King Country Rugby Football Union King Country Rugby Football Union The King Country Rugby Football Union is a constituent union in the New Zealand Rugby Union. It is located in the central North Island of New Zealand. It was formed in 1922 when the South Auckland Rugby Union was split into three (the other two Unions formed were Waikato and Thames Valley). The King Country team play from Owen Delany Park, Taupo, Rugby Park, Te Kuiti and Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui. King Country are like many other heartland unions have struggled since the start of professional era. In 1996, King Country were in the first division
History of the Highlanders (rugby union) rugby unions. The 1996 team was captained by John Leslie and coached by Gordon Hunter. Their first-ever Super 12 match was against the Queensland Reds at Carisbrook on 3 March 1996. Queensland were one of the competition favourites as they had won the 1994 and 1995 Super 10 championships (amateur predecessor of the Super 12) yet were defeated 57–17. They then defeated Transvaal 29–15 at Carisbrook before travelling to South Africa to defeat Western Province 52–25 in Cape Town. After three matches the Highlanders were undefeated and leading the competition. However, the following week at Loftus Versfeld Stadium they were