Canterbury (National Provincial Championship)

Last updated

Canterbury
Canterbury rfu logo.png
CRFU emblem
Union Canterbury Rugby Football Union
Founded1879;146 years ago (1879)
Location St Albans, Christchurch, New Zealand
Ground(s) Apollo Projects Stadium (Capacity: 18,000)
CEOTony Smail [1]
Coach(es)Marty Bourke
Captain(s) Cullen Grace
Most appearances Robbie Deans (146)
Top scorer Robbie Deans (1,625)
Most tries Paula Bale (93)
League(s) Bunnings NPC
2024 6th
Semi-finalist
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Team kit
Official website
www.canterburyrugby.co.nz

Canterbury are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Canterbury, New Zealand. The union was originally established in 1879, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976. They now play in the reformed National Provincial Championship competition. They play their home games at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch in the Canterbury region. The team is affiliated with the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are black and red.

Contents

Current squad

The Canterbury squad for the 2025 Bunnings NPC is: [2]

Canterbury squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose forwards

Halfbacks (scrum-halves)

First five-eighths (fly-halves)

Midfielders (centres)

Outside backs

  • (c) denotes team captain.
  • Bold denotes internationally capped.
  • REP denotes a replacement squad player.
  1. ↑ Funnell wasn't named in the original Canterbury squad, but was named in the side for Round 5. [3]
  2. ↑ Hyde wasn't named in the original Canterbury squad, but was named in the side for Round 1. [4]
  3. ↑ Reeves wasn't named in the original Canterbury squad, but was named in the side for Round 7. [5]
  4. ↑ Treacy wasn't named in the original Canterbury squad, but was named in the side for Round 9. [6]

Honours

Canterbury have been overall Champions on 14 occasions. Their first title was in 1977 and their most recent title was in 2017. Their full list of honours include: [7] [8]

National Provincial Championship First Division
Air New Zealand Cup
ITM Cup
ITM Cup Premiership Division
Mitre 10 Cup Premiership Division

Current Super Rugby players

Players named in the 2025 Canterbury squad, who also earned contracts or were named in a squad for any side participating in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

PlayerTeam
George Bell Crusaders
Finlay Brewis Crusaders
Tahlor Cahill Crusaders
Seb Calder Crusaders
Tom Christie Crusaders
Sam Darry Blues
Braydon Ennor Crusaders
Chay Fihaki Crusaders
Zach Gallagher Hurricanes
Dominic Gardiner Crusaders
Cullen Grace Crusaders
Jamie Hannah Crusaders
Corey Kellow Crusaders
Manumaua Letiu Crusaders
Daniel Lienert-Brown Highlanders
Manasa Mataele Chiefs
Brodie McAlister Chiefs
Dallas McLeod Crusaders
Johnny McNicholl Crusaders
Fletcher Newell Crusaders
Lewis Ponini Crusaders
Ngane Punivai Hurricanes
Jone Rova Hurricanes
Codie Taylor Crusaders
Tamaiti Williams Crusaders

References

  1. ↑ "Our people". Canterbury Rugby Union. 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  2. ↑ @canterburyrugby; (16 July 2025). "Introducing your Bunnings Warehouse NPC Squad for 2025" . Retrieved 16 July 2025– via Instagram.
  3. ↑ @canterburyrugby; (27 August 2025). "This Saturday. Rangiora Showgrounds" . Retrieved 31 August 2025– via Instagram.
  4. ↑ @canterburyrugby; (30 July 2025). "First team list of the year" . Retrieved 3 August 2025– via Instagram.
  5. ↑ @canterburyrugby; (10 September 2025). "Our squad to defend the shield" . Retrieved 14 September 2025– via Instagram.
  6. ↑ @canterburyrugby; (24 September 2025). "Fired up" . Retrieved 28 September 2025– via Instagram.
  7. ↑ "National Provincial Championship winners, 1976–2014". Te Ara. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  8. ↑ "Mitre 10 Cup". Rugby Heartland. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  9. ↑ "2025 Crusaders squad announced". crusaders.co.nz (Press release). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  10. ↑ "We're ready to take the handbrake off". Blues (Press release). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  11. ↑ "Game Readiness and Maturity Key in 2025 Hurricanes Squad". Hurricanes (Press release). 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "Ready for Season Opener: Round One Team Naming v Hurricanes". crusaders.co.nz (Press release). 12 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  13. ↑ "Highlanders name squad for 2025 DHL Super Rugby competition" (Press release). Highlanders. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  14. ↑ "Taukei'aho to make long-awaited return at rugby and rhythms spectacular". Chiefs (Press release). 26 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  15. ↑ "Gallagher Chiefs name cohesive 2025 squad" (Press release). Chiefs. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  16. ↑ "Team Naming: Drummond named for 150th Crusaders appearance". Crusaders (Press release). 21 May 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  17. ↑ "Ruben Love returns to start against Moana Pasifika for Round 4". Hurricanes (Press release). 5 March 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
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