Canterbury Rugby Football Union

""'Rugby team
teamname = Canterbury Rugby Union

|
nickname = "Red and Blacks" (unofficial)
founded = 1879
ground = AMI Stadium (formerly Jade Stadium; Lancaster Park)
capacity = 36,500
coach = flagicon|New Zealand Rob Penney
chairman =flagicon|New Zealand David Rhodes
league = Air New Zealand Cup
season = 2007
position = Semi-finalists
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pattern_b1=_blackhoops
pattern_ra1=_black_hoops
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shorts1=000000
socks1=000000
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pattern_b2=_thinblacksides
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The Canterbury Rugby Football Union (CRFU) is the official governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region of New Zealand, and is affiliated with the New Zealand Rugby Union. The team is based in Christchurch and plays home matches at AMI Stadium. Their historic colours are red and black, with today's jersey being mostly black with red hoops.

Canterbury in Super Rugby

Canterbury players make up the core of the Crusaders, the most successful team in the history of Super Rugby, with six overall wins in the competition's eleven seasons. Canterbury and the Crusaders also share the same home ground at AMI Stadium, and the same colours, red and black.

Ranfurly Shield

Canterbury last held the Ranfurly Shield in 2007, defeating Waikato by 33–20, only one week after Waikato took the shield from North Harbour. In their next home fixture in the Air New Zealand Cup, they successfully defended the "Log of Wood" against Hawke's Bay, winning 44–6. Their next defence was unsucessful however, losing their match in the final round of Air New Zealand Cup pool play against Auckland by 15-26.

Representative Rugby

Canterbury's senior side competes in the Air New Zealand Cup, the successor to the Premier Division of the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship (NPC). They won the NPC five times (1977, 1983, 1997, 2001, 2004). In the 2006 competition, Canterbury made their exit in the quarter finals losing 23-36 to Wellington. Wellington also ended Canterbury's season in the 2007 competition, beating them in a Semi Final match played in Christchurch, 26-21.

"Current season see" Canterbury in the 2008 Air New Zealand Cup

Jersey

The main jersey sponsor is AMI Insurance. Apparel supplied by Union Apparel. Other sponsors include:
* Scenic Circle Hotels
* Leading Edge (Telecom)
* Tui beer
* Meridian Energy

Logo

In 2006 the CRFU changed the logo that appeared on the jerseys and associated media.

Notable players

The union has produced countless players for New Zealand's storied national team, the All Blacks. This includes Andrew Mehrtens, who has the record for the most All Black Test points (967 in 70 Tests). Also of note is Justin Marshall who is the second most capped All Black of all time, with 81 Test caps. Both players now continue to play professionally in the United Kingdom. The current All Blacks backs coach is former Canterbury representative and All Black Wayne Smith.

Former

Current

*Daniel Carter
*Scott Hamilton
*Leon MacDonald
*Richie McCaw
*Greg Somerville
*Mose Tuiali'i
*Stephen Brett
*Corey Flynn
*Ben Franks
*Tim Bateman
*Wyatt Crocket
*Casey Laulala
*Andrew Ellis
*Michael Paterson
*Isaac Ross
*Paul Williams
*Tyson Keats

History

In 1879, Canterbury Rugby Football Union was the first organised Rugby Union in New Zealand. This came to be after delegates from Christchurch and surrounding areas, such as Ashburton and Timaru met in Timaru to discuss a possible union.

Later on, however, the southern areas (Timaru and Ashburton) broke away, forming their own unions (South Canterbury RFU and Ashburton County - later to be known as Mid Canterbury).

Affiliated Clubs

The following 52 clubs are affiliated to the Canterbury Rugby Football Union:
*Amberley RFC
*Ashley RFC
*Banks Peninsula RFC
*Belfast RFC
*Burnham RFC
*Burnside RFC
*Canterbury Rugby Referees
*Cheviot RFC
*Christchurch RFC
*Culverden RFC
*Darfield RFC
*Diamond Harbour RFC
*Dunsandel Irwell RFC
*Ellesmere Rugby Subunion
*Glenmark RFC
*High School Old Boys RFC
*Hoon Hay Rugby
*Hornby RFC
*Hurunui RFC
*Kaiapoi RFC
*Kirwee RFC
*Leeston RFC
*Lincoln RFC
*Linwood RFC
*Lyttelton Rugby Combined Sports Club
*Marist Albion RFC
*Merivale-Lincoln University RFC
*New Brighton RFC
*North Canterbury JAB
*Ohoka RFC
*Otautahi RFC
*Oxford RFC
*Parklands RFC
*Prebbleton RFC
*Rangiora RFC
*Rolleston RFC
*Saracens Rugby Club
*Selwyn RFC
*Sheffield RFC
*Shirley RFC
*Southbridge RFC
*Southbrook RFC
*Springston RFC
*Suburbs RFC
*Sumner RFC
*Sydenham RFC
*United RFC
*University Of Canterbury RFC
*Waiau RFC - Canterbury
*Waihora RFC
*West Melton RFC
*Woodend RFC

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.crfu.co.nz Official site]