Crusaders (rugby union)

Crusaders
Union New Zealand Rugby Union
Nickname(s) The Crusaders
Founded 1996
Location Christchurch, New Zealand
Region Buller
Canterbury
Mid-Canterbury
South Canterbury
Tasman
West Coast
Ground(s) AMI Stadium (Capacity: 18,600)
Coach(es) Scott Robertson
Captain(s) Sam Whitelock
Most caps Wyatt Crockett (176)
Top scorer Dan Carter (1,708)
League(s) Super Rugby
2017 Champions
1st (New Zealand Conference)
1st (Australasian Group)
2nd (overall)
Team kit
2nd kit
Official website
crusaders.co.nz

The Crusaders (formerly the Canterbury Crusaders and officially called the BNZ Crusaders due to a sponsorship deal with the Bank of New Zealand) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with eight titles (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2017). The franchise represents the Buller, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury, Tasman and West Coast provincial Rugby Unions. The Crusaders are the world’s most successful non-international professional rugby team. Their main home ground is AMI Stadium,[n 1] formerly known as Jade Stadium and before that, Lancaster Park.

Formed in 1996 to represent the upper South Island of New Zealand in the Super 12, the Crusaders struggled in their first season and finished last. Their performance improved in 1997 and the team finished sixth (out of twelve teams). The team went on to win all three titles from 1998 to 2000 despite each final being played away from home. They again won the competition in 2002 after going through the season unbeaten. In the following two seasons, they again reached the final, although they were beaten on both occasions. 2005 was the last season of the Super 12 before its expansion. After finishing top of the table in that season, the Crusaders went on to host the final in which they defeated the Waratahs. As a result of winning their fifth Super 12 title, the Crusaders were given the trophy to keep. In 2006, the Crusaders hosted the Hurricanes in the inaugural Super 14 final and won 19–12. In 2008 the Crusaders hosted the final at AMI Stadium against the Waratahs, and won the match 20–12 to claim their seventh title. In 2017 the Crusaders travelled to Johannesburg to play the Lions for the Super Rugby final, the Crusaders won their eighth title 25-17.

In addition to winning more Super Rugby titles than any other team, the franchise also holds several competition records, including most points in a game and most tries in a game, both achieved in their 96–19 victory over the Waratahs in 2002. Ironically the Crusaders also hold the record for the least points scored in a game when they were defeated by the Highlanders 6–0 in 2009. They have also scored the most points (541) and most tries (71) in one season, both achieved in 2005.

Individual players also hold records: Andrew Mehrtens for most points in a Super 12 season (206 in 1998), and Rico Gear for most tries in a season (15 in 2005). Twelve players have played over 100 games for the franchise: Justin Marshall, Reuben Thorne, Caleb Ralph, Greg Somerville, Leon MacDonald, Richie McCaw, Chris Jack, Dan Carter, Andrew Ellis, Kieran Read, Wyatt Crockett and Sam Whitelock. They also have three International Rugby Board Players of the Year: Dan Carter (2005), (2012), (2015), Richie McCaw (2006), (2009) and (2010) and Kieran Read (2013)

History

Beginnings: 1996 and 1997

The 1996 Season

The Crusaders franchise was created as one of five New Zealand teams in the Super 12. Originally named the Canterbury Crusaders, the Crusaders' franchise area encompassed the upper South Island of New Zealand (see Super Rugby franchise areas), and was formed from the Buller, Canterbury, Marlborough, Mid-Canterbury, Nelson Bays, South Canterbury, and West Coast rugby unions.[3][n 2] The original Crusaders team of 1996 was captained by All Blacks prop Richard Loe and coached by Vance Stewart.[4] The Crusaders struggled in the inaugural season and finished bottom of the table with only two wins.[5] Their eight losses included a 49–18 loss to the Blues and a 52–16 loss to the Queensland Reds.[6] And the First ever tour was a pre-visit to South Africa prior start of Super 12.[7]

The 1997 Season

The following season saw a change in captain and coach, with Todd Blackadder succeeding Loe as captain and Wayne Smith taking over as coach.[4] With five wins, the team finished the round-robin stage in sixth place.[8] The improvement was particularly illustrated by the Crusaders' 29–28 loss to the defending champions, the Blues, which contrasted with their 49–18 loss the previous season. (The Blues also went on to win the 1997 title).[9] During this loss, Leon MacDonald was taken out with a shoulder charge by Robin Brooke. While the Crusaders attempted to get MacDonald back on the field, the Blues scored two tries, including one by Brooke, who was later suspended for two weeks for the shoulder charge.[9] In their last game of 1997, the Crusaders beat the Queensland Reds 48–3 at Lancaster Park, now known as AMI Stadium.[8]

Hat trick: 1998 to 2000

The 1998 Season

The Crusaders won their first title in 1998, despite starting the season with three losses in their first four games. They finished the round-robin by winning their last seven games, culminating in a last-round win over the Coastal Sharks (now the Sharks) that gave them second place in the round-robin phase of the competition.[10] Their second-placing allowed them to host their semi-final at Lancaster Park, where they won the match 36–32 against the Coastal Sharks.[11]

In the final at Eden Park, the Crusaders faced the Blues, who were heavy favourites. According to Crusaders' hooker Mark Hammett, "If we'd been polled in that week, and had to give an honest answer, most of the boys, deep down, would probably have thought that the Blues would beat us."[12] The Crusaders were ahead 3–0 at half time, but the Blues scored first after half time to take a 10–3 lead after 53 minutes.[13] After Crusader Norm Maxwell scored a try, the game was tied 10 all. Then, after a penalty each, the two teams were tied 13 all with one minute of regulation time remaining.[14] At that moment, Andrew Mehrtens chipped the ball for James Kerr to run onto and score, giving the Crusaders a 20–13 win after the try was converted.[15] The ten points scored by Andrew Mehrtens in the final contributed to his total of 206 points for the season − a record for the Super 12.[16] Upon the Crusaders' return to Christchurch, they were given a parade through the city that drew 100,000 people.[14]

