Crusaders
Founded	1996
Team Colours	Red and black
Home Venue	Jade Stadium, Christchurch
Major Sponsor	Ford
Championships	( 5) 1998,1999,2000,2002,2005
Team History	Crusaders (1996-Present)
Coach	Robbie Deans
Assistant Coach	Vern Cotter
Captain	Richie McCaw
Website	wwww.crfu.co.nz

The Crusaders (formerly the Canterbury Crusaders) are a New Zealand Rugby Union team based in Christchurch, New Zealand, Jade Stadium, and representing the Buller, Tasman, West Coast, Canterbury, Mid Canterbury and South Canterbury unions. Their biggest rivals are the Blues. Image File history File links CanCrusaders. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Jade Stadium, formerly known as Lancaster Park is a sports stadium situated in Christchurch. ... Situated on the Eastern coast, Christchurch is the principal city of the South Island of New Zealand. ... Ford may mean a number of things: A ford is a river crossing. ... Richard Hugh Richie McCaw (born December 31, 1980 in Oamaru) is one of New Zealands top rugby players. ... Rugby union (often referred to as just rugby, or union) is a variant of rugby football. ... For other uses, see Christchurch (disambiguation). ... The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the official governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region of New Zealand. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... The Auckland Blues is a New Zealand rugby union team based in Auckland, New Zealand, and representing the Northland, North Harbour and Auckland unions. ...

The Crusaders' name was chosen to conjure up images of the kind of brave and daring deeds which Canterbury teams have sought to produce on the rugby pitch. Equally importantly, the name recalls the English heritage of the city of Christchurch, which was established by English emigrants in the 19th Century and is often described as the most English city outside of England. The English are a northern European ethnic group generally associated with England and the English language. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st...

The Crusaders compete in the Super 14 competition, which they won five of the 10 years in which it was known as the Super 12 (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005). They are also the only team in the history of the competition to date to have won the final match on the road, winning all of their consecutive titles from 1998 to 2000 away from home. The current Super 14 logo The Super 14 is a rugby union championship competed for by teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. ...

In 2002, the Crusaders had a perfect season, winning all 11 games in the main body of the tournament, and then their semi-final and the final. This was their first season under the leadership of Reuben Thorne, who also captained the All Blacks throughout 2002 and 2003. Richie McCaw then assumed the position and captained the team to its fifth Super 12 championship in 2005. After the 2005 season the side farewelled Crusaders legends Andrew Mehrtens and Justin Marshall who had played for the team since their inception in 1996. Reuben David Thorne (born January 2, 1975 in Christchurch) is a New Zealand rugby union player, and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. ... The international rugby union team of New Zealand are known as the All Blacks, a name derived from their playing strip of black shirts, shorts and socks. ... Richard Hugh Richie McCaw (born December 31, 1980 in Oamaru) is one of New Zealands top rugby players. ... Andrew Philip Mehrtens (born 28 April 1973 in Durban, South Africa) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who has been one of the top fly-halves (or first five-eighths) in the world since the advent of the sports professional era in the mid-1990s. ... Date of Birth: 5 August 1973 Place of Birth: Gore, New Zealand Height: 1. ...

The Crusaders main home ground is the 36,000-capacity Jade Stadium in Christchurch. When playing at Jade Stadium, they have a pre-match event where the Conquest of Paradise plays, and several horsemen dressed as knights circle the field, drawing cheers from the crowd. Each year the Crusaders usually take a game to another part of the franchise area, usually when the New Zealand cricket team is playing at Jade Stadium. They have played games at Trafalgar Park in Nelson and Alpine Energy Stadium in Timaru. In early 2006, there was talk that the Crusaders might play a game each year in the future in Melbourne, Australia after a large crowd turned up to watch the Crusaders play the Western Force in a 2006 pre-season game. The Nelson Bays rugby union was not happy about these rumours as they believed that the Crusaders should support their smaller unions. Canterbury Rugby CEO Hamish Riach later calmed these rumours saying that the side would only play pre-season matches in the future Melbourne. Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3. ... Western Force (referred to as Emirates Western Force for sponsorship reasons) is a Super 14 Rugby Union team based in Perth, Western Australia. ... Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3. ...

