rugby XV
Fullback – Ben Smith
Wings – Jeffrey Wilson and Brendan Laney
Centres – John Leslie and Seilala Mapusua
First five – Tony Brown
Halfback – Byron Kelleher
Number 8 – Isitolo Maka
Flankers – Taine Randell (c) and Josh Kronfeld
Locks – Felipo Levi and Tom Donnelly
Props – Carl Hoeft and Carl Hayman
Hooker – Anton Oliver

What do you think Roarers? Agree or disagree? Please post your preferred selections below.

The next team we will be looking at are the Lions from South Africa.

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