“ We're a regional selection... and it's important to remember that, besides Canterbury, we also represent Nelson Bays, Marlborough, Buller, West Coast, Mid-Canterbury and South Canterbury ”
—  Todd Blackadder, Crusaders captain, 1998 Super 12 victory speech[17]

The 1999 Season

The 1999 season was equally successful for the Crusaders despite struggling to make the play-offs in fourth place after winning their last four round-robin matches.[18][19] They defeated the favoured Queensland Reds (who had finished top in the round-robin) in their semi-final to advance to the final against the Otago Highlanders (since renamed the Highlanders).[19] The all-South Island final in Dunedin was promoted as "the party at Tony Brown's house" after Highlanders first five-eighths Tony Brown.[18] Again playing away from home, the Crusaders won 24–19. The decisive try of the match was scored by Crusaders winger Afato So'oalo when he chipped the ball, then out-sprinted All Blacks winger Jeff Wilson to collect the ball and score.[20][21]

The 2000 Season

Following the All Blacks' semi-final loss in the 1999 Rugby World Cup, Wayne Smith succeeded John Hart as All Blacks coach.[22] Crusaders manager Robbie Deans replaced Smith as Crusaders coach. In Deans' first year in charge, the Crusaders won their third title in a row − a feat that has not since been repeated.[4] The Crusaders finished second in the round-robin, earning them the right to host a semi-final in which they faced the Highlanders at Jade Stadium.[23][24] Two tries in the final 20 minutes by Marika Vunibaka helped the Crusaders to a 37–15 win.[25] The 2000 Super 12 Final was played against the Brumbies in Canberra, Australia, where the weather for the final was icy, with sleet and snow.[26] The game was low-scoring, with only one try each. Four penalties by Mehrtens gave the Crusaders a 12–6 half time lead. Following a Brumbies penalty four minutes from time, the Brumbies led 19–17.[26] However, the Crusaders were awarded a penalty from the resulting kick-off, and after Mehrtens converted the penalty, the Crusaders went on to win the game 20–19.[27]

Development of a legacy: 2001 to 2005

Crusaders scrum against the Brumbies in May 2006

The 2001 Season

After winning three consecutive Super 12 titles, the Crusaders finished tenth in 2001 – their worst finish since 1996. The season was the last for captain Todd Blackadder before he left to play for Edinburgh in Scotland.[28][n 3]

The 2002 Season

The Crusaders bounced back dramatically in 2002 when they went through the Super 12 season unbeaten, achieving their fourth title. Although the Crusaders won all eleven of their round-robin matches, six of them were won by a margin of seven points or less.[n 4][29] Their eleven round-robin games also included a record 96–19 win over the Waratahs in the final match of the round-robin stage, which was especially noteworthy given that both teams finished at the top of the table.

The Crusaders met the Highlanders in their 2002 semi-final, which they eventually won 34–23 after being ahead 18–6 at half time. The following week, they faced the Brumbies in the first final to be hosted at Jade Stadium. The Brumbies trailed 11–3 after the first half, having had only 30 per cent possession.[30] Although the Brumbies closed the gap to 14–13 with eight minutes to go, the Crusaders held on and steadied to win 31–13 with a last-minute try to Caleb Ralph.[30][31] The season was their first under the captaincy of Reuben Thorne, who went on to captain the All Blacks until the end of the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

The 2003 Season

The Crusaders' winning run finally came to an end when they were beaten 39–5 by the Blues in the third round of the 2003 Super 12 season.[32] Although their 15-match unbeaten streak had ended, Richie McCaw said of the loss, "...in some ways it was almost a relief. We'd finally been beaten, the run was over, so people could stop talking about it and we could get on with playing it week by week."[33] The Crusaders recovered to finish second on the table with eight wins.[34] They hosted a semi-final against the Hurricanes, who were coached by Colin Cooper, a former assistant coach for the Crusaders. Despite this inside knowledge of the team by the Wellington coach, the Crusaders won the match 39–16.[34] In the final, the Crusaders met the Blues, another team coached by a former Crusaders assistant coach, Peter Sloane. Hooker Mark Hammett scored two tries to give the Crusaders a 10–6 lead at half-time.[35] The Blues hit back to lead 21–10 with ten minutes to go. The Crusaders managed another converted try, but it was not enough, and the Blues won 21–17.[35]

The 2004 Season

The Crusaders' 2004 season began with two losses: first to the Waratahs, then to the Blues.[36] They recovered to again finish second on the table with seven wins.[37] They played the Stormers at Jade Stadium in their semi-final, and won 27–16.[37] They met the Brumbies at Canberra Stadium in a replay of the 2000 final. The Brumbies dominated in the final, scoring 33 unanswered points in the first 19 minutes.[38] The Crusaders managed to salvage some pride by narrowing the loss to a 47–38 finish.[37]

The Season 2005

The 2005 season started with a repeat of the previous year's final: a Brumbies victory over the Crusaders in Canberra.[39] There was a win the following week at home over the Chiefs, followed by a win over the Reds at Trafalgar Park.[40] Although there was a 35–20 loss to the Bulls after Crusaders captain Richie McCaw was knocked unconscious, they eventually finished the regular season top of the table.[41][42] McCaw returned from his five weeks on the sideline to lead the Crusaders in their semi-final victory over the Hurricanes.[41][42] They faced the Waratahs in the final at Jade Stadium. Leading 14–6 at halftime, the Crusaders then moved out to a 29-point lead.[43] Despite three late tries by the Waratahs, the Crusaders won their fifth title with a 35–20 win.[43][44]

As a reward for their seventh finals appearance and fifth title, the Crusaders were allowed to keep the Super 12 trophy.[45] After the 2005 season, the franchise saw the departure of stalwarts Andrew Mehrtens and Justin Marshall, both of whom had played for the team since its formation in 1996.

