141-567: The Canterbury Rugby Football Union (which is also referred to as Canterbury or CRFU ) is the governing body for rugby union in a portion of the Canterbury region of New Zealand. Its colours are red and black in a hooped design. The CRFU governs the running of the Canterbury representative team (which has won New Zealand's first-tier domestic competition). The National Provincial Championship , Air New Zealand Cup and ITM Cup 14 times including
282-563: A British Isles team visited Australia and New Zealand—although a private venture, it laid the foundations for future British and Irish Lions tours; and the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team brought the first overseas team to British spectators. During the early history of rugby union, a time before commercial air travel, teams from different continents rarely met. The first two notable tours both took place in 1888—the British Isles team touring New Zealand and Australia, followed by
423-604: A Cambridge Blue jersey and navy blue shorts, blue having a long sporting association with the state and a famous rivalry with the red/maroon colour of Queensland. Longtime sponsors HSBC feature on the front of the jersey. The Waratahs wore the HSBC logo for the final time when they played Argentina in August 2013. The 2014 season saw Volvo as the Waratahs new major sponsor, after a number of years being minor sponsors with 'sleeve presence' on
564-488: A haka before each match, leading Welsh Rugby Union administrator Tom Williams to suggest that Wales player Teddy Morgan lead the crowd in singing the Welsh National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau , as a response. After Morgan began singing, the crowd joined in: the first time a national anthem was sung at the start of a sporting event. In 1905 France played England in its first international match. Rugby union
705-790: A "six-peat" from 2008 to 2013 – with five in the National Provincial Championship , two in the Air New Zealand Cup , five in the ITM Cup and one in the Mitre 10 Cup . Their most recent victory was the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup . Canterbury also acts as a primary feeder to the Crusaders , who play in the Super Rugby competition. The union also administers all club rugby within the region, including senior club rugby and school rugby. Canterbury has
846-403: A 29–34 loss to Auckland but started again with a 25–47 win over Otago, They beat Hawke's Bay (49–24), Taranaki (41–7) and Counties Manukau (14–19) to finish 3rd on the table, behind Auckland and Tasman. In the semi-finals, they were hosted by second-place Tasman, winning 16–21 in the 76th minute. The game was considered a deserved, but controversially won match by Canterbury. They played Auckland in
987-457: A 51–27 victory. Canterbury hosted Auckland in the 2012 final. Canterbury beat the Auckland team 31–18. Canterbury became the first team to win five titles in a row, a feat not even Auckland managed in their golden years. Canterbury earned its tenth title. In 2013, Canterbury became the first team to win six titles in a row. Canterbury finished 2nd in the round robin behind Wellington, after posting
1128-449: A challenge, as Bay of Plenty took the shield of Auckland. In 2004, Canterbury would challenge Bay of Plenty for the shield. Canterbury won 33–26 over Bay of Plenty . Canterbury mounted 14 successful defenses until Canterbury lost to North Harbour 17–21. On 1 September, Canterbury defeated Waikato 33–20, winning back the shield. However, Canterbury had only one defense of the shield, losing to Auckland 15–26. Just under two years after losing
1269-431: A fourpeat. The 2012 season was another successful year for Canterbury. Canterbury tied with Wellington on 39 competition points but finished top of the table due to a better points differential. Canterbury faced Taranaki in the semi-final. Despite being expected to win easily, Taranaki , at full-time the score was tied at 27–27, forcing extra-time. In extra-time Canterbury's superior fitness paid dividends, running out to
1410-781: A funding agreement had been signed with the Christchurch City Council. On 14 July 2022, the Christchurch City Council voted to sign a $ 683 million contract to build Te Kaha . In July 2024, a sponsorship agreement was announced granting the telecommunications company One New Zealand naming rights to the stadium for the next 10 years. The stadium will be named One New Zealand Stadium. 1977, 1983, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 1927–28 (1), 1931–34 (15), 1935 (4), 1950 (0), 1953–56 (23), 1969–71 (9), 1972–73 (2), 1982–85 (25), 1994–95 (9), 2000–03 (23), 2004–06 (14), 2007 (1), 2009 (4), 2010–11 (2), 2016–17 (7). Auckland Canterbury's greatest rivalry
1551-477: A hand in several others, but it was also a showcase to reveal the Tahs new weapon; Israel Folau . Folau highlighted Cheika's intent scoring a hat-trick of tries in what was soon to be a season of all-out attack by the Waratahs. Not only did the Waratahs score the most points in the opening match out of any team with a 43–21 score, but they also had the second largest winning margin of 22 points. The Waratahs went on to win
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#17328582573711692-575: A history of producing All Blacks , boasting the most of any New Zealand region, with Scott Barrett becoming Canterbury's 200th All Black in 2016. The Canterbury Rugby Football Union (CRFU) was established in 1879, following a match between South Canterbury and North Canterbury in Timaru . It took place on 26 July, 1879 where delegates representing Christchurch, Christ's College, Temuka, North Canterbury (Rangiora), Eastern (Christchurch), South Canterbury (Timaru), Ashburton, and Southbridge clubs decided to form
1833-580: A limited number of games, and Cambridge and Oxford continued their annual University Match . The first officially sanctioned international rugby sevens tournament took place in 1973 at Murrayfield, one of Scotland's biggest stadiums, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union centenary celebrations. In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, and the inaugural winners were New Zealand. The first World Cup Sevens tournament
1974-415: A lineout throw is generally awarded to the opposition at the spot on the sideline where they left the field. Exceptions include a kick out "on the full" (i.e. the ball did not land in the field-of-play before going into touch) in which case the lineout would still take place on the sideline but back in line with where the ball was kicked, or when a team takes a free kick from a penalty where they would retain
2115-435: A new expansive style of rugby implemented which gave birth to exciting running rugby, bringing dwindling crowds back in force with home games averaging at around 19,152 people in attendance. The running intent of Michael Cheika was quickly revealed after the team saw two fly halves announced in the starting game against Western Force . The Waratahs opening match not only saw Kurtley Beale's return, scoring one try and having
2256-527: A parade through Sydney and a reception at Town Hall. It was also around this time that they formally adopted the Waratahs name. Matches against Queensland would soon resume also. The 1930s were a particularly successful time for NSW. The height of the success of NSW is best represented by the defeat of the South African Springboks in 1937 at the SCG. NSW Rugby Union would also perform strongly throughout
2397-530: A preferred or standard 68 metre width, this is often used unless a ground has been specifically designed to accommodate a 70-metre rugby field. 100 metres is the typical length, with a line (see below) often marked at halfway with "50" on it, representing 50 metres from each goal line. The variations have been allowed in the Laws, possibly to accommodate older grounds (perhaps even pre-metrification when yards and feet were specified) and developing nations. The field of play
