The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch, who compete in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in the competition's history and have won a total of 14 titles.
Richard Hugh McCaw is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He captained the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, in 110 out of his 148 test matches, and won two Rugby World Cups. He has won the World Rugby Player of the Year award a joint record three times and was the most capped test rugby player of all time from August 2