Super 14: 2006 to 2010

The Crusaders playing the Bulls in 2006.

The 2006 Season

In 2006, the Super 12 expanded to form the Super 14 when the Western Force from Perth, Australia, and the Central Cheetahs from the Free State and Northern Cape Provinces, South Africa joined the competition. An unbeaten run of sixteen matches was nearly halted when the Crusaders drew with the Western Force in Perth in round eleven.[46] The following week, the unbeaten run was ended when the Crusaders lost to the Stormers in Cape Town.[47] That loss was their only one of the year, as they finished top of the table with eleven wins.[48] After beating the Bulls in their semi-final, the Crusaders faced the Hurricanes in the final at Jade Stadium that was played in a thick fog, causing poor visibility.[49] Sections of the crowd could not see the field, and many spectators left during the match.[49] The scorers were tied 9–9 going into the game's last 20 minutes. The Crusaders' Casey Laulala then scored the game's only try before the match finished 19–12.[49]

The 2007 Season

In the 2007 Super 14 season, seven Crusaders players missed the first seven rounds of the competition to participate in an All Black "conditioning programme".[50] The conditioning programme was part of the All Blacks' 2007 Rugby World Cup preparations; 22 players were selected for the programme. The Crusaders' seven players in the programme was more than any other New Zealand Super 14 franchise. The Crusaders players were Chris Jack, Richie McCaw, Greg Somerville, Reuben Thorne, Dan Carter, Leon MacDonald, and Aaron Mauger.[50][51][52] All but one of the seven returned to play for the Crusaders in their eighth round match against the Stormers (Greg Somerville did not return due to injury).[53] The Crusaders climbed to second on the table before defeating the Western Force 53–0 at Jade Stadium in the tenth round.[54] The victory over the Force was the one hundredth Super rugby win for the Crusaders – the first franchise to reach the milestone.[54][n 5]

The Crusaders were top of the table going into the last round of the Super 14 before the play-offs. To guarantee a home semi-final they needed to defeat the Chiefs at Jade Stadium. The Chiefs won 30–24 – and ended the Crusaders 26 game winning streak at home.[55] As the Bulls defeated the Reds 92–3 in the same round, they overtook the Crusaders to finish second in the round robin.[56] The Crusaders then travelled to Pretoria to face the Bulls in their semi-final where they lost 27–12.[57]

The 2008 Season

The 2008 season was another highly successful one for the Crusaders. After finishing top of the table at the end of the last round,[58] they comfortably defeated the Hurricanes 33–22 in the semi-final,[59] and went on to beat the Waratahs in the final 20–12.[60] It was a fitting way to send off long-serving coach Robbie Deans before he departed to coach Australia.[61] It was also the last game for Crusaders stalwarts Caleb Ralph and former captain Reuben Thorne.[62] In July that year former captain Todd Blackadder was appointed Crusaders coach, and his former teammates Mark Hammett and Daryl Gibson were appointed as assistants.[63]

The 2009 Season

The 2009 season started with a sole win and a draw from the Crusaders' first five matches; this included a 6—0 loss to the Highlanders.[64][65] The side found its feet later in the season, and won key away games which ultimately saw them finish in fourth place on the table – just ahead of the Waratahs.[66] Both the Crusaders and Waratahs finished the season with 41 competition points, but the Crusaders advanced through to the semi-finals due to a greater 'points for and against' difference.

The Crusaders lost their semi-final to the Bulls 36–23 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria in front of a capacity 52,000 crowd.[67] The Bulls went on to win the 2009 Super 14 title beating the Chiefs 61–17.[68] Statistically, the Crusaders had the best defensive record of the 2009 competition – conceding just 198 points. However, points for, and total tries scored was the second lowest in the competition with just 231 points and 27 tries.

The 2010 Season

In 2010 the Crusaders had a very good start to the season before a poor finish with three losses in four games caused them to have to travel to Orlando Stadium, Soweto to face the Bulls. They lost the semi-final 39–24.

New era: 2011 to present

The 2011 Season

The 2011 season had a minor hiccup at the very beginning with a two-point loss to the Blues. Their second round match against the Hurricanes was cancelled, and match declared a draw after the Christchurch earthquake on 22 February which caused 182 deaths. In their first match after the earthquake they played the Waratahs, a team that had only conceded six points in their previous two games. The Crusaders triumphed 33–18 in a convincing display in front of a sold-out stadium. They next played the Brumbies and brushed them aside in a 52–10 demolition. They next played the Highlanders who had previously only lost one match in the season, to the undefeated and table-topping Stormers. The Crusaders won comfortably 44–13 in Dunedin. The next team they played, the Sharks, had like the Highlanders previously only lost one match in the season before the Crusaders won 44–28 at Twickenham for a one off match due to earthquake damage at their own ground. They played the second match in Timaru Alpine Stadium against the Bulls in a sell out crowd winning 27–0. Round 9 they played the Chiefs in Mt Maunganui and gained four tries winning 34–16 with Richie McCaw returning after eight weeks off with injury.

