 The 1996 team was captained by John Leslie and coached by Gordon Hunter . Their first Super 12 match was against the Queensland Reds at Carisbrook on 3 March 1996 , whom they defeated 57 – 17 . After three matches the Highlanders were undefeated and leading the competition . However the following week at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in South Africa they were defeated 59 – 29 by Northern Transvaal . They only won two more games that season , against Natal at Carisbrook and against the Canterbury Crusaders at Lancaster Park , and they finished the season eighth on the table . 
