. ▁The ▁team ▁en comp ass ed ▁the ▁provinces ▁of ▁North ▁O tag o , ▁O tag o ▁and ▁South land . ▁The ▁High land ers ▁placed ▁e ighth ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁year ▁with ▁five ▁wins , ▁but ▁sl ump ed ▁to ▁last ▁in ▁the ▁competition ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁with ▁only ▁three ▁wins . ▁They ▁improved ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁their ▁first ▁semi - final ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁New ▁Zealand ▁team ▁to ▁defeat ▁all ▁four ▁South ▁African ▁franch ises ▁in ▁the ▁process . ▁They ▁were ▁defeated ▁by ▁event ual ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Champions ▁the ▁A uck land ▁Blues ▁in ▁their ▁semi - final ▁however . ▁Their ▁best ▁ever ▁finish ▁came ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁when ▁they ▁won ▁eight ▁matches , ▁and ▁their ▁semi - final ▁to ▁host ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Super ▁ 1 2 ▁Final ▁at ▁Car is bro ok , ▁but ▁lost ▁to ▁South ▁Island ▁riv als ▁Cr us aders ▁in ▁the ▁match . ▁They ▁qualified ▁for ▁their ▁third ▁consecutive ▁semi - final s ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁this ▁time ▁played ▁the ▁Cr us aders ▁in ▁Christ ch urch , ▁but ▁lost ▁again . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁they ▁could ▁not ▁repeat ▁a ▁play - off ▁performance , ▁they ▁did ▁finish ▁fifth ▁and ▁maintain ▁an ▁un be aten ▁record ▁at ▁Car is bro ok ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁season ▁in ▁a ▁row . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0