The Crusaders defeated the Sharks 36-8 in the qualifier round. For the semi-final the Crusaders had to cross the Indian Ocean to Cape Town to play the Stormers. Despite travelling 11,000 km the Crusaders defeated the Stormers 29-10 in a convincing display. The Crusaders faced the Reds in the Final and yet more travel. The Crusaders and Reds were matched evenly at 13-13 after exchanging a try apiece and two penalty's. However, Will Genia scored a crucial try for the Reds in the 68th minute to help them to an 18–13 win. The Crusaders lost the final to the Queensland Reds at the Suncorp Stadium.[69] Despite not winning the title in 2011, the trials the Crusaders overcame to even make the final, made this season one of the Crusaders finest.

The 2012 Season

The 2012 season was the first in the new home ground of Christchurch Stadium, saw the Crusaders again reach the playoffs, with a record of 11 wins and 5 losses. In the qualifier round the Crusaders defeated the Bulls 28-13. However, they were defeated by the (eventual champion) Chiefs 20-17 in the semi-final, played in Hamilton.

The 2013 Season

The 2013 season saw a nearly identical season to 2012. The Crusaders made the playoffs with a record of 11 wins and 5 losses. In the qualifier round the Crusaders crushed the Reds 38-9. However, they were defeated again by the (eventual champion) Chiefs 20-19 in the semi-final, played in Hamilton.

The 2014 Season

The 2014 season was a more successful season, with the Crusaders making a Grand Final appearance. The Crusaders made the playoffs with a record of 11 wins and 5 losses. For the second time the Crusaders won the New Zealand Conference, as a result, they earned a first round bye. The Crusaders then defeated the Sharks 38-6 in a impressive victory in the semi-final. In the Grand Final against the Waratahs played in Sydney, the Crusaders fell agonisingly short 32-33. The Waratahs started strong with a 14-0 early lead before the Crusaders hit back, entering halftime down 13-20. In the 76th minute Colin Slade nailed his sixth penalty to put the Crusaders up 32-30, looking to steal the game at the end. However, Craig Joubert awarded a controversial penalty in the 78th minute to the Waratahs. Bernard Foley calmly made the championship winning kick, ensuring a 33-32 Waratahs victory. The following day Joubert contacted both Crusaders Coach Todd Blackadder and Crusaders Captain Richie McCaw to apologise, announcing to both that he got the final call wrong. Despite the ending, the Waratahs were deserving champions, with the Crusaders still having a incredible year.

The 2015 Season

The 2015 season was a very disappointing season for the Crusaders, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2001. This snapped a 13 year old streak of consecutive playoff appearances. The Crusaders had a record of 9 wins and 6 losses. Despite the poor record the Crusaders (46) had more points than the Stormers (45), but owing to the playoff structure missed the playoffs. The Crusaders fare-welled Crusaders and All Black legends Richie McCaw and Dan Carter at the seasons end.

The 2016 Season

The 2016 season saw a return to the playoffs for the Crusaders, who posted a record of 11 wins and 4 losses, Despite the Crusaders having a good record they still finished 6th in the last spot of the Australasian Group. This occurred because the Hurricanes, Highlanders and Chiefs all posted a record of 11 wins and 4 losses. However, the other teams earned more points than the Crusaders (50) so finished higher Hurricanes (53), Highlanders (52) and Chiefs (51). The Crusaders had to travel to Johannesburg to face the Lions. The Crusaders were well beaten by the (Runners-up) Lions 42-25 in the qualifier round.

The 2017 Season

The 2017 season was a magical season, with the Crusaders winning a record eighth championship. The Crusaders made the playoffs with a record of 14 wins and 1 loss. During the regular season a standout moment occurred in Round 15 vs the Highlanders. With 82:22 on the clock and the score tied at 22-22, the Crusaders had the ball on the 40m line. Up stepped Mitchell Hunt who calmly slotted a miracle 45m drop goal to win the game and preserve a 14 match winning streak. The Crusaders lost to the British and Irish Lions 3-12 at Christchurch, during the Lions tour to New Zealand. The Crusaders attack was shut down by an outstanding defensive display by the Lions. The Lions squad contained many test players and was the strongest Lions team faced by any Super Rugby team. For the first time the Crusaders won the Australasian Group. However, the Johannesburg-based Lions finished top of the combined table with 65 points to the Crusaders 63.

In the qualifier round, in atrocious conditions the Crusaders defeated the Highlanders 17-0. The game was remarkable for the Crusaders magnificent defence, which kept the highly talented Highlanders scoreless. The Crusaders then defeated the Chiefs comfortably 27-13, repaying earlier playoff losses to the team. The Crusaders faced the Lions in the final, and owning to the Lions holding home advantage, had to fly nearly 12,000 km. The Crusaders confronted a daunting task to win the 2017 title. The Crusaders would have to battle a formidable Lions team, altitude and 61,000 Lions fans in the fortress of Ellis Park Stadium. The Crusaders started strongly with two tries, jumping out to a 12-0 lead. In the 38th minute Kwagga Smith took out David Havili in the air, causing Havili to fall dangerously. Smith was justifiably red carded. At half time the Crusaders led 15-3. Kieran Read scored a try immediately after half time to extend the lead to 22-3. However, the travel, altitude and fast pace of the game begin to take a toll on the Crusaders. The attacking Lions scored two tries to reduce the deficit to 25-17. But the defence of the Crusaders held out giving the Crusaders a record eighth title 25-17, while avenging last years result.

The Crusaders achieved history in a variety of ways with the 2017 title. It was the first time a Super Rugby team crossed the Indian Ocean and won the title. Scott Robertson became the first former Super Rugby player and Head Coach to win a championship. The Crusaders became the first Super Rugby team to win a title in three different countries New Zealand (Christchurch, Auckland, Dunedin), Australia (Canberra) and South Africa (Johannesburg).