2538-429: A record of 10 wins and 3 losses. Canterbury hosted Hawke's Bay, the best-attacking team in the competition. Canterbury defeated Hawke's Bay 20–3 in the semi-final. Canterbury faced Wellington again in the final. In a closely fought match, Canterbury won with a penalty in the 78th minute. Canterbury defeated Wellington 28–20. For the first time, Canterbury won titles back to back. In 2010, the Air New Zealand Cup became
2679-480: A record of 6 wins and 4 losses, allowing Canterbury to finish as the 2nd seed. Despite Taranaki having 7 wins and 3 losses, Canterbury qualified because it had more competition points, than Taranaki (31), and Canterbury (33). Canterbury had to travel to Hamilton to face Waikato in the final for the second time in two years. Canterbury defeated Waikato 12–3, with both teams only able to score through penalties. Canterbury earned its ninth title and equalled Auckland's feat of
2820-672: A record of 6 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses. Canterbury hosted Bay of Plenty in Christchurch. Canterbury defeated Bay of Plenty 44–12 in the semi-final. Wellington hosted the final against Canterbury. Canterbury defeated Wellington 40–27 in the final, with Justin Marshall scoring two tries. 2005 was the last season of the National Provincial Championship before becoming the Air New Zealand Cup. Canterbury finished 1st in
2961-470: A record of 8 wins and 2 losses. Canterbury hosted Auckland in the semi-final. In an offensive game, Canterbury beat Auckland 56–26. Canterbury faced Wellington away in the final. Canterbury defeated Wellington 29–13. Canterbury made history by winning six titles in a row. In 2014, Canterbury's streak came to an end. Canterbury posted a record of 7 wins and 3 losses, finishing 3rd in the round-robin. Canterbury had to travel to Nelson, to play Tasman. Canterbury
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#17328582573713102-514: A rugby game. The Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge matches, and a successful challenger becomes the new holder of the Shield. It was first awarded to Auckland , which had the best results in the 1903 season. In the first challenge on 6 August 1904, Wellington defeated Auckland 6–3 to lift what has become known colloquially as
3243-672: A satisfactory draw against other title contenders the Stormers . The Waratahs faced the Reds in the final round with a win securing second place, combined with a home semi-final win over the Sharks, moved them up to their first Super 14 final against the Crusaders, which they later lost 12–20. In the last two seasons of the Super14 format, the Waratahs failed to make the final on both occasions after narrowly missing
3384-491: A show of force in their performance against an in-form Brumbies team, decimating them 26-8 granting the Waratahs a home final. The final, held at Stadium Australia , was host to 61,823 spectators. With two tries a piece, six penalties each, and the Crusaders up 32–30, only one conversion made the difference. The turning point in the game was a penalty at the 79th minute by the famous New Zealand flanker, Richie McCaw 45 metres out. Bernard Foley 's penalty 45m out right in front of
3525-466: A successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points. The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years. According to World Rugby's Laws of the Game, a typical rugby ground, formally known as the "playing enclosure", is formed by two major zones: The referee (and their assistants) generally have full authority and responsibility for all players and other officials inside
3666-409: A thirteenth title. In the 2017, Mitre 10 Cup season, Canterbury finished second in the round robin after posting a record of 8 wins and 2 losses. Canterbury performed well throughout the season but was defeated heavily on two occasions. Canterbury lost 14–60 to Wellington in week 5 and 43–55 to Taranaki in week 9. Canterbury won the other 8 games by an average margin of 32 points. Canterbury also lost
3807-511: A two-year ban from the game, marring a season that had promised so much. The 2007 Super 14 season was the most disappointing for the team and its supporters with the Waratahs winning only three games, against the lions, the wooden spoon winning Reds, and the Hurricanes in the final round gaining a final placing of 13th out of 14. Despite the poor performance the 2007 season saw the emergence of teenage rugby prodigy Kurtley Beale and proved to be
3948-668: A union. It had been initially proposed that the new organization would be the New Zealand Rugby Union, but this was rejected and the Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed. Canterbury was the first provincial union within New Zealand, with the Wellington Rugby Football Union being formed later that year. By 1890 fourteen provincial unions had been founded within New Zealand. As well as being
4089-547: A vital rebuilding stage in the Waratahs super 14 championship run. The 2008 season began well for the NSW Waratahs, with solid pre-season wins and a solid opening game victory against the Hurricanes 20–3. The 'Tahs secured their 500th win since their formation in their Fourth round match against the Brumbies . After starting the season in a slow but solid manner the 'Tahs began to play their best rugby in their mid season match with
4230-534: Is Chatswood Oval in Sydney, Australia, an elliptically shaped cricket ground which is the home of Gordon rugby club, that has curved dead-ball lines to maximise the available in-goal space. Where multiple sports share a field (e.g. a rugby league and a rugby union club sharing one field), lines may be overlaid on top of each other, sometimes in different colours. However, particularly for television, rugby union line markings are generally painted white. Some exceptions include
4371-529: Is a round-robin format, with every team playing each other once and a bonus points system being used to rank the teams. The top four sides from each section go on to the quarter-finals, and the winners from these go to the semi-finals – the two winners then compete for the Cup in the final. The Bascik Transport Cup is the premier club competition of the Metropolitan sub-union. There are currently three divisions under
Canterbury Rugby Football Union - Misplaced Pages Continue
4512-489: Is awarded to the best Waratahs player at the end of each season: ( As of 5 August 2024 ) All head coaches of the New South Wales Waratahs since the Super Rugby era (1980s), listed by order of the first game in charge of the team are: Statistics in this section include only those pertaining to Super Rugby matches (1996–present). They do not include any matches prior to this period (1882–1995). Records for "in
4653-408: Is considered "out-of-bounds" for the ball and the players, normally resulting in the non-infringing team receiving possession of the ball at a restart. The perimeter area can be divided into two areas: For the purposes of determining if a ball is "out-of-bounds" (i.e. has left the playing area), the perimeter area extends indefinitely away from the playing area. When a ball or player goes into touch,
4794-445: Is divided by a solid "halfway" line, drawn perpendicular to the sidelines at their midpoint. A 0.5m line is marked perpendicular to the halfway lines at its midpoint, designating the spot where the kickoffs shall be taken. The areas between each goal line and the halfway line are known as "halves" as in other football codes. A pair of solid lines are also drawn perpendicular to the sidelines, 22 metres (formerly 25 yards) from each end of
4935-860: Is followed primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Islands - Fiji , Tonga , Samoa , Georgia , Oceania , Southern Africa , Argentina , and in recent times also, Italy , Japan , South America , the United States , Canada and Eastern Europe , its growth occurring during the expansion of the British Empire and through French proponents ( Rugby Europe ) in Europe. Countries that have adopted rugby union as their de facto national sport include Fiji , Georgia, Madagascar , New Zealand, Samoa , Tonga , and Wales . International matches have taken place since 1871 when
