Highlanders (rugby union) Highlanders (rugby union) The Highlanders (formerly the Otago Highlanders and currently known as the Pulse Energy Highlanders for sponsorship reasons) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Dunedin that compete in Super Rugby. The team was formed in 1996 to represent the lower South Island in the newly formed Super 12 competition, and includes the Otago, North Otago and Southland unions. The Highlanders take their name from the Scottish immigrants that helped found the Otago, North Otago, and Southland regions in the 1840s and 1850s. Their main ground through the 2011 Super Rugby season was Carisbrook in
Headingley Rugby Stadium 14,041 fans. Two matches of the 2000 Rugby League World Cup were held at Headingley which included England v Fiji which England won by 66–10 in front of a crowd of 10,052 and latterly the quarter final fixture between England and Ireland which England won by 26–16 and attracted 15,405 spectators. In 2001 capacity was increased marginally by extending the terracing around the corner in between the Western Terraces and the North Stand. Since 2005 Headingley rugby stadium has been the venue for the annual varsity rugby union match between Leeds Beckett University and the University of Leeds which has