Otago has no money to bring in players, so the union has had to look from within.
The small co-educational high school in Balclutha provided four former pupils in the Sassenachs starting side last night.
The coach, Tony Brown, also did the majority of his schooling at South Otago High School.
Captain and No 8 Paul Grant played for the First XV at the school from 2003-05, and also made the South Island schools side.
Fullback Tony Ensor, winger Matt Faddes and blindside flanker Lee Allan were all in the First XV at the school from 2007-09. Allan and Faddes were also selected for the South Island schools side in 2009.
The trio all played in the 2009 side which made a big impact in the inaugural year of the Highlanders First XV competition, beating Otago Boys' High School and finishing top of the competition after the round-robin.
The trio had a fine time last night, scoring six tries in the big win over South Canterbury.
Brown attended South Otago then finished his schooling at King's High School, in Dunedin.
Overall, there were 10 players in last night's starting side who grew up within the wider Otago region.