5076-730: Is part of the Women's Provincial Championship . The Country Cup is the premier club competition in the Canterbury Country region. The region includes clubs from the Ellesmere and North Canterbury sub-unions and the Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union . Players who compete in this tournament are eligible for selection in the Canterbury Country representative team. It is a 19-team competition with teams divided into two sections, ten teams in section 1 and nine teams in section 2. It
5217-440: Is the third and final row of the forward positions, who are often referred to as the loose forwards. The three positions in the back row are the two flankers and the number 8 . The two flanker positions, known as the blindside flanker and openside flanker, are the final row in the scrum. They are usually the most mobile forwards in the game. Their main role is to win possession through 'turn overs'. The number 8 packs down between
5358-593: Is with the 'old foe' Auckland , as both teams constantly battle for titles and have a long bitter history. Canterbury is the largest province in the South Island and Auckland is the largest province in the North Island. Games between the two have taken on the added intensity of North versus South and city versus country. Auckland dominated the New Zealand rugby landscape during the 1980s and 1990s, often at Canterbury's expense. However, in recent times Canterbury has turned
5499-402: The 1998 season the Waratahs won a best six out of 11 games, ending up in 6th position on the ladder at the end of the season, despite obvious improvements the team had still yet to make a finals appearance. The Waratahs won four fixtures the next season. They won five games in the 2000 season and the 'Tahs finished their season in 9th place. In 2001 after replicating their 2000 performance,
5640-671: The Force and Cheetahs . In the last home match of the regular season, the Waratahs hosted the Hurricanes , which they lost 14 to 29. The news that star league recruit Wendell Sailor had tested positive to an illegal substance and thus faced a career ending ban from the game was an unwelcome intrusion on the Waratahs semifinal build up. The following week, the semi-finals, they again faced the Hurricanes, though away in Wellington . The Waratahs made their exit, losing 16 to 14. Wendell Sailor later received
5781-434: The ITM Cup as ITM gained the naming rights, after becoming the principal sponsor. Canterbury tied Auckland with 45 points during the round-robin but managed to top the table after having a better points differential than Auckland. Canterbury hosted the semi-final against Wellington. In a high-scoring match, Canterbury triumphed over Wellington 57–41. Canterbury faced Waikato the 3rd seed, after Waikato upset Auckland 38–37 in
Canterbury Rugby Football Union - Misplaced Pages Continue
5922-406: The Mitre 10 Cup , as Mitre 10 became the principal sponsor, gaining the naming rights. Canterbury finished top of the table after posting a record of 8 wins and 2 losses. Canterbury hosted fourth-seed Counties Manukau in the semi-final. Canterbury defeated Counties Manukau 22–7. Canterbury then faced Tasman in the 2016 final. Canterbury defeated Tasman comfortably 43–27, going back to back and earning
6063-563: The New South Wales rugby league team against a visiting rebel New Zealand rugby team . This was essentially the birth of rugby league in Australia . During World War I , the NSW (and QLD) Rugby Unions ceased senior competition. The Queensland body however would not reform until 1929, which saw NSW have more responsibilities for Australian rugby. In 1921 the Waratahs toured New Zealand again, and out of their 10 fixtures, won nine games, including
6204-641: The Sydney Roosters . In 2009, the Waratahs signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Stadium Australia which saw them play at least one game per season at the Sydney Olympic Park stadium until 2015. As well as the SFS, the Waratahs have on occasion played fixtures at other stadiums throughout the state. During the Australian Provincial Championship , in which the Waratahs had two fixtures,
6345-922: The Top 14 in France, the Bunnings NPC in New Zealand, the League One in Japan and the Currie Cup in South Africa. Other transnational club competitions include the United Rugby Championship of club teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, European Rugby Champions Cup in Europe, and Super Rugby in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Primitive forms of football included harpastum , played by
6486-556: The split between rugby union and rugby league . Historically rugby union was an amateur sport, but in 1995 formal restrictions on payments to players were removed, making the game openly professional at the highest level for the first time. Rugby union spread from the Home Nations of the United Kingdom and Ireland , with other early exponents of the sport including Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and France . The sport
6627-456: The 1830s, "running in" with the ball in hand was allowed but subject to hacking and "collaring". Former Rugby School student Albert Pell is credited with having formed the first "football" team while a student at Cambridge University . Major private schools each used different rules during this early period, with former pupils from Rugby and Eton attempting to carry their preferred rules through to their universities. A significant event in
6768-521: The 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends. Rugby union is a popular sport around the world, played by people regardless of gender, age or size. In 2023, there were more than 10 million people playing worldwide, of whom 8.4 million were registered players. World Rugby , previously called
6909-576: The Australian conference with 13 more points than the team that came in at second place, the Brumbies , and came in as the number one team 7 points ahead of the competition. The Waratahs were in the driver's seat advancing straight through to the semi-finals; the club's 8th semi-final appearance. After the Brumbies defeated the Chiefs 32–30, the Brumbies advanced to compete against the Waratahs. The Waratahs displayed
7050-600: The Bascik transport name, as well as a fourth division, a colts, and a classics grade. All formats are similar and the trophies include the Trophy, Plate, and Bowl. Division One has twelve teams competing in the 2024 competition. Each team plays one another once in a round-robin format that lasts eleven rounds. The top side at the end of the round-robin receives the Bascik Transport Minor Premiership Cup. Following
7191-518: The Blues, scoring their first four try bonus point of the season. The Waratahs then continued on a roll finishing their home season with another impressive 4 try bonus point win against title front runners the Sharks, advancing to second place on the ladder. An average South African trip saw the team slip to third on the ladder after only notching up 3 competition points, due to a loss to the Bulls (7 or less BP) and
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#17328582573717332-670: The CRFU hosted the only game between the sides which was played at Lancaster Park. In 1904, a sub-union of the South Canterbury Rugby Union was formed around the Ashburton area – the Ashburton Country Rugby Union. In 1905 it came under the umbrella of the CRFU, but split away to become completely independent in 1927. It was renamed the Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union in 1952. The National Provincial Championship
