The game of rugby holds a special place in the life and culture of New Zealand. The game has been played on the island nation since the 19th century. It has an especially long history in the Canterbury region, home of one of the oldest rugby unions in New Zealand. Since its beginnings in the 19th century, Canterbury has made important contributions to rugby, including producing some of the nation's top talent. Canterbury is a province located on New Zealand's southern island. Christchurch is the province's major city.
History
The New Zealand History online website reports that people played the earliest forms of football in Christchurch in 1854 and that Christ's College began playing an early version of rugby in the 1860s. In 1879, a group of delegates formed the Canterbury Rugby Union, which consisted of eight clubs. Along with Wellington, Canterbury is the oldest rugby union in the country, the website states. Although Canterbury initially resisted attempts by outside provinces to govern their game, Canterbury affiliated with the New Zealand Rugby Football Union in 1894.
Size
With 47 clubs, Canterbury is the largest rugby union in New Zealand. The rugby union's top representative team, Canterbury, is a frequent top contender for the Ranfurly Shield, the trophy in a tournament pitting teams from across New Zealand's provinces. The Canterbury Rugby Union website states that Canterbury has won the shield 13 times, second only to Auckland's 15. Canterbury, known for its red and black uniforms, also participates in other provincial rugby competitions, such as the Air New Zealand Cup.
Significance
A list of top players from the Canterbury region forms a virtual who's who of New Zealand rugby greats. Significant figures include Wayne Smith, who would later become head coach of New Zealand's national rugby team, the All Blacks, famous for their black uniforms, their pre-match haka ritual and an aggressive style of play that consistently ranks them one of the world's best rugby teams. Andrew Mehrtens and Dan Carter, two of the all-time leading scorers in All Blacks history, also hail from Canterbury.
Crusaders Super Rugby
Canterbury also is the home of the Crusaders Super Rugby team, which competes in the Super 14 competition, pitting teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. The Super 14 began in 1996 with 12 teams. The Crusaders' website states that the team has won the competition 12 times.
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