▁mar oon . ▁Blue ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁pre domin ant ▁colour ▁of ▁the ▁Flag ▁of ▁Scotland , ▁and ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁many ▁sports ▁teams ▁in ▁that ▁country . ▁ ▁Begin nings : ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁ ▁The ▁High land ers ' ▁franch ise ▁was ▁created ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁five ▁New ▁Zealand ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁Super ▁ 1 2 . ▁Origin ally ▁named ▁the ▁O tag o ▁High land ers , ▁the ▁High land ers ' ▁franch ise ▁area ▁en comp ass ed ▁the ▁lower ▁South ▁Island ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁( see ▁Super ▁ 1 4 ▁franch ise ▁areas ), ▁and ▁was ▁formed ▁from ▁the ▁North ▁O tag o , ▁O tag o , ▁and ▁South land ▁provincial ▁rugby ▁un ions . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁team ▁was ▁capt ained ▁by ▁John ▁Les lie ▁and ▁co ached ▁by ▁Gordon ▁Hunter . ▁Their ▁first - ever ▁Super ▁ 1 2 ▁match ▁was ▁against ▁the ▁Queensland ▁Red s ▁at ▁Car is bro ok ▁on ▁ 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁Queensland ▁were ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁competition ▁favour ites ▁as ▁they ▁had ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁Super ▁ 1 0 ▁champion ships ▁( am ateur ▁prede cess or ▁of ▁the ▁Super ▁ 1 2 ) ▁yet ▁were ▁defeated ▁ 5 7 – 1 7 . ▁They ▁then ▁defeated ▁Trans va al ▁ 2 9 – 1 5 ▁at ▁Car is bro ok ▁before ▁trav