7473-534: The Cantabs held onto the shield in 23 challenges. In 1973 Marlborough pulled off one of the greatest Ranfurly Shield upsets of all time, by defeating Canterbury 13–6 to begin the region's only shield tenure. Canterbury's greatest shield defence occurred from 1982–1985, with 25 defences. Canterbury defeated Wellington on 18 September 1982 gaining the Ranfurly Shield for the first time in nine years. Canterbury would defend
7614-466: The Canterbury representative rugby union team. Players are listed by the decade they were first selected in and players in bold are current All Blacks . This list is taken from allblacks.com Statistics. Rugby union Rugby union football , commonly known simply as rugby union or often just rugby , is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of
7755-411: The Cup competition, the teams are divided into three sections (1 VS 4 and 2 VS 3) (5 VS 8 and 6 VS 7) and (9 VS 12 and 10 VS 11), the winning teams from the top 2 matches get a week off, while the losing teams from those matches face the 2 winning teams from the 5th and 6th seed matches. The Second Division operates under a similar format to Division One, with a full round robin to determine the winner of
7896-400: The Cup, before splitting into two divisions that eventually compete for the Trophy, Plate, and Bowl. The Premier Colts operates under a double round-robin format; the winner is awarded the Cup. The teams are split into three based on their rankings following the double round robin; the top four teams compete for the Trophy in a set of play-off matches. The teams ranked fifth to eighth compete for
8037-586: The International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), has been the governing body for rugby union since 1886, and currently has 116 countries as full members and 18 associate members. In 1845, the first laws were written by pupils at Rugby School; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the decision by Blackheath F.C. to leave The Football Association in 1863 and, in 1895,
8178-506: The Laws: Generally, points where the dashed lines intersect other lines will be marked with a "T" or cross shape, although the extensions of dashed lines are generally not drawn within 5 metres of the goal lines or sidelines, to allow a clear demarcation of the field of play's boundaries. The Laws require the playing area to be rectangular in shape, however variations may be permitted with the approval of relevant unions. A notable example
8319-705: The Log o' Wood. Canterbury has a proud history associated with the Ranfurly Shield . Canterbury has 15 Ranfurly Shield wins and 136 defenses, second only to Auckland . Canterbury's first bid for the trophy in its second game in 1904, and challenged for the shield on 11 occasions before it was finally successful for the first time when beating Manawhenua (an amalgamation of the modern-day Manawatu and Horowhenua Kapiti provincial unions) 17–6 at Palmerston North. Canterbury's first shield tenure of any length began in 1931 and ended in 1934 after 15 successful defenses. Between 1953 and 1956
8460-585: The NRC season, many of these players are retained in the Gen Blue (NSW A) team, which is the Waratahs elite development squad just below full-time professional level. The Sydney Rays and NSW Country Eagles also field Under 19 teams. The Gen Blue team plays matches against interstate and international representative teams, and has also competed in tournaments such as the Pacific Rugby Cup . Known by various names over
8601-479: The NZRU, and the provinces' representative sides did not meet in 1893. As well as this, players from Canterbury were not eligible for selection in the 1893 New Zealand team that toured Australia. The CRFU eventually relented, and in 1894 joined the NZRU; both Otago and Southland joined the following year. When New South Wales toured New Zealand in 1894, Canterbury players were now eligible for selection for New Zealand, and
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#17328582573718742-801: The New Zealand team touring Europe. Traditionally the most prestigious tours were the Southern Hemisphere countries of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa making a tour of a Northern Hemisphere, and the return tours made by a joint British and Irish team. Tours would last for months, due to long traveling times and the number of games undertaken; the 1888 New Zealand team began their tour in Hawkes Bay in June and did not complete their schedule until August 1889, having played 107 rugby matches. Touring international sides would play Test matches against international opponents, including national, club and county sides in
8883-452: The Plate. The Canterbury Union consists of 48 clubs, the most of any other New Zealand Union, split into three sub-unions, Ellesmere, North Canterbury, and Metropolitan. Ellesmere: There are 16 clubs in the Ellesmere Sub-Union. North Canterbury: There are 14 clubs in the North Canterbury Sub-Union. Metropolitan: There are 18 clubs in the Metropolitan Sub-Union. This is a list of players who have represented New Zealand from
9024-522: The Ranfurly Shield in the process. Canterbury would defend the shield on 7 occasions before losing to Taranaki 43–55. Canterbury's main home ground was the 36,000-capacity AMI Stadium in Christchurch, formally known as Lancaster Park . However, they stopped playing there after the 2010 season due to damage inflicted by the February Christchurch earthquake . With AMI Stadium damaged, Canterbury adopted Rugby League Park (currently known as Apollo Projects Stadium) in Addington as their home ground. The facility
9165-406: The Ranfurly Shield to Taranaki. Canterbury Captain Tim Bateman stated after the game only winning the competition would help alleviate the loss of the shield. Canterbury hosted a resurgent North Harbor for the first semi-final. North Harbor had won promotion from the Championship the year earlier. Canterbury defeated North Harbor 35–24, advancing to the final. Tasman upset the table-topping Taranaki in
9306-423: The Romans, where two opposing teams competed to throw a large ball into an opposition net, fighting for possession of the ball. Medieval Irishmen played caid , carrying an inflated bladder and using arched trees as goals. The Welsh played an inter-parish game using a wooden ball called cnapan . Frenchmen played soule and Georgians played lelo. "Football" as a game was well established by 1803 at Rugby School and by
9447-449: The SRU had over 100 clubs in its governance in the metropolitan area. In 1882 the first New South Wales team was selected to play Queensland in a two-match series. NSW would go on to win both the games. That same year the first NSW touring squad was selected to go and play in New Zealand. In 1907, several of the New South Wales rugby union team's players defected. They included the "superstar", Dally Messenger . These players joined
9588-418: The Test. The most famous Waratah team was the 1927/28 Waratahs who toured the United Kingdom, France and North America, introducing a style of open, running rugby never seen before, but which has been the stamp of the Australian game ever since. They won 24 and drew two of their 31 official matches. Seven members of this 1927/8 side were from the Drummoyne Rugby Club . Upon returning home, were greeted with
9729-514: The Trans-Tasman Trophy. These colts teams were consolidated as under 20s ahead of the inaugural World Rugby U20 Championship . In 2018, an under 19 age limit was reinstated for the national colts team competition. Note: Byes (worth 4 points) were added to the competition between 2011 and 2013 The squad for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season is: Props Hookers Locks Loose forwards Scrum-halves Fly-halves Centres Outside backs The Matthew Burke Cup
9870-423: The Wallabies (Australia's national team) who often have yellow markings. Local clubs may use black, yellow, or other colours on grass, with other surfaces possibly requiring different marking techniques. Unlike association football, where on-field advertising is strictly forbidden in the laws, World Rugby allows sponsors logos to be painted on the playing surface. This is another way in which clubs can make money in
