Tom Donnelly
Thomas Mathew Donnelly (born 1 October 1981) was a rugby union player who played for Montpellier in the Top 14. He also made 15 appearances for the All Blacks since 2009 and played for Otago Rugby Football Union. He moved into a coaching career at Otago from 2017. Playing career Provincial rugby Born in Rotorua, Donnelly moved south in 2000 to attend the University of Otago, and made his debut for Otago in 2002. He quickly established himself as a fixture at lock for the province, and by 2005 was one of the standout players in the provincial championship, forming a dynamic partnership with James Ryan. Although injuries and international duty have limited his availability for Otago, he remained a fixture in the squad, captaining the team for a stretch in 2007 in place of an injured Craig Newby. In 2008, he played his 50th match for the province. Due to a shoulder injury and his time with the All Blacks, Donnelly made only a single appearance for Otago in the 2010 ITM Cup ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rotorua
Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. The city lies on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompassing Rotorua and several other nearby towns. Rotorua has an estimated resident population of , making it the country's 12th largest urban area, and the Bay of Plenty's second largest urban area behind Tauranga. Rotorua is a major destination for both domestic and international tourists; the tourism industry is by far the largest industry in the district. It is known for its geothermal activity, and features geysers – notably the Pōhutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa – and hot mud pools. This thermal activity is sourced to the Rotorua Caldera, in which the town lies. Rotorua is home to the Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. History The name Rotorua comes from the Māori language, where the full name for the city and lake is . ''Roto' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Highlanders (rugby)
The Highlanders (formerly the Otago Highlanders) is 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 Dunedin, with home games occasionally being played in Invercargill and Queenstown. The Highlanders moved into Carisbrook's replacement, Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza, for the 2012 season; the stadium opened in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but after the Super Rugby season. They finished the inaugural season eighth, and the following season finished last after winning only three of eleven matches. However, in the 1998, 1999 and 2000 seasons ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bryn Evans (rugby Union, Born 1984)
Bryn Evans (born 28 October 1984) is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a lock for the in Super Rugby and in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship competition. Club career Evans was born in Hastings and attended high school in Napier. He was accepted into the New Zealand Secondary Schools team in 2005. The following year, he made his provincial debut for Hawke's Bay in the Air New Zealand Cup.All Blacks statistics: Bryn Evans Retrieved 24 September 2009. In 2008, Evans signed with the Blues in the Super 14. For the 2009 season, he switched to the Wellington-based [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Junior All Blacks
The All Blacks XV is the second national rugby union team of New Zealand, after the All Blacks. New Zealand's second national team has had numerous names in its history: Junior All Blacks, New Zealand XV, New Zealand A, New Zealand B, All Blacks XV. Matches played as the 'All Blacks XV' are not test matches, usually against a touring side or when on tour, and against non-top tier rugby nations. History In 1991 a New Zealand XV played both Romania and USSR in the ‘test’ fixtures of their tours to New Zealand. In 1991 a New Zealand B team played Australia B during their short tour. In 1992 a New Zealand XV team beat England B in a pair of non-cap games during the tourists' 8-game tour. In 1998 a New Zealand A team played the England touring side. In 2005 a New Zealand A team played two matches against Australia A. In 2006, the second team was re-branded as the Junior All Blacks, inheriting the nickname of the previous New Zealand U23 team. This second XV participated in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Montpellier Hérault Rugby
Montpellier Hérault Rugby (; oc, Montpelhièr Erau Rugbi Club) is a French professional rugby union club, based in Montpellier, Occitanie and named after the Hérault river. The club competes in the top level of the French league system, the Top 14. They originally played at Stade Sabathé (capacity 5,000) but moved to the Stade Yves-du-Manoir, later known as Altrad Stadium, and since renamed the GGL Stadium, in 2007. They wear white and blue. History The club was established in 1986 through the merger of two other rugby union clubs, the Stade Montpelliérain and MUC Rugby. In 1993 the club won the Challenge de l'Espérance. In 2003 the club became the champion of France's second division national rugby league, the Pro D2. After finishing second in the league table at the end of the 2002–03 season, Montpellier advanced to the playoffs. They defeated Auch in the semi-finals and Tarbes in the finals to win promotion to the Top 14. The following season the club played ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Blues (Super Rugby)
The Blues (known as the Auckland Blues from 1996 to 2000) is a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Auckland, who play in the Super Rugby competition. Like New Zealand's four other Super Rugby teams, the Blues were established by the NZRU in 1996. One of the most successful teams in Super Rugby history, the Blues won the competition in its first two seasons, 1996 and 1997, and again in 2003. Additionally, the team were finalists in 1998 and 2022 and semi-finalists in 2007 and 2011. History Formation, Early Years and Immediate Success (1996–97) Along with New Zealand's other Super Rugby sides, the Blues were established by the NZRU to take part in the newly formed Super 12 competition which, involved teams from South Africa and Australia in addition to New Zealand. Each of New Zealand's five sides represented a number of provincial unions, with the Blues representing the Auckland, Counties Manukau and Thames Valley unions, while the neighbouring Waikato ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Crusaders (rugby)
