Crusaders (rugby union)

"Canterbury Crusaders" redirects here. For the speedway team, see Canterbury Crusaders (speedway).
For the Welsh rugby league team, see Crusaders Rugby League.

Crusaders
UnionNew Zealand Rugby Union
Founded1996; 28 years ago (1996)
LocationChristchurch, New Zealand
RegionBuller
Canterbury
Mid-Canterbury
South Canterbury
Tasman
West Coast
Ground(s)Apollo Projects Stadium
(Capacity: 18,600)
Coach(es)Rob Penney
Captain(s)TBA
Most capsWyatt Crockett (202)
Top scorerDan Carter (1,708)
League(s)Super Rugby Pacific
20249th Overall
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
crusaders.co.nz

The Crusaders (Māori: Whatumoana;[1] formerly Canterbury Crusaders) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch, who compete in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in the competition's history and have won a total of 14 titles (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023, as well as two regionalised Super Rugby titles in 2020 and 2021).

Formed in 1996 to represent the upper South Island of New Zealand in the Super 12, the Crusaders represent the Buller, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury, Tasman and West Coast provincial Rugby Unions. Their main home ground since 2012 is Rugby League Park (known for sponsorship reasons as Apollo Projects Stadium).[2] They formerly played out of Jade Stadium prior to it being damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.[3][4]

The Crusaders struggled in the first season of the Super 12, 1996, finishing last. Their performance improved in 1997 and the team finished sixth (out of twelve teams). The team went on to win 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. Their eighth championship came in 2017 against the Lions. The Crusaders hosted the Lions in the 2018 final and won 37–18, securing their ninth title. The Crusaders won their tenth Super Rugby title at home against the Jaguares in 2019. The Crusaders won their 11th and 12th title in both editions of Super Rugby Aotearoa in 2020 and 2021. They won their 13th title (their 11th full Super Rugby title), by winning the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific final in 2022 against the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland. The Crusaders won their 12th (14th overall) Super Rugby title after beating the Chiefs 25–20 in the 2023 final in Hamilton.

The Crusaders have been led by only three CEOs throughout their 28-year history; former New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Tew, Hamish Riach[5] and incumbent Colin Mansbridge.[6]

  1. ^ "Whatumoana - te Aka Māori Dictionary".
  2. ^ "Christchurch Stadium soon to be known as Orangetheory Stadium". Stuff. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  3. ^ Ford, Greg (30 July 2011). "Christchurch's AMI Stadium's future in doubt". The Press. p. A1. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  4. ^ Greenhill, Marc (1 August 2011). "Fate of AMI Stadium not yet decided". The Press. p. A3. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Wellington Phoenix's Nathan Godfrey joins Canterbury Rugby as new CEO". Stuff. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Crusaders appoint Colin Mansbridge as new CEO". Stuff. 14 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2020.