Rooting for the Home Team in Dunedin, New Zealand

Before we arrived in New Zealand we started exploring our options to attend a rugby match.  We were pleased to secure two tickets to see the Otago Highlanders take on the Wellington Hurricanes at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin (South Island), New Zealand.

The sport’s rules and regulations are somewhat confusing to the uninitiated, so we watched the above instructional video.  We highly recommend it to anyone hoping to learn about rugby…It demonstrates the complex concepts in a way that is memorable and easy to understand.  This learning tool was particularly valuable to Matt who viewed it numerous times in an effort to fortify his ability to keep up with the fast-paced action.

We joined the locals, cheering on the Highlanders as they secured an early lead.  The Hurricanes rallied during the second half, but the rally fell short and the Highlanders triumphed with a final score of 35 to 31.

The fans filed out of the stadium en masse and we enjoyed good company during the 20 minute walk back to our hotel – It was a perfect evening for new experiences in this foreign, yet familiar land.