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Super 15 Rugby: Bright Future For Once-Proud Highlanders
Published: January 22, 2011
The year was 2002 and the team was loaded with world class players.
They boasted an all-All Black front row in Carl Hoeft, Anton Oliver and Carl Hayman, who were backed up by two franchise stalwarts in Simon Maling and John Blaikie at lock.
Taine Randell, Josh Blackie and Kelvin Middleton completed what was arguably the best forward pack in the competition.
The backs included Byron Kelleher, Tony Brown, Pita Alatini, Romi Ropati and Jeff Wilson, making for a team capable of scoring a ton of points.
Yes, the Highlanders were widely regarded as one of the powerhouses of the Super 12 (as it was known in those days). Beating them on their home turf of Carisbrook became near impossible, as they amassed a 16-game winning streak on their home ground.
While being bundled out of the competition by the unbeaten Crusaders in the semifinals, the Highlanders were able to walk away from the season with their respect intact and would enter the 2003 season as one of the favourites.
How things have changed.
For the past six seasons, the Highlanders have been the bottom-placed New Zealand Super 14 team.
It was a downward spiral and it seemed as though they would never get out of it. Not only did they lack the quality players the other franchises had, they weren't able to attract new ones, and the few stars the team still had were looking at options elsewhere.
In late 2010, former Otago looseforward Jamie Joseph was appointed as the Head Coach of the team for the 2011 season.
Having gained a reputation as one of the best coaches in New Zealand over the past seasons, he was able to contract many players from outside of the franchise, making for a new look Highlande...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Rugby Union
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