Name and colours

The Horsemen performing to the crowd before a match

The Crusaders' name was chosen to reflect the crusading nature of Canterbury rugby.[70] A potential name was also the Plainsmen; however, this was not chosen, as "Crusaders" recalled the English heritage of the city of Christchurch.[70] Christchurch was established by English emigrants in the 19th century and is often described as the most English city outside England.[71][72] The club adopted Canterbury's traditional sporting colours of red and black, as worn by Canterbury.

Franchise area

The Crusaders' franchise area consists of the regions controlled by the Buller, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury, Tasman and West Coast rugby unions.[3] Before 2006, when the NPC was reorganised, Canterbury was the only union playing division one (now ITM Cup) within the Crusaders' catchment. As a result, the majority of Crusaders players were also listed with Canterbury. Today, the Crusaders' catchment contains two ITM Cup sides – Canterbury and Tasman.

Grounds

The Crusaders' main home ground was the 36,000-capacity AMI Stadium in Christchurch.[73] However, they stopped playing there during the 2011 Super Rugby season due to damage inflicted by the February Christchurch earthquake. The Crusaders usually took one game each year to another part of the franchise area, most often when the New Zealand cricket team was playing at AMI Stadium.[74] Previous venues included Trafalgar Park in Nelson, and Alpine Energy Stadium in Timaru.[74][75]

With AMI Stadium still out of commission, the Crusaders adopted Rugby League Park (which has been renamed Christchurch Stadium temporarily) in Addington as their home ground for that and future seasons to recentralise their games in one location as opposed to the road show that was the 2011 season. The ground had a limited makeover, taking it to an 18,600 capacity stadium and bringing its facilities to the minimum standards required by the Super Rugby competition.

The Crusaders' management proposed playing a 2005 regular season match in Melbourne when Jade Stadium was unavailable.[76] Although five of the seven unions within the Crusaders region[n 6] supported having the regular season game in Melbourne, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) vetoed the proposal.[76] In 2006, the Crusaders did play a pre-season match in Melbourne against the Western Force at Olympic Park Stadium.[77] They did the same in the 2008 preseason as well, also against the Force.

Due to the 2011 earthquake, the Crusaders played four games at Trafalgar Park, and two in Timaru during their 2011 season. They also played a "home" game in Wellington in Round 18 against Hurricanes, and a special home match against the Sharks at Twickenham in London. The London match was a fundraiser for earthquake relief, and was the first Super Rugby match ever contested outside of the three participating countries.[78] In the first 30 hours of ticket sales, over 30,000 were purchased; a spokesman for United Ticketmaster indicated that the response was the strongest he had experienced for a rugby match outside of internationals.[79]

Nelson Christchurch Timaru
Trafalgar Park AMI Stadium Alpine Energy Stadium
Capacity: 18,000 Capacity: 18,600 Capacity: 12,500

Development team

The Crusaders have fielded a development team in competitions such as the Pacific Rugby Cup and in matches against other representative teams for several seasons. Known as the Crusaders Development XV or Crusaders Knights, the squad is selected from the best emerging rugby talent in the Crusaders catchment area and is composed of Crusaders contracted players, wider training group members, under 20s, and selected club players.[80]

Rivalries

Blues

The Crusaders oldest rivalry is with the Blues. At the start of Super Rugby the teams originally represented 'old foes' Canterbury and Auckland. The two teams have meet twice in the Grand Final, with the Crusaders winning the first meeting in 1998, 20-13. This victory denied the Blues a three-peat. However, the Blues exacted revenge in 2003, winning the rematch 21-17. However, in recent times the rivalry has cooled, with the Blues no longer threatening title challenges, as they did in their glory days.

Brumbies

In the early to mid 2000's the Crusaders and Brumbies had a rivalry like no other. In the space of five years, the Crusaders and the Brumbies contested three finals. In 2000 the Crusaders defeated the Brumbies 20-19, in 2002 the Crusaders also claimed the second meeting 31-12. However in 2004, the Brumbies would defeat the Crusaders in the final meeting 47-38 in a high scoring match. Likewise with the Blues, the rivalry has dwindled in recent times, with the Brumbies only sporadically title threats.

Chiefs

The Crusaders and Chiefs rivalry has only existed recently. In 2012 and 2013 the Chiefs defeated the Crusaders in the semi-final, 20-17 and 20-19 respectively. All matches between the two sides are characterised by high intensity matches and altercations throughout. The Chiefs have identified and recruited large amounts of talent from traditional Crusaders territory, causing more friction between the fan bases. In the 2017 semi-final, the Crusaders repaid the Chiefs in kind, defeating the Chiefs 27-13.

Highlanders

The rivalry between the Crusaders and Highlanders is primarily built around the location of the two franchises. The two teams are the only Super Rugby teams in the South Island of New Zealand. In 1999, the Highlanders hosted the Crusaders in the Grand Final. The game was promoted as "the party at Tony Brown's house" after Highlanders first five-eighth Tony Brown. The Crusaders prevailed 24-19 in a sew-sawing battle. In 2017, the Crusaders defeated the Highlanders 17-0 in the qualifier round.