10011-401: The Waratahs failed to make the finals for a second consecutive season finishing 9th overall. The 2014 season of the super rugby competition was undoubtedly the Waratahs greatest season so far. The Waratahs not only overcame the Curse of the Tahs, a commonly held superstition, but they were also able to post the greatest super rugby season yet. The second season under coach Michael Cheika saw
10152-417: The Waratahs were still out of reach of finals contention, in 8th position. 2002 was a record breaking season for the Waratahs, as the team won eight out of their 11-season games and finished in second place behind the Crusaders – making the semis. However, in the final game of the regular season the Waratahs lost 96–19 (a Super Rugby record). They were defeated by their Australian rivals the Brumbies, 51–10, in
10293-456: The Waratahs' first ever semi-final. The combined score over the two weeks was Brumbies/Crusaders 147 v. Waratahs 29. In the 2003 season the Waratahs missed a place in the finals, finishing in 6th position on the ladder at the end of the regular season. In 2004 the Waratahs made a promising start to their season with three straight wins. The team finished 8th on the Super 12 table, six points out of
10434-458: The anniversary celebrations, a match was played at the SCG on 18 May against the All Blacks , though the Waratahs lost nil to 20. In their inaugural Super 12 season of 1996 , the Waratahs won just under half of their games, finishing mid table, with the two other Australian teams finishing above them. The following season of 1997 saw the Waratahs end in a 9th place, winning four fixtures. In
10575-431: The backs and the forwards is that the backs are expected to have superior kicking and ball-handling skills, especially the fly-half, scrum-half, and full-back. The half-backs consist of two positions, the scrum-half and the fly-half , also known in the Southern Hemisphere as half-back and first five-eighth respectively. The fly-half is crucial to a team's game plan, orchestrating the team's performance. They are usually
10716-422: The ball is kicked into touch by a player who had at least one foot on or behind their own 22-metre line, the line-out formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line instead of being taken in line with the spot from where it was kicked. Additional broken or dashed lines (of 5 metre dash lengths, according to the Laws ) are drawn in each half or on each side of, the field, each with specific purposes under
10857-417: The ball. Forwards play a vital role in tackling and rucking opposing players. Players in these positions are generally bigger and stronger and take part in the scrum and line-out. The forwards are often collectively referred to as the 'pack', especially when in the scrum formation. The front row consists of three players: two props (the loosehead prop and the tighthead prop) and the hooker . The role of
10998-578: The case of Northern Hemisphere rugby, or provincial/state sides in the case of Southern Hemisphere rugby. Between 1905 and 1908, all three major Southern Hemisphere rugby countries sent their first touring teams to the Northern Hemisphere: New Zealand in 1905, followed by South Africa in 1906 and Australia in 1908. All three teams brought new styles of play, fitness levels and tactics, and were far more successful than critics had expected. The New Zealand 1905 touring team performed
11139-570: The clubs that had favoured the Rugby Rules formed the Rugby Football Union in 1871, and their code became known as " rugby football ". In 1895, there was a major schism within rugby football in England in which numerous clubs from Northern England resigned from the RFU over the issue of reimbursing players for time lost from their workplaces. The split highlighted the social and class divisions in
11280-489: The early development of rugby football was the production of a written set of rules at Rugby School in 1845, followed by the Cambridge Rules that were drawn up in 1848. Formed in 1863, the national governing body The Football Association (FA) began codifying a set of universal football rules. These new rules specifically banned players from running with the ball in hand and also disallowed hacking (kicking players in
11421-480: The field are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league ) and seven backs . There are typically significantly more forwards on the bench than backs with, for example, South Africa having a 7-1 split in favour of forwards in their August 2023 match against New Zealand in Twickenham. A 6-2 or 5-3 split is more common. The main responsibilities of the forward players are to gain and retain possession of
11562-401: The field of play and called the 22-metre lines, or "22"s. An area at each end, also known as the "22", is bounded by, but does not include, the sidelines, goal line and 22-metre line. In this area, a defensive player who cleanly catches a ball kicked by the other team, without the ball having already touched the ground after the kick, is entitled to claim a free kick, or " mark ". Additionally, if
11703-473: The field to accommodate fitter and faster (or heavier) players. Fixed cameras on tripods and advertising hoardings are often the main culprits for injuring players in the perimeter area. New South Wales Waratahs The New South Wales Waratahs ( / ˈ w ɒr ə t ɑː z / or / ˌ w ɒr ə ˈ t ɑː z / ;), referred to as the Waratahs , are an Australian professional rugby union team representing
11844-488: The final, away again. Despite looking to go for an easy win, they were held in the second half, the match ending 26–26. The match went into extra time, where they lost 40–33, ending their perfect finals attendance. The Ranfurly Shield was donated by the Uchter Knox, 5th Earl of Ranfurly , the governor of New Zealand (1897–1904). The shield had been designed as a trophy for football (not rugby) and had to be modified to depict
11985-468: The final. In 1998, Canterbury finished 3rd in the round robin, with a record of 6 wins and 4 losses. Canterbury traveled to Hamilton to play Waikato in the semi-final. Canterbury lost 13–32 to Waikato in the semi-final. The 1999 season saw Canterbury missing the playoffs, finishing 5th. Canterbury had a record of 5 wins and 4 losses. In 2000, Canterbury finished 1st in the round robin with a record of 8 wins and 1 loss. Canterbury defeated Taranaki 31–23 in
12126-465: The finals (on points difference) in 2009 and qualifying for the semi-final in 2010 . They finished 5th and 3rd in respective years, losing to the Stormers in the semi-final of the 2010 season. In the 2011 season, the Waratahs again failed to reach the final. On this occasion, their season ended when they were eliminated by the Blues in the qualifying final after finishing 5th in the overall standings in
12267-452: The finals. That year coach Ewen McKenzie re-introduced the end of season tour, taking place in Argentina that year. In 2005 , they had their best regular season, finishing second in the table, before losing to the Crusaders in the 2005 Super 12 Final . The Waratahs finished 3rd on the regular season table for the 2006 Super 14 season , in which two new teams entered the expanding tournament,
12408-511: The first game was played between Scotland and England at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. The Rugby World Cup , first held in 1987, is held every four years. The Six Nations Championship in Europe and The Rugby Championship in the Southern Hemisphere are other important international competitions that are held annually. National club and provincial competitions include the Premiership in England,
