Otago (National Provincial Championship)

Summary

Otago are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Dunedin, New Zealand. The union was originally established in 1881, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976. They now play in the reformed National Provincial Championship competition. They play their home games at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin in the Otago region. The team is affiliated with the Highlanders Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are navy blue and gold.

Otago
ORFU official emblem
UnionOtago Rugby Football Union
Founded1881; 143 years ago (1881)
LocationDunedin Central, Dunedin, New Zealand
Ground(s)Forsyth Barr Stadium (Capacity: 30,700)
CEORichard Kinley[1]
Coach(es)Tom Donnelly
Captain(s)TBA
Most appearancesRichard Knight (170)
Top scorerGreg Cooper (1,520)
Most triesPaul Cooke (73)
League(s)Bunnings NPC
202311th
Team kit
Official website
www.orfu.co.nz

Current squad edit

The Otago squad for the 2023 Bunnings NPC is:[2]

Otago squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose forwards

Halfbacks (scrum-halves)

First five-eighths (fly-halves)

Midfielders (centres)

Outside backs

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped, REP denotes a replacement squad player, INJ denotes a player ruled out for the season through injury, DEV denotes a development squad player.
  1. ^ Ainsley's international appearances were for Australia. He switched his international allegiance to New Zealand in 2022, representing the Māori All Blacks, but has yet to be officially capped at XV level for them.
  2. ^ Sanders wasn't named in the original Otago squad, but was announced in the side for Round 3.[3]
  3. ^ Tapueluelu wasn't named in the original Otago squad, but was announced in the side for Round 4.[4]

Honours edit

Otago have been overall Champions twice, winning the titles in 1991 and 1998. Their full list of honours include:[5][6]

National Provincial Championship First Division
  • Winners: 1991, 1998

Current Super Rugby players edit

Players named in the 2023 Otago squad, who also earned contracts or were named in a squad for any side participating in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.[7][8][9][10][11][12]

Player Team
Jermaine Ainsley Highlanders
James Arscott Highlanders
George Bower Crusaders
Josh Dickson Highlanders
Sam Gilbert Highlanders
Oliver Haig Highlanders
Nathan Hastie Highlanders
Fabian Holland Highlanders
Finn Hurley Highlanders
Tau Koloamatangi Moana Pasifika
James Lentjes Highlanders
Christian Lio-Willie Crusaders
Saula Ma'u Highlanders
Cam Millar Highlanders
Jona Nareki Highlanders
Abraham Pole Moana Pasifika
Jake Te Hiwi Highlanders
Josh Timu Highlanders
Will Tucker Highlanders
Thomas Umaga-Jensen Highlanders
Sean Withy Highlanders

References edit

  1. ^ "Staff". Otago Rugby. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  2. ^ "2023 OTAGO SQUAD ANNOUNCED FOR BUNNINGS WAREHOUSE NPC". Otago Rugby Football Union. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Bunnings NPC Round 3: Team Lists". Bunnings NPC. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Bunnings NPC Round 4: Team Lists". Bunnings NPC. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  5. ^ "National Provincial Championship winners, 1976–2014". Te Ara. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Mitre 10 Cup". Rugby Heartland. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Highlanders 2023 Squad Announcement" (Press release). Highlanders. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  8. ^ "2023 Squad announced" (Press release). Crusaders. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Match Centre - Super Rugby - Highlanders vs. Western Force". SANZAAR. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Highlanders team named to play the Western Force in Perth" (Press release). Highlanders. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Moana Pasifika name 2023 DHL Super Rugby Pacific Squad". Moana Pasifika (Press release). 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Match Centre - Super Rugby - Chiefs vs. Highlanders". SANZAAR. Retrieved 10 March 2023.

External links edit

  • Official site