The Crusaders (formerly Canterbury Crusaders and BNZ Crusaders due to sponsorship by the Bank of New Zealand) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch, who compete in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in the competition's history and have won 11 titles (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022), as well as two regionalised titles in 2020 and 2021. Formed in 1996 to represent the upper South Island of New Zealand in the Super 12, the Crusaders represent the Buller, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury, Tasman and West Coast provincial Rugby Unions. Their main home ground since 2012 is Rugby League Park (known for sponsorship reasons as Orangetheory Stadium). They formerly played out of Lancaster Park prior to it being damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The Crusaders struggled in the first season of the Super 12, 1996, finishing last. Their performance improv ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jarrad Hoeata
Jarrad Hoeata (born 12 December 1983) is a professional rugby union player who plays for New Zealand side Taranaki. He made his debut for the All Blacks during the 2011 Tri Nations tournament. Early life Hoeata was born on 12 December 1983 in Tauranga where he grew up in Papamoa in the Bay of Plenty but moved to Christchurch to study for a teaching career. He comes from a family of four brothers and a sister. Hoeata's sporting talents centred on volleyball in which he played for the New Zealand secondary schools team in regular series against Australia. But in his latter years at school he showed some rugby talent and was selected in the Tauranga Boys' College first XV and then the Bay of Plenty secondary schools side. After his schooldays in Tauranga, Hoeata headed for Christchurch to try his hand at Teachers College, while also having a crack at advancing his rugby. After a season of club rugby, playing alongside the likes of Andrew Mehrtens and Reuben Thorne on occasions, Ca ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Josh Bekhuis
Joshua Bekhuis (born 26 April 1986) is a professional rugby union player who plays at lock for Honda Heat in the Japanese Top League competition. Playing career Provincial Rugby Bekhuis began his career with Southland in 2006 after a successful time with the Southland Boys' High School First XV. After making two starts in his debut season, he emerged as a regular starter during the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup. He followed up his debut Super Rugby season with an exceptional 2009 Air New Zealand Cup, during which he made 14 starts and scored 4 tries, and was a key figure in Southland's Ranfurly Shield triumph over Canterbury. By the conclusion of his 10-year career with Southland, he had made 115 appearances for his province. Super Rugby Bekhuis' reliable performances for Southland saw him earning a Super Rugby contract with the Highlanders for the 2009 season. He had a fine first campaign, appearing in every game and making 8 starts. He would further build on that during ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2011 Super Rugby Season
The 2011 Super Rugby season was the first season of the new 15-team format for the Super Rugby competition, which involved teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Including its past iterations as Super 12 and Super 14, this was the 16th season for the Southern Hemisphere's premier transnational club competition. The season kicked off in February 2011, with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished in early July to allow players a recovery period for the 2011 Rugby World Cup to be held in September and October; in future non-World Cup years, the competition will extend into August. This season saw the arrival of the Melbourne Rebels, admitted to the competition as Australia's fifth team after entry by the Southern Kings from South Africa was denied. This was also the first season of a revamped competition format, with a greater focus on matches within each participating country and an expanded finals series. During this season, the first ever Super Rugby gam ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2010 Super 14 Season
The 2010 Super 14 season kicked off in February 2010 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 29 May. The 2010 season was the fifth and last season of the expanded Super 14 format. The schedule, which covers 3½ months, featured a total of 94 matches, with each team playing one full round-robin against the 13 other teams, two semi-finals and a final. Every team received one bye over the 14 rounds. Table Referees The referees for this tournament came from all three of the participating nations. Referees are ranked by Merit and Reserve Panels. They can be promoted or demoted to another panel. At least eighty Percent of the Super 14 games will be refereed by the Merit Panel Referees. Australian Referees *Stuart Dickinson (Merit Panel) * Steve Walsh (Reserve Panel) * Ian Smith (Reserve Panel) * Nathan Pearce (Reserve Panel) * Paul Marks (Reserve Panel)- Stood down from panel, following reviews of his performances at the end of Week 4. He was re-included on ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2009 Super 14 Season
The 2009 Super 14 season kicked off in February 2009 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 30 May, when the Bulls won their second Super Rugby title with a decisive 61–17 victory over the Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa. The 2009 season was the fourth of the expansion, which led to the name change to the Super 14. The schedule, which covered 3½ months, featured a total of 94 matches, with each team playing one full round-robin against the 13 other teams, two semi-finals and a final. Every team received one bye over the 14 rounds. Table Results Round 1 * Todd Clever came off the bench for the Lions to become the first American ever to play in Super Rugby. Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 Round 10 Round 11 Round 12 Round 13 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |