In his first year out of school Withy played for Otago in the National Provincial Championship. First five-eighth Cameron Millar was another Southland product to star in the Highlanders under-20 victory over the Barbarians. Millar kicked 10 from 10 converting all of the Highlanders’ 10 tries and also impressed with ball in hand. Millar initially made his mark playing in Eastern Southland where he led Gore High School to win Southland’s under-18 competition in 2019. Last year he linked with Otago Boys’ where Millar yet again impressed and now is playing club rugby in Dunedin. Southland’s connection in the Highlanders-Barbarians under 20 game didn’t end there.
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University of Otago deputy vice-Chancellor (external engagement) professor Helen Nicholson and Dr Elman Poole in Oxford in 2016. Poole has donated almost $2.9 million to help Invercargill students. In an interview in 2016, Dr Poole said the scholarships were targeted and carefully planned initiatives that provided opportunities for young people to go to university and study abroad. “They are life-changing opportunities for those who are prepared to step-up and make a success of it,” Dr Poole said. Executor of his estate in the UK, Emerita Pilgrim, said “Elman had always told me of his desire to enable young, talented New Zealand scholars to fulfil their academic abilities, to achieve the highest possible professional leadership goals, with a commitment to serve their community.