12549-425: The first to receive the ball from the scrum-half following a breakdown, lineout, or scrum, and need to be decisive with what actions to take and be effective at communicating with the outside backs. Many fly-halves are also their team's goal kickers. The scrum-half is the link between the forwards and the backs. They receive the ball from the lineout and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to
12690-537: The fly-half. They also feed the scrum and sometimes have to act as a fourth loose forward. There are four three quarter positions: two centres (inside and outside) and two wings (left and right). In the Southern Hemisphere, the inside centre is commonly referred to as the second five-eighth, while the outside centre is simply known as the centre. The centres will attempt to tackle attacking players; whilst in attack, they should employ speed and strength to breach opposition defences. The wings are generally positioned on
12831-460: The following decades as well, which included the emergence of footballers such as Trevor Allan, David Brockhoff, Tony Miller, Nick Shehadie, Eddie Stapleton, Ken Catchpole , John Thornett , Peter Crittle and Ron Graham . In 1963, the Sydney Rugby Union was established for the growth of the game in the city area. The NSW Rugby Union would celebrate its 100th anniversary in 1974. As part of
12972-582: The formation of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (later shortened to New Zealand Rugby Union, or NZRU) in 1892. The CRFU had originally voted to join the NZRU in 1891, but when the time came to ratify the agreement in 1892, they resisted following reluctance from their members. Along with the Otago and Southland provinces, the CRFU objected to the requirement that NZRU executive committee members reside in Wellington . South Canterbury had joined
13113-511: The game as it should be played Famous when we run the ball We can scrum and ruck and maul Playing the game as it should be played We are the mighty men in blue We will take the game to you We play the game as it should be played We've got talent We've got heart We will tear your team apart Playing the game as it should be played Waratahs, Waratahs We play the game as it should be played We've got talent We've got heart We will tear your team apart Playing
13254-465: The game as it should be played" The New South Wales Waratahs own and manages two National Rugby Championship teams, the Sydney Rays and NSW Country Eagles . These NRC teams draw on a range of players ranging from full-time professionals to those on incentive contracts. These teams are closely aligned with the Waratahs and are based at Moore Park , the training venue used by the Waratahs. Outside of
13395-694: The games were taken to the Central Coast Stadium in Gosford , and the other to Bathurst . The Waratahs also played trial matches at Campbelltown Stadium in 2008 and 2015. During the 2018 Super Rugby season , the Waratahs played one home game at Brookvale Oval and one at the Sydney Cricket Ground . With the SFS closed for demolition and rebuilding as the Sydney Football Stadium (2022) from 2019 to 2022 home games were split between
13536-414: The goal lines, equivalent to American football's "end zones". The in-goal areas must be between 6 and 22 metres (6.6 and 24.1 yards) deep and cover the full width of the field. A ball grounded in this area by an attacking player will generally result in a try being awarded, unless there has been a previous infringement, or the player has gone out-of-bounds whilst in possession of the ball. The perimeter area
13677-536: The majority of New South Wales in the Super Rugby competition. The Riverina and other southern parts of the state, are represented by the Brumbies , who are based in Canberra , Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The Waratahs play their home games at the new Allianz Stadium in Sydney . The NSWRU (or then, The Southern RU – SRU) was established in 1874, and the very first club competition took place that year. By 1880
13818-414: The most important attributes of a good full-back are dependable catching skills and a good kicking game. Rugby union is played between two teams – the one that scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try , scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area (between the goal line and the dead-ball line), is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points;
13959-511: The new CommBank Stadium , the Sydney Cricket Ground , Brookvale Oval and even outside of Sydney at Hunter Stadium in Newcastle . At the end of every winning game, the Waratahs sing the following song: "We are the mighty Waratahs Rough and tumble rugby stars We play the game as it should be played Famous when we run the ball We can scrum and ruck and maul Playing the game as it should be played Waratahs, Waratahs We play
14100-554: The oldest union in New Zealand, the CRFU was founded before one of the Home Unions , the Welsh Rugby Union , was founded in 1881. A Canterbury representative side had played before the formation of the CRFU, but the first provincial game in New Zealand played under the authority of provincial unions took place on 27 August 1881. Canterbury hosted an Otago side that triumphed by a try-to nil. The first rugby match at Lancaster Park
14241-446: The other semi-final 30–29. As a result, the final would be hosted in Christchurch between Canterbury and Tasman. Canterbury defeated Tasman 35–13, sealing the match with a try in the 77th minute. Canterbury won its fourteenth title overall and ninth title in ten years. In 2018, they opened with a 25–17 loss to Tasman, beat Wellington (27–20), Bay of Plenty (19–31), Manawatu (34–23), and North Harbour (21–31). But it all came to an end with
14382-471: The other semi-final. Canterbury defeated Waikato in the final 33–13. Canterbury earned its first ITM Cup title and eighth title overall. Canterbury achieved its first three-peat, only the second province (Auckland) to accomplish this. Due to the 2011 Rugby World Cup, there would be no semi-finals to allow more time for the World Cup. As a result, only the top two sides would qualify for a final. Canterbury posted
14523-414: The outside of the backline. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wings are usually the fastest players in the team and are elusive runners who use their speed to avoid tackles. The full-back is normally positioned several metres behind the back line. They often field opposition kicks and are usually the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. Two of
14664-440: The playing area and perimeter area, although depending on how large the perimeter is, other surfaces such as dirt, artificial turf, etc. may be used outside of a "sliding" perimeter from the bounds of the playing area. For the most part, the "playing area" is where the majority of play occurs. The ball is generally considered live whilst in this area, so long as players do not infringe, with special rules applied to specific zones of
14805-442: The playing area. The playing area consists of: A typical "field of play" is generally 100 metres long by 68–70 metres wide for senior rugby, depending on the specific requirements of each ground. The Laws require the field of play to be between 94 and 100 metres (103 and 109 yards) long, with a width of between 68 and 70 metres (74 and 77 yards). As other football codes, such as association football and rugby league, have specified
14946-432: The playing enclosure. Fences or ropes (particularly at amateur clubs) are generally used to mark the extent of this area, although in modern stadia this may include the entire arena floor or other designated space. The Laws, above all, require that the playing enclosure's surface be safe, whilst also permitting grass, sand, clay, snow or conforming artificial turf to be used; the surface would generally be uniform across both
15087-502: The playoffs. In 1994, Canterbury placed 3rd during the regular season. Canterbury traveled to North Harbour for the semi-final. Canterbury lost 27–59 to North Harbour. In 1995, Canterbury missed the playoffs again. Canterbury began to see the development of important players such as Andrew Mehrtens , Todd Blackadder , and Reuben Thorne . Despite losing three of the first four games Canterbury rebounded to finish 3rd in 1996. However, Canterbury went on to lose away to Counties Manukau 33–46 in
15228-651: The post gave the Waratahs' a lead 33–32. The Waratahs had finally won a Super Rugby Championship. The "Waratahs" name has historically been the name for the New South Wales Rugby Union (NSWRU) representative team, and became the name for the New South Wales team when it entered the Super Six , Super 10 and Super 12 competitions. The name and emblem comes from the waratah , the state flower for New South Wales. The New South Wales Waratahs commonly play in
15369-699: The pre-1995 period of rugby union was marked by frequent accusations of " shamateurism ", including an investigation in Britain by a House of Commons Select committee in early 1995. Following the introduction of professionalism trans-national club competitions were started, with the Heineken Cup in the Northern Hemisphere and Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere. The Tri Nations , an annual international tournament involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, kicked off in 1996. In 2012 , this competition
15510-609: The previous jersey. An alternative white strip is also used. In pre-season of 2006, the Waratahs donned a New Jersey scheme in a trial game against the Crusaders . This system saw traditional rugby playing numbers on the back of jerseys replaced with the initials of the player. The current jersey is made by ISC and is Cambridge blue with navy side panels, collar and cuffs, with the alternate strip being white with five Cambridge blue hoops, collar and cuffs. Until 1885, New South Wales wore 'heather green' strips. From 1891 to 1897, New South Wales played in scarlet jerseys. The following season,
15651-415: The professional era and is also often used by host nations, professional leagues and tournaments as additional revenue streams, particularly when games are broadcast. In recent years, augmented reality technology has been used to replace painting to protect the surface or save costs on painting fields, producing a similar effect for broadcast albeit sometimes with poorer results. The in-goal areas sit behind
15792-434: The quarter-final. Canterbury beat Tasman 48–10. In the semi-final Canterbury hosted Hawke's Bay , defeating Hawke's Bay 31–21. For the final Canterbury travelled to Wellington to face the top seed Wellington . In a low-scoring final, Canterbury won 7–6, earning its first Air New Zealand Cup title and sixth title overall. The 2009 season continued Canterbury's success, in the round robin Canterbury finished 1st after posting
15933-412: The revamped competition. The following two seasons were very bleak by comparison. Coach Chris Hickey parted ways with the club at the end of the season with Michael Foley taking over the reins for 2012. The Waratahs finished well outside finals contention in 2012 in 11th place. This brought about another change in the coaching department with Michael Cheika for 2013 . His impact was not immediate as
16074-425: The right to throw-in. The perimeter area should be clear and free of obstructions and heavy, solid objects which could pose a danger to players for at least 5 metres from the playing area, according to the Laws. Players often leave the playing area whether accidentally or due to being forced off of the field, sometimes sliding or needing to slow down from a sprint. Many venues at elite levels leave larger spaces around
16215-546: The round robin, posting a record of 7 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. Canterbury hosted Otago in the semi-final, in the Battle of the South Island. Otago beat Canterbury 22–37, ending Canterbury's season. In 2006 the National Provincial Championship became the Air New Zealand Cup , as Air New Zealand airline company became the principal sponsor of the tournament and earned naming rights. During the Air New Zealand Cup era, unexpected Canterbury dominance would begin to emerge. The 2006 season
16356-449: The semi-final. Canterbury lost the final to Wellington 29–34 in Christchurch. In 2001, Canterbury won their fourth title. Canterbury posted a record of 9 wins and 1 loss, finishing 1st in the round-robin. Canterbury defeated Auckland in the semi-final 53–22. Canterbury hosted Otago in the final, defeating Otago 30–19. In 2002, Canterbury finished 2nd in the round robin, with a record of 7 wins and 2 losses. Canterbury hosted Auckland in
16497-401: The semi-final. However, Auckland beat Canterbury 23–29 in the semi-final. In the 2003 season, Canterbury did not qualify for the playoffs, posting a record of 5 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses. The 2003 season is currently the last time Canterbury has missed the playoffs. In 2004, Canterbury won its fifth title, defeating Wellington in the final. Canterbury finished 2nd in the round-robin after posting
16638-412: The semi-final. In the 1997 season, Canterbury broke their championship drought, winning their third title. Canterbury posted a record of 8 wins and 2 losses, enough to finish 2nd in the round-robin. Canterbury defeated Auckland 21–15 in the semi-final. Canterbury also hosted the final owing to Counties Manukau, upsetting Waikato 43–40 in the other semi-final. Canterbury defeated Counties Manukau 44–13 in
16779-409: The shield and for their passionate ownership of the shield. Canterbury would only defend the shield twice before losing to Southland again, 19–22 returning the shield to the south. In 2016, Canterbury would challenge Waikato for the shield in round 7. The two teams were locked up at 23–23 with only 10 minutes remaining. However, Jordie Barrett kicked two penalties to seal a Canterbury win 29–23, gaining
16920-440: The shield for a then-record number of 25 times before Auckland would challenge on 14 September 1985. In front of 52,000 fans Auckland started strongly, jumping out to a 24–0 half-time lead. However, Alex Wyllie 's Canterbury came back at the last minute when a Robbie Deans kick bounded over the deadball line. Having held on to win 28–23, Auckland set about creating a new benchmark of 61 consecutive defenses. Canterbury reclaimed
17061-466: The shield in 1994, defeating Waikato 29–26. Canterbury would have nine successful defenses, before losing the shield to Auckland in 1995. Auckland would shut out Canterbury 35–0. In 2000, Canterbury challenged Waikato, who had successfully defended the shield 21 times. Canterbury defeated Waikato 26–18, winning the shield for the tenth time. Canterbury successfully defended the shield 23 times before losing to Auckland 40–31. However, next year Canterbury got
17202-434: The shield to Auckland , Canterbury regained it, beating Wellington 36–14. Canterbury again were host to a mighty upset as Southland regained the Shield for the fifth time in their history after a 50-year hiatus stretching back to 1959, with Southland winning 3–9. Canterbury got revenge on Southland prevailing in a sold-out game 26–15 in round 11 of the 2010 ITM Cup. Southland received much praise for breathing life back into
17343-574: The shins), both of which were legal and common tactics under the Rugby School's rules of the sport. In protest at the imposition of the new rules, the Blackheath Club left the FA followed by several other clubs that also favoured the "Rugby Rules". Although these clubs decided to ban hacking soon afterwards, the split was permanent, and the FA's codified rules became known as " association football " whilst
17484-427: The sport in England. Although the rules of the game were not a factor in the split, the breakaway teams subsequently adopted some rule changes and this became the separate code of " rugby league ". The RFU's code thereafter took on the name "rugby union" to differentiate it from rugby league, but both versions of the sport are known simply as "rugby" throughout most of the world. The first rugby football international