Records and achievements

Honours

1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2017

2003, 2004, 2011, 2014

2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013

2011, 2014, 2017

Season standings

Super 12 Super 14 Super Rugby
Season Pos Pld W D L F A +/- BP Pts Notes
1996 12th 11218234378-144313
1997 6th 11515272235+37426
1998 1st 11803340260+80941(defeated Blues in final)
1999 1st 11713324262+62333(defeated Highlanders in final)
2000 1st 11803369293+76739(defeated Brumbies in final)
2001 10th 11407307331-24723
2002 1st 111100469264+205751(defeated Brumbies in final)
2003 2nd 11803358263+95840(lost final to Blues)
2004 2nd 11704345303+42634(lost final to Brumbies)
2005 1st 11902459281+178844(defeated Waratahs in final)
2006 1st 131111412210+202551(Defeated the Hurricanes in final)
2007 3rd 13805382235+1471042(Lost to the Bulls in semi-final)
2008 1st 131102369176+193852(defeated Waratahs in final)
2009 4th 13814231198+33741(Lost to the Bulls in semi-final)
2010 4th 13814388295+93741(Lost to the Bulls in semi-final)
2011 2nd 161114436273+163765(Lost to the Reds in final)
2012 4th 161105485343+142961(Lost to the Chiefs in semi-final)
2013 4th 161105446307+139860(Lost to the Chiefs in semi-final)
2014 2nd 161105445322+123751(Lost to the Waratahs in final)
2015 7th 16907481338+1431046
2016 7th 151104487317+170650(Lost to the Lions in quarter-final)
2017 1st 151401544303+241763(defeated Lions in final)

Individual records

Record points scorer Dan Carter preparing to kick a conversion.

Team Records

All Time Records

Playoffs

(Record updated as of 2017 final)

Players

Current squad

The squad for the 2017 Super Rugby season:[81]

Crusaders Super Rugby squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose forwards

Halfbacks (Scrum-halves)

First Five-Eighths (Fly-halves)

Midfielders (Centres)

Wings

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped.
ST denotes players not initially included in the named squad, but subsequently signed on a short-term deal.

Current internationally capped players

List of All Blacks

Due to the unparalleled success of the Crusaders throughout the history of the Super Rugby since its inaugural year in 1996, many players that have represented the Crusaders since 1996 have gone on to play international test rugby for the All Blacks

List of All Blacks that have represented the Crusaders

Official All Black Number Name
881 Richard Loe
928 Pat Lam
929 Dallas Seymour
944 Andrew Mehrtens
947 Todd Blackadder
948 Justin Marshall
950 Tabai Matson
955 Con Barrell
966 Steve Surridge
969 Mark Mayerhofler
970 Caleb Ralph
974 Scott Robertson
976 Norm Berryman
979 Pita Alatini
984 Mark Hammett
985 Daryl Gibson
986 Norm Maxwell
987 Greg Feek
988 Reuben Thorne
991 Greg Somerville
994 Ron Cribb
995 Leon MacDonald
996 Mark Robinson
1003 Chris Jack
1004 Ben Blair
1005 Dave Hewett
1008 Nathan Mauger
1013 Aaron Mauger
1014 Richie McCaw
1016 Sam Harding
1017 Sam Broomhall
1019 Andrew Hore
1022 Ali Williams
1024 Brad Mika
1034 Daniel Carter
1035 Brad Thorn
1036 Corey Flynn
1042 Mose Tuiali'i
1043 Rico Gear
1048 Casey Laulala
1056 Campbell Johnstone
1058 Kevin Senio
1067 Scott Hamilton
1068 Andy Ellis
1070 Ross Filipo
1078 Kevin O'Neill
1083 Kieran Read
1084 Ben Franks
1088 Isaac Ross
1089 Tanerau Latimer
1091 Wyatt Crockett
1093 George Whitelock
1094 Owen Franks
1096 Tom Donnelly
1097 Zac Guildford
1101 Israel Dagg
1104 Sam Whitelock
1107 Colin Slade
1108 Sonny Bill Williams
1114 Luke Romano
1123 Matt Todd
1124 Ryan Crotty
1125 Tom Taylor
1127 Dominic Bird
1129 Luke Whitelock
1134 Joe Moody
1139 Nepo Laulala
1143 Codie Taylor

Notable players

Nine players have played over 100 games for the franchise: Justin Marshall, Reuben Thorne, Caleb Ralph, Greg Somerville, Leon MacDonald, Richie McCaw, Chris Jack, Dan Carter and Andrew Ellis. Half-back Justin Marshall was the first player to achieve the feat, playing for the Crusaders between 1996 and 2005.[82] Both Thorne and Ralph achieved the 100-game mark at the same time. However, Ralph had played nine of his matches for other franchises: three for the Chiefs and six for the Blues.[83][84] Ralph achieved the "100 Crusaders games" feat later that season; remarkably, they were played consecutively.[85] Greg Somerville became the next player to contribute 100 games for the franchise, achieving this in the 2006 semi-final against the Bulls.[86] The first match of the 2008 season was Leon MacDonald's 100th game,[87] and on 11 March 2011 Chris Jack started against the Brumbies to play his 100th match for the Crusaders.[88] The Crusaders also boast three winners of the IRB International Player of the Year Award: Dan Carter (2005, 2012 and 2015), Kieran Read (2013) and Richie McCaw (2006, 2009 and 2010).[89]

1996–2005 Team of the decade

On the eve of the last Super 12 final in 2005, a panel of experts picked the Crusaders team of the decade, which was published by the Christchurch Press. The experts chosen to select the team were: Tane Norton (former All Blacks captain), Vance Stewart (first Crusaders coach), Dick Tayler (president of supporters club), Bob Schumacher (former Christchurch Press rugby writer) and Tony Smith (Christchurch Press rugby writer).[90]

The most notable omissions from the team were Dan Carter, Richard Loe, and Reuben Thorne.[90] Daniel Carter was omitted due to the strength of Andrew Mehrtens and Aaron Mauger who occupied the first and second five-eighth positions respectively, and because he was regarded as "the star of the next decade". Despite being considered one of Canterbury's best ever props, Richard Loe missed out as he was only in the team for the unsuccessful 1996 season.[90] The former All Black captain Reuben Thorne was omitted due the quality of players in the lock and blindside flanker positions. The most unlikely inclusion was for Norm Berryman at right wing.[90] Berryman was picked over Marika Vunibaka and Afato So'oalo due to his crucial tries late in the 1998 and 1999 seasons that helped the Crusaders qualify for the semi-finals.[90] The team:

