Otago

Jeff Wilson scored his way into New Zealand rugby history wearing the navy and gold of Dunedin.

Otago grew into the game early, taking shape in 1881. The union's honours board is thinner than its playing history would suggest: two National Provincial Championship titles, 1991 and 1998, the second sealed with a 49-20 defeat of Waikato in the final. Otago have reached seven finals altogether, the latest ending in a loss to Canterbury in 2025.

The Ranfurly Shield tells a different story. Otago have held it eight times, and the union's 1947–1950 reign alone produced 18 successful defences, a run built by a group of forwards and backs who simply kept finding a way through challengers year after year. The Shield returned to Dunedin again in 2025.

None of this has softened the rivalry with Southland. The Southern derby, sometimes called the Deep South clash, draws on decades of matches between the two unions and still carries weight regardless of where either side sits in the table.

Forsyth Barr Stadium holds 30,748 people, and on the days Otago and Southland meet there, the crowd roared them on until the final whistle.