Otago (National Provincial Championship)

Otago
ORFU official emblem
UnionOtago Rugby Football Union
Founded1881 (1881)
LocationDunedin Central, Dunedin, New Zealand
GroundForsyth Barr Stadium (Capacity: 30,700)
CEORichard Kinley[1]
CoachMark Brown
CaptainTBA
Most appearancesRichard Knight (170)
Top scorerGreg Cooper (1,520)
Most triesPaul Cooke (73)
LeagueNational Provincial Championship
20252nd
Runners-up
Team kit
Official website
www.orfu.co.nz

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.

Current squad

The Otago squad for the 2026 Hilux NPC season is:

2026 Otago squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose forwards

Halfbacks (scrum-halves)

First five-eighths (fly-halves)

Midfielders (centres)

Outside backs

(c) denotes the team captain.
Bold denotes internationally capped players.
ST denotes a short-term signing.
WTG denotes a wider training group member.
Injured denotes an injured player.
  1. ↑ Pearce was added to the squad – two weeks after the original team naming – as a replacement for Abraham Pole, who had to withdraw from the squad due to signing an overseas' contract.[2]
  2. ↑ Seiuli wasn't named in the original Otago squad, but was announced as a late signing in August 2026.[3]
  3. ↑ Elton wasn't named in the original Otago squad, but was announced in the side for Round 2.[4][5]
Source: [6][7]

Honours

Otago have been overall Champions twice, winning the titles in 1991 and 1998. Their full list of honours include:[8][9]

National Provincial Championship First Division
  • Winners: 1991, 1998

Current Super Rugby players

Players named in the 2025 Otago squad, who also earned contracts or were named in a squad for any side participating in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.[10][11][12][13][14]

Player Team
Henry Bell Highlanders
George Bower Crusaders
Sam Gilbert Highlanders
Oliver Haig Highlanders
Nathan Hastie Highlanders
Fabian Holland Highlanders
Finn Hurley Highlanders
Christian Lio-Willie Crusaders
Saula Ma'u Highlanders
Cam Millar Highlanders
Jona Nareki Highlanders
Abraham Pole Moana Pasifika
Will Stodart Highlanders
Joseva Tamani Drua
Jake Te Hiwi Highlanders
Will Tucker Hurricanes
Thomas Umaga-Jensen Highlanders
Josh Whaanga Highlanders
Rohan Wingham Highlanders

References

  1. ↑ "Staff". Otago Rugby. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  2. ↑ "Otago prop heading to France". Otago Daily Times. 16 July 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  3. ↑ @otagorugbyteam; (12 August 2026). "Welcome back, Aki! Former Otago front-rower Aki Seiuli has rejoined the Otago squad on a six-week placement, bringing a wealth of experience and familiarity to our environment". Retrieved 13 August 2026 – via Instagram.
  4. ↑ @otagorugbyteam; (5 August 2026). "Team list. The squad is locked in for our first Ranfurly Shield defence of 2026". Retrieved 9 August 2026 – via Instagram.
  5. ↑ "NPC and Ranfurly Shield derby excites Canterbury fullback Johnny McNicholl and prop Daniel Lienert-Brown". The Press. 7 August 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Otago NPC 2026 squad announced". Otago Rugby. 3 July 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Settled look for Otago NPC squad". Otago Daily Times. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "National Provincial Championship winners, 1976–2014". Te Ara. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  9. ↑ "Mitre 10 Cup". Rugby Heartland. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  10. ↑ "Highlanders name squad for 2025 DHL Super Rugby competition" (Press release). Highlanders. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  11. ↑ "2025 Crusaders squad announced". crusaders.co.nz (Press release). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "Moana Pasifika name squad for 2025". Moana Pasifika (Press release). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  13. ↑ "Fijian Drua unveil 2025 squad" (Press release). Fijian Drua. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  14. ↑ "Game Readiness and Maturity Key in 2025 Hurricanes Squad". Hurricanes (Press release). 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
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