2006 Super 14

Main article: 2006 Super 14 season

In 2006, the Super 12 became the Super 14, with the Western Force joining from Perth, Australia, and the Central Cheetahs joining from the Free State and Northern Cape Provinces, South Africa. The Crusaders have picked off where they left off in the old Super 12. The team is currently in first position and remain the only Super 14 side undefeated after eight rounds. The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday February 10, 2006. ... Western Force (referred to as Emirates Western Force for sponsorship reasons) is a Super 14 Rugby Union team based in Perth, Western Australia. ... Perth is the state capital and most populous city of Western Australia. ... The Central Cheetahs is a South African Super 14 rugby union franchise set to begin play in 2006. ... Capital Bloemfontein Largest city Bloemfontein Area  - Total Ranked 3rd 129,480 km² Premier Beatrice Marshoff (ANC) Population   - 2001   - 1996   - Density Ranked 8th 2,706,776 2,633,504 21/km² (2001) Languages Sotho (62%) Afrikaans (14%) isiXhosa (9. ... Northern Cape is a province of South Africa, created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. ...

Super 12 positions

The Auckland Blues is a New Zealand rugby union team based in Auckland, New Zealand, and representing the Northland, North Harbour and Auckland unions. ... The Highlanders ( formerly known as Otago Highlanders), are a rugby union team from New Zealand. ... The Brumbies (formerly known as the ACT Brumbies, for sponsorship reasons referred to as CA Brumbies) are a Super 14 rugby union team based in Canberra, Australia and named for the wild horses which inhabit Canberras hinterland. ... The Brumbies (formerly known as the ACT Brumbies, for sponsorship reasons referred to as CA Brumbies) are a Super 14 rugby union team based in Canberra, Australia and named for the wild horses which inhabit Canberras hinterland. ... The Auckland Blues is a New Zealand rugby union team based in Auckland, New Zealand, and representing the Northland, North Harbour and Auckland unions. ... The Brumbies (formerly known as the ACT Brumbies, for sponsorship reasons referred to as CA Brumbies) are a Super 14 rugby union team based in Canberra, Australia and named for the wild horses which inhabit Canberras hinterland. ... The New South Wales Waratahs (referred to as HSBC Waratahs for sponsorship reasons, the Waratahs or simply the Tahs) are an Australian rugby union team, representing most of New South Wales in the Super 14 (formerly Super 12) competition—though not the Riverina or other southern parts of the state...

Current Squad

As of start 2006 Season

Props: Greg Sommerville , Campbell Johnstone , Wyatt Crockett , Ben Franks

Hookers: Corey Flynn , Tone Kopelani

Locks: Chris Jack , Ross Filipo , Kevin O'Neil , Craig Clarke This article needs to be wikified. ...

Loose Forwards : Richie McCaw ( Captain ) , Reuben Thorne , Mose Tuiali'i , Bradley Mika , Tanerau Latimer Richard Hugh Richie McCaw (born December 31, 1980 in Oamaru) is one of New Zealands top rugby players. ... Reuben David Thorne (born January 2, 1975 in Christchurch) is a New Zealand rugby union player, and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. ...

Half Backs : Kevin Senio , Andrew Ellis , Matt France

Fly Halfs: Daniel Carter , Aaron Mauger , Cameron McIntyre Daniel William Carter (born 5 March 1982 in Leeston, Christchurch, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. ... Aaron Joseph Douglas Mauger (last name pronounced Major; born 29 November 1980 in Christchurch) is a rugby union footballer who plays at first five-eighths and second five-eighths for Canterbury (National Provincial Championship), the Crusaders (Super 12) and the New Zealand All Blacks. ...

Centres: Casey Laulala , Caleb Ralph Caleb Ralph Caleb Stanley Ralph (born 9 September 1977 in Rotorua) is a New Zealand rugby union international. ...

Wingers: Rico Gear , Scott Hamilton , Steven Yates Rico Gear (born 26 February 1978 in Gisborne) is a New Zealand rugby union player. ...

Full Back: Leon McDonald

Most Games for Crusaders

• 105 Justin Marshall

• 105 Reuben Thorne

• 104 Caleb Ralph

• 95 Greg Sommerville

• 90 Leon McDonald

Date of Birth: 5 August 1973 Place of Birth: Gore, New Zealand Height: 1. ... Reuben David Thorne (born January 2, 1975 in Christchurch) is a New Zealand rugby union player, and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. ... Caleb Ralph Caleb Stanley Ralph (born 9 September 1977 in Rotorua) is a New Zealand rugby union international. ...

External links

• Official site
• Datas and statistics itsrugby.com