Crusaders Super 12 Team of the Decade
Number Name Position
15 Leon MacDonald Fullback
14 Norm Berryman Right-wing
13 Daryl Gibson Centre
12 Aaron Mauger Second five-eighth
11 Caleb Ralph Left-wing
10 Andrew Mehrtens First five-eighth
9 Justin Marshall Half back
8 Scott Robertson Number-eight
7 Richie McCaw Openside flanker
6 Todd Blackadder (Captain) Blindside flanker
5 Norm Maxwell Lock
4 Chris Jack Lock
3 Greg Somerville Tighthead prop
2 Mark Hammett Hooker
1 Greg Feek Loosehead prop

Coaches

The Crusaders were coached in their first season by Vance Stewart, who was assisted by Aussie Mclean".[4] Stewart was replaced by Wayne Smith in 1997; McLean too was replaced, by Peter Sloane. Smith continued as coach until he was appointed All Blacks coach after the 1999 season. Robbie Deans took over the reins for the 2000 season. Deans has had several assistants: in 2000 and 2001 his assistant was Steve Hansen; in 2002, Colin Cooper; in 2003 and 2004, Don Hayes; and in 2005 and 2006, Vern Cotter.[4] Deans' assistant for the 2007 season was former Crusader Mark Hammett.[91] Deans was appointed coach of Australia in December 2007, but was allowed to continue coaching the Crusaders in the 2008 season. Former captain, Todd Blackadder was appointed his successor in July 2008, with Hammett continuing as assistant coach.[92] Hammett was appointed Hurricanes coach from the beginning of the 2011 season,[93] and consequently former prop Dave Hewett was appointed assistant forwards coach.[94] In June 2016, Scott Robertson, former Crusaders player and current head coach of the Canterbury national provincial team and the New Zealand Under 20 rugby team, was announced as the Crusaders head coach from 2017 through to 2019.[95][96]

Head coach

Assistant coaches

Notes

  1. ↑ AMI Stadium was badly damaged in the February 2011 earthquake, and whether the stadium will reopen is unclear.[1][2]
  2. ↑ The Marlborough and Nelson Bays unions have since amalgamated to form the Tasman Rugby Union.
  3. ↑ Before leaving for Scotland, Blackadder led the Canterbury NPC team to victory in the 2001 National Provincial Championship.[28]
  4. ↑ Seven points is significant because it is the value of a converted try.
  5. ↑ It was also the Crusaders' first victory over the Force – they drew in 2006.
  6. ↑ The Marlborough and Nelson Bays rugby unions had not yet merged.