17625-489: The table, defeating Auckland in two finals in the past five years. Canterbury has even begun to challenge Auckland's status as New Zealand's most successful province. Canterbury's 14 titles, 15 Ranfurly Shields wins with 139 defenses, is closing on Auckland 's 17 titles, 16 Ranfurly Shields wins with 148 defenses. In addition to the Men's 1st XV, the CRFU has several other representative teams for both Men and Women. Their Women's team
17766-432: The tallest players in the team and specialise as line-out jumpers. The main role of the lock in line-outs is to make a standing jump, often supported by the other forwards, to either collect the thrown ball or ensure the ball comes down on their side. Locks also have an important role in the scrum, binding directly behind the three front row players and providing forward drive. The back row, not to be confused with 'Backs',
17907-407: The team adopted Cambridge blue jerseys. The light blue jersey and navy blue pants were established in 1897 and have been in effect ever since. In Super Rugby the Waratahs have featured the following sponsors: Until 2019, the Waratahs played at the old Sydney Football Stadium (SFS) in Sydney's Moore Park . The capacity for the stadium was 45,500. The Waratahs shared the ground with Sydney FC and
18048-414: The title again until 1997. All Black-laden Auckland teams constantly proved superior to Canterbury, claiming 10 titles from 1984 to 1996. The 1984 and 1989 Canterbury teams had a record of 8 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, and finished second to Auckland . In 1992, the National Provincial Championship established playoffs, with the top four sides playing in a knockout format. In 1992 and 1993 Canterbury missed
18189-424: The two locks at the back of the scrum. The role of the number 8 in the scrum is to control the ball after it has been heeled back from the front of the pack, and the position provides a link between the forwards and backs during attacking phases. The role of the backs is to create and convert point-scoring opportunities. They are generally smaller, faster and more agile than the forwards. Another distinction between
18330-453: The two props is to support the hooker during scrums, to provide support for the jumpers during line-outs and to provide strength and power in rucks and mauls. The third position in the front row is the hooker. The hooker is a key position in attacking and defensive play and is responsible for winning the ball in the scrum. Hookers normally throw the ball in at line-outs. The second row consists of two locks or lock forwards. Locks are usually
18471-413: The union. The impetus to form the CRFU was mainly provided by Montague Lewin, who had emigrated from England to Christchurch in 1873, and lobbied for local football clubs to adopt the rules of England's Rugby Football Union . He succeeded in getting Canterbury clubs to adopt the rugby rules in 1876, but a visit by an Australian Victorian Rules football team in 1879 prompted him to push for the formation of
18612-557: The years including NSW A, Waratahs A, Gen Blue, and Junior Waratahs, the team is selected from the best emerging rugby talent in New South Wales. The squad is composed of Waratahs contracted players, extended training squad members, New South Wales Under 19s, and selected Shute Shield club players. Two New South Wales teams, Sydney Rays U19 and NSW Country Eagles U19, play in the national URC competition. Prior to 2008, state colts teams at under 21 and under 19 age levels were fielded in national tournaments and competitions such as
18753-401: Was beaten by Tasman 6–26. In the 2015 season, Canterbury won its twelfth title. Canterbury finished top of the table, recording 9 wins and 1 loss. Canterbury faced Taranaki in the semi-final. Canterbury defeated Taranaki in a dominant display 46–20. Canterbury hosted old foes Auckland in the final. In a closely fought match, Canterbury prevailed 25–23. In 2016, the ITM Cup was renamed to
18894-463: Was extended to include Argentina , a country whose impressive performances in international games (especially finishing in third place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup) was deemed to merit inclusion in the competition. As a result of the expansion to four teams, the tournament was renamed The Rugby Championship. Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field and typically seven or eight substitutes but this varies at amateur level. The 15 players on
19035-522: Was founded in 1976, becoming the premier national rugby competition. The NPC did not have playoffs, with the Championship awarded to the team with the best record. Canterbury had immediate success in the competition, going undefeated in 1977 to win the title. Canterbury had mixed results for the next five years, finishing between 2nd and 9th during this period. In 1983 Canterbury won their second title, once again going undefeated. Canterbury teams did not win
19176-629: Was held at Murrayfield in 1993. Rugby Sevens was introduced into the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and was added to the Olympic Games of 2016. Both men and women's Sevens took place at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Rugby union was an amateur sport until the IRB declared the game "open" in August 1995 (shortly after the completion of the 1995 World Cup), removing restrictions on payments to players. However,
19317-576: Was included as an event in the Olympic Games four times during the early 20th century. No international rugby games and union-sponsored club matches were played during the First World War, but competitions continued through service teams such as the New Zealand Army team . During the Second World War no international matches were played by most countries, though Italy, Germany and Romania played
19458-673: Was not very successful for Canterbury. Canterbury posted a record of 6 wins and 3 losses, placing Canterbury 5th in the Top Six division. Canterbury would have to travel to Wellington for the quarter-final. Wellington defeated Canterbury 23–36 in the quarter-final. In 2007, Canterbury finished 2nd in the round robin, behind the undefeated Auckland. Canterbury hosted Wellington in the semi-final. However, Wellington closely defeats Canterbury 21–26. The 2008 season would begin Canterbury's unprecedented dynasty. Canterbury recorded 9 wins and 1 loss, to finish 2nd behind Wellington. Canterbury hosted Tasman in
19599-629: Was played on 27 March 1871 between Scotland and England in Edinburgh . Scotland won the game by one goal and one try to one goal. By 1881 both Ireland and Wales had representative teams and in 1883 the first international competition, the Home Nations Championship had begun. 1883 is also the year of the first rugby sevens tournament, the Melrose Sevens , which is still held annually. Two important overseas tours took place in 1888:
19740-534: Was played the following year, a ground that would be the home of Canterbury rugby until the 2011 Christchurch earthquake . Despite being instrumental in forming the CRFU, in 1888 the South Canterbury clubs broke off to form the South Canterbury Rugby Union – this comprised Timaru, Fairlie Creek, Geraldine, Temuka, Waimate, Winchester, and Timaru Pirate clubs. This occurred only a few years before
19881-477: Was upgraded bringing it to an 18,600 capacity and its facilities to the minimum standards required for the Mitre 10 competition. Christchurch is hopeful a new roofed multi-use arena will be constructed by 2022 with a capacity of 25,000, providing a world-class venue for sports and entertainment events including Crusaders, All Blacks, and Canterbury games. On 5 October 2020, NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that
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