 The team was formed in 1996 to represent the lower South Island in the newly formed Super 12 competition . 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 they qualified for semi @-@ finals ; hosting the 1999 competition final against fellow South Island team the Crusaders . They lost the match 24 – 19 , and the following year were again knocked out by the Crusaders — this time in their semi @-@ final . In the following fifteen seasons they would only finish in the top four once more , in 2002 . But in 2015 , they were crowned Super Rugby champions . 
