Canterbury Crusaders

Despite finishing its maiden Super Rugby season in 1996 in last position, the Canterbury Crusaders have since become the superpower of Super Rugby competition, winning seven titles in all to become the most successful club in Super Rugby history. Its first three titles were all won away from home. The Crusaders have made the Super Rugby finals in all but three occasions in their history, thus establishing their stance as the team to beat at the start of every Super Rugby season. They continued their dominance in 2011, topping the New Zealand conference and coming agonisingly close to the title, losing 18-13 to the Reds in the final.

Crusaders Articles

Greg Holmes puts in effort with no reward

by Uncle Argyle - August 11th 2011 @ 6:06am

As the deadline looms for places in the much anticipated Rugby World Cup 2011, I am perplexed as to why Robbie Deans appears to be even considering selecting Benn Robinson or even Salesi Ma’afu for the tournament. Clearly Robinson is injured, and Ma’afu even when fit is a questionable selection. Deans, who has often espoused [...]

Quake-hit Crusaders remain homeless

by AFP - August 10th 2011 @ 6:00am

Bledisloe opener set to be fast and furious

by LeftArmSpinner - August 5th 2011 @ 1:31am

This weekend’s first Bledisloe Cup game for 2011 promises to be a fast and furious, highly entertaining Test match. As both teams showed in the 2010, they can and will run the ball at every opportunity. Neither wants to give the other the chance to attack. Both teams have improved since 2010. The New Zealanders [...]

Has Brad Thorn gone past his used-by date?

by KingsofCommentary - July 30th 2011 @ 2:22am

That scandalous headline got your attention, didn’t it? Just like it got mine driving home at 5kmph in Auckland’s peak-hour traffic last night. It’s the view of seasoned commentator Willie Losé in discussion with Larry Williams on Newstalk ZB. I glanced across at the driver of the vehicle beside me. “Did you hear that?” I [...]

Players left in limbo as Crusaders fold

by AAP - July 27th 2011 @ 3:00am

Reds vs Crusaders puts All Blacks ahead

by The Crowd - July 11th 2011 @ 6:49am

Is that a big, fat mistake? Did I type in All Blacks instead of Wallabies? Nope. Based on Saturday’s game, I believe the All Blacks can move a few more notches up the scale than we can. Firstly, the All Blacks will have a very destructive front row with Mealamu, Hore, Owen and Ben Franks, [...]

Sonny Bill interviewed by Channel Nine. So what?

by johnhunt92 - July 11th 2011 @ 6:48am

Channel Nine in all their wisdom interviewed Sonny Bill Williams at the half time break of last Wednesday’s State of Origin clash, and the you-know-what hit the fan. Blood was spilled, riots broke out, and Channel 9 CEO David Gyngell needed police protection. Ok, the last sentence is a tiny bit false, but the reaction [...]

Ewen McKenzie’s evolution finds the missing Link

by LeftArmSpinner - July 11th 2011 @ 6:47am

Ewen McKenzie is deservedly receiving the wholesale praise of the rugby community, not just Reds fans, for the performance of the Queensland Reds in the 2011 Super Rugby season. Saturday night’s game was the latest accolade in an already highly decorated rugby career as player and coach. It is the culmination of his prodigious work [...]

Reds victory could be gold for the Wallabies

by Spiro Zavos - July 11th 2011 @ 6:20am

The media analysis of the Reds’ brilliant victory over the Crusaders has missed the most salient aspect of the result. The victory was based on the Reds coaching staff out-coaching the Crusaders staff. In a question and answer session on The Roar on Friday afternoon I pointed to the fact that the Reds had defeated [...]

Brad Thorn happy for victorious Reds

by Laine Clark - July 10th 2011 @ 8:12am

Super-Rugby Articles

Harris and Lucas in Reds No.10 audition

by Jim Morton - February 9th 2012 @ 4:04am

David Pocock: a skipper my Force teammates will fight for

by Matt Hodgson - February 8th 2012 @ 8:10am

It is the Western Force’s first ever change of guard, with the announcement that David Pocock will replace Nathan Sharpe as captain for 2012. Many would be surprised, with inaugural captain Sharpe still one of the top second rowers in Australia, and with a year left at the Force. The question has to be asked, [...]

Hoiles eyeing return in 2012

by Andrew Logan - February 7th 2012 @ 9:39am

I met Stephen Hoiles in May 2011, when I was invited to spend a weekend with the Brumbies courtesy of one of their corporate partners Deloitte, who work with the Brumbies on innovation and business management. I had watched him for much longer than that, particularly during the awful season of 2009, when Hoiles, as [...]

Rebels won’t panic despite trial thrashing

by Guy Hand - February 7th 2012 @ 3:58am

Slipper hungry for more Reds success

by Jim Morton - February 7th 2012 @ 3:56am

Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide?

by nickoldschool - February 7th 2012 @ 3:38am

Dwindling crowd attendances are never a good omen in any sport or competition. The bad news is that it’s what we are facing in Super Rugby, particularly in Australia and New Zealand. From averaging 25,000 in 2004-05, we are now down to 19-20,000 in Australia alone. A “bad year’ can always happen, but when for [...]

Rebels want more from second rugby trial

by Melissa Woods - February 6th 2012 @ 7:33am

Clinical Chiefs cost rusty Rebels in Corio

by Stuart Fazakerley - February 6th 2012 @ 6:26am

There are several things one should expect to encounter in trial matches before the season proper. Some things will change, some remain, and the legitimacy and relevance of the result will always be questioned. So too it was in Geelong last night, where the Melbourne Rebels welcomed both their home province and the Waikato Chiefs [...]

Brumbies easily account for Force in trial

by AAP - February 5th 2012 @ 4:05am

Goose’s Super Rugby up-and-comer XV for 2012

by The Crowd - February 5th 2012 @ 3:57am

Do you smell that? Freshly painted field lines, Dencorub burning flesh, and what can only be described as the scent of fear wafting from our southern hemisphere neighbours. It’s Super Rugby season. This is my favourite time of year. The formalisation of squads, the trial matches held in towns and cities that don’t have the [...]