Highlanders

Highlanders lock in two more players for 2025 The dust has hardly settled on the 2024 Highlanders season and already the focus has turned to next year for the Highlanders as they continue to build their squad for 2025. The announcement of the signing of Finn Hurley as a fully contracted Highlander for the next two years will warm the hearts of the rugby supporters from both Southland and Otago. The Southland-born former Gore High School player played his First XV rugby for Otago Boys High School and is currently contracted to Otago for the NPC season. The Highlanders have also re-signed hard-running number eight Hugh Renton for another two seasons. Renton has been with the Highlanders since 2021 and has made 37 appearances for the club. Read the full release on our website here https://lnkd.in/gpq-Zncz

JOSEPH TO LEAD HIGHLANDERS IN 2025 The Highlanders have today announced changes to the coaching team for the 2025 season. Jamie Joseph the current Head of Rugby has been offered and accepted the role of Head Coach. We are also pleased to confirm that Clarke Dermody will remain with the Highlanders as Assistant Coach. Dermody is proud of what the team has achieved this year and understands the change. read full release on our website here https://lnkd.in/gWxUfpj4

🤝 During the 2024 season we’ve raised over $116,915 for charities, including our official charity, The Salvation Army New Zealand, Cure Kids in partnership with Bayleys Queenstown & Southern NZ, Southern Charity Hospital in partnership Chemist Warehouse New Zealand and KidsCan in partnership with Delivereasy. We're grateful to our Partners for enabling us to have such an impactful season in the Charity space and to be able contribute in such a significant way. ⏰ We’ve also had a massive year in our community clocking up a HUGE 1200 hours all over our Highlanders region - alll the way from Invercargill to Temuka and across to Queenstown! #ForTheSouth

HIGHLANDERS CONFIRM FIVE PLAYERS FOR 2025 The Highlanders continue to build for the future with the confirmed signings of five talented young players. Adding to the home-grown talents of Will Stodart and Josh Whaanga, joining the Highlanders in 2025 will be two more New Zealand Under 20s representatives in Caleb Tangitau and Soana Vikena as well as the promising Fijian-born loose forward Veveni Lasaqa. All are signed on two-year contracts (2025-26) except Whaanga who has signed for three years (2025-27). Read full article here https://lnkd.in/gpq-Zncz

Highlanders Coach, Kendrick Lynn, to join Los Pumas     Highlanders Attack Coach, Kendrick (Kenny) Lynn, has today been announced as the Assistant Coach for the Argentinian National Rugby Team, Los Pumas.    Lynn returned to the Highlanders as a coach in 2024 after spending his late playing and early coaching years with Lyon in France. Read more here https://lnkd.in/g9dN3y37

Statement from NZR, the New Zealand Māori Rugby Board, Highlanders, Wellington Rugby and New Zealand Rugby Players Association on Connor Garden-Bachop, 18 June 2024 “On behalf of the entire rugby community, the Highlanders, Wellington Rugby, New Zealand Rugby, the New Zealand Māori Rugby Board and the New Zealand Rugby Players Association would like to extend our deepest thoughts and love to the Garden-Bachop family. Connor passed away on Monday following a medical event, and rugby’s collective focus at this time is on supporting his family. All of rugby walks alongside the Garden-Bachop family at this time and we are collectively united in our grief. Connor was a fantastic young player, an exciting New Zealand age-grade representative and a proud Māori All Black. Wherever he played, he was a committed and popular teammate with infectious energy and someone who could light up the room. Most importantly, he was a loving father to his twin girls, a brother, a son and immeasurably loved by all those who knew him. NZR, the New Zealand Māori Rugby Board, the Highlanders, Wellington Rugby and the Players Association are providing support and we ask that the privacy of the Garden-Bachop family is respected.”

DHL Super Rugby Pacific audience sees significant growth at end of regular season   At the end of the regular season of the DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition, and as we head into three exciting weekends of Finals rugby, over 1.94 million New Zealanders have watched the competition on Sky Sport and free-to-air on Sky Open.    Fuelled by the level of competition between the teams across the second half of the season, the lift is 16% compared to 2023. Read more here https://lnkd.in/gGatxu3i

HIGHLANDERS NAME TEAM TO PLAY IN QUARTERFINAL CLASH IN CANBERRA The Highlanders have named a strong team for their quarterfinal clash in Canberra on Saturday night. The timely return of first-five, Cameron Millar, and mid-field back, Tanielu Tele’a, will add to an already explosive back three and give the Highlanders a number of attacking options to exploit. Read full release on our website here: https://lnkd.in/gpq-Zncz

We’ve had some epic moments at home this season and we’re stoked to share it with over 75,000 of you! Thank you for being the best fans in the competition 💙   Awesome to see over 430,000 fans supporting Super Rugby in New Zealand during the 2024 regular season – bring on the quarterfinals!

On Tuesday night the Highlanders hosted their annual awards evening thanks to JOHN JONES STEEL LIMITED. The evening was hosted at the University of Otago Business School and celebrated the Highlanders 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season. Ethan de Groot took out the prestigious Highlander Man award. Timoci Tavanawai was awarded the Pulse Energy Alliance LP Most Valuable Player amongst his four awards from the evening. Max Ratcliffe won the University of Otago Highlanders Under 20's Player of the Year. Oliver Haig took out the Rookie of the Year after an incredible start to his Super Rugby Career. And Nasi Manu took home the Southern Inspiration Award in its inaugural year. Thank you to all our Sponsors, Members, and families for coming along and celebrating with us - your ongoing support is greatly appreciated. See full list of award winners here https://lnkd.in/g8BRquRf