References

  1. ↑ Ford, Greg (30 July 2011). "Christchurch's AMI Stadium's future in doubt". The Press. p. A1. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  2. ↑ Greenhill, Marc (1 August 2011). "Fate of AMI Stadium not yet decided". The Press. p. A3. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  3. 1 2 McIlraith (2005), pg 320.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 McIlraith (2005), pg 321.
  5. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 235.
  6. ↑ Gifford (2004), p.151
  7. ↑
  8. 1 2 McIlraith (2005), p.243
  9. 1 2 Gifford (2004), p.159
  10. ↑ Gifford (2004), pg 169.
  11. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 252.
  12. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 84.
  13. ↑ Gifford (2004), pg 171.
  14. 1 2 Gifford (2004), pg 172.
  15. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 85.
  16. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 335.
  17. ↑ Howitt (2005), pg 61
  18. 1 2 Gifford (2004), pg 174.
  19. 1 2 McIlraith (2005), pg 260.
  20. ↑ Gifford (2004), pg 175.
  21. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 106.
  22. ↑ Palenski (2003), pg 242.
  23. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 268.
  24. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 269.
  25. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 124.
  26. 1 2 Gifford (2004), pg 179.
  27. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 125.
  28. 1 2 Stuart, Lewis (27 November 2001). "Blackadder a man with a mission for Edinburgh". The Times. London.
  29. ↑ McIlraith (2006), p.164
  30. 1 2 Gifford (2004), p.189
  31. ↑ McIlraith (2006), p.165
  32. ↑ McIlraith (2005), p.288.
  33. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg. 170.
  34. 1 2 McIlraith (2005), pg. 294.
  35. 1 2 McIlraith (2005), pg. 186.
  36. ↑ McIlraith (2005), p.191
  37. 1 2 3 McIlraith (2005), p.302.
  38. ↑ McIlraith (2005), p.188
  39. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 303.
  40. ↑ McIlraith (2005), pg 305.
  41. 1 2 McIlraith (2005), pg 203.
  42. 1 2 McIlraith (2005), p.310
  43. 1 2 McIlraith (2005), p.205
  44. ↑ McIlraith (2005), p.311
  45. ↑ "The Moments that Mattered – The Building of the Crusaders' Dynasty". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2007.
  46. ↑ Vannisselroy, Brenton (24 April 2006). "Super 14 round 11 review". tvnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
  47. ↑ "2006 Super 14 Tournament". Retrieved 29 January 2007.
  48. ↑ "2006 Super 14 Table". xtramsn.co.nz. Archived from the original on 29 June 2006. Retrieved 19 January 2007.
  49. 1 2 3 "Crusaders shine through the fog to claim title". scrum.com. 27 May 2006. Archived from the original on 6 January 2007. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
  50. 1 2 "All Blacks pulled out of the Super 14". planet-rugby.com. 20 August 2006. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  51. ↑ "Henry reveals his 'World Cup team'". planet-rugby.com. 11 September 2006. Archived from the original on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2007.
  52. ↑ Leggat, David (22 September 2006). "Getting the balance in Super 14". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 24 September 2006.
  53. ↑ Vannisselroy, Brenton (20 March 2007). "Robbie Deans believes it will not be easy to introduce his All Blacks into the Crusaders for the rest of the season". Newstalk ZB.
  54. 1 2 "Crusaders crush Force 53–0 in Super 14". thewest.com.au. 7 April 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  55. ↑ "Chiefs stay alive for now". planetrugby.com. 4 May 2007. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  56. ↑ "Rugby: Sharks, Bulls snatch top two spots". herald.co.nz. 6 May 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
  57. ↑ "Bulls, Sharks set up all South African final". herald.co.nz. 13 May 2007. Retrieved 22 June 2007.
  58. ↑ Pine, Jason (19 May 2008). "Done and dusted, top 4 now". The Nelson Mail. Nelson. p. 9.
  59. ↑ "Crusaders cruise to S14 final". Northern Territory News. 25 May 2008. p. 26.
  60. ↑ "Crusaders win thrilling Super 14 final". stuff.co.nz. 31 May 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  61. ↑ "Inside the mind of Robbie Deans". The Press. Christchurch. 6 June 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  62. ↑ "2008 Super 14 awards". iafrica.com. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  63. ↑ "Blackadder appointed Crusaders coach". Radio New Zealand. 23 July 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  64. ↑ Knowler, Richard (18 March 2009). "'Tackle or die' time for Crusaders". The Press. Christchurch. p. D9.
  65. ↑ "Highlanders in Humdinger", Sunday Star-Times, Auckland, New Zealand, p. 1, 8 March 2009
  66. ↑ Knowler, Richard (19 May 2009). "Crusaders' fortitude has rescued season". The Press. Christchurch. p. D8.
  67. ↑ Knowler, Richard (25 May 2009). "Crusaders' hallowed defence springs leaks". The Press. Christchurch. pp. D8. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  68. ↑ Legge, David (1 June 2009). "Super-sized thrashing: Bulls run free to record triumph". The Sydney Morning Herald. Agence France-Presse. p. 10. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  69. ↑ Knowler, Richard (11 July 2011), "Carter rues uncharacteristic errors", The Press, Christchurch, New Zealand, p. B10
  70. 1 2 "What's in a name". crfu.co.nz. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2007.
  71. ↑ "New Zealand: Christchurch – the garden city". goway.com. Retrieved 22 September 2006.
  72. ↑ "Canterbury – New Zealand". christchurchcvb.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  73. ↑ "AMI Stadium venue overview". Vbase Ltd. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  74. 1 2 Lammers, Coen (6 October 2005). "Timaru gets Crusaders game". The Press (Christchurch). pp. D10.
  75. ↑ Knowler, Richard (14 March 2005). "Bigger is not always better". The Press (Christchurch). pp. F2.
  76. 1 2 "Melbourne switch off for double-booked Crusaders". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 5 November 2004. Archived from the original on 7 December 2004. Retrieved 26 October 2006.
  77. ↑ "Mauger slams Melbourne move". keo.co.za. 21 February 2006. Retrieved 15 October 2006.
  78. ↑ "Twickenham to host Crusaders' Super 15 game in London". BBC Sport. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  79. ↑ "Rugby: Tickets selling fast for Crusaders' London match". The New Zealand Herald. NZPA. 18 March 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  80. ↑ "Rugby: Pacific Rugby Cup to feature NZ sides". The New Zealand Herald. 28 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015.
  81. ↑ "2017 Squad Guide" (PDF) (Press release). Crusaders. 2 November 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  82. ↑ Justin Marshall at AllBlacks.com
  83. ↑ Knowler, Richard (20 February 2006). "Reubie's 100 proves thorn in Reds' side". The Press (Christchurch). pp. D1.
  84. ↑ Knowler, Richard (26 February 2006). "Ever-ready Ralph set for 100th". The Press (Christchurch). pp. D7.
  85. ↑ Knowler, Richard (21 April 2006). "Thorne fires up". The Press (Christchurch). pp. D17.
  86. ↑ "Crusaders at full tilt". sarugby.com. 18 May 2006. Archived from the original on 22 September 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2006.
  87. ↑ "Laws have little bearing as Crusaders win big". The New Zealand Herald. 15 February 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2008.
  88. ↑ "Crusaders start Jack for his 100th match". allblacks.com. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  89. ↑ "McCaw named IRB Player of the Year". International Rugby Board. 26 November 2006. Archived from the original on 2 January 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
  90. 1 2 3 4 5 "Legends of the crusade". The Press (Christchurch). 28 May 2005. pp. F8.
  91. ↑ "Super 14 assistants named". tvnz.co.nz. 22 October 2006. Retrieved 26 January 2007.
  92. ↑ "Blackadder confirmed as Crusaders coach". The New Zealand Herald. NZPA. 23 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  93. ↑ Hinton, Mark (17 February 2011). "Hurricanes won't change under Hammett". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  94. ↑ "Hewett is new Crusaders assistant coach". crusaders.co.nz. 12 August 2010. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  95. ↑ New Zealand Rugby. "Scott Robertson appointed Head Coach of BNZ Crusaders". Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  96. ↑ Crusaders. "Scott Robertson appointed Head Coach of BNZ Crusaders from 2017". Retrieved 17 June 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crusaders (rugby).
Preceded by
1997 – Blues
2001 – Brumbies
2004 – Brumbies
2007 – Bulls		 Super 12/Super 14 Champions
1998 (first title) – 1999 (second title) – 2000 (third title)
2002 (fourth title)
2005 (fifth title) – 2006 (sixth title)
2008 (seventh title) 		Succeeded by
2001 – Brumbies
2003 – Blues
2007 – Bulls
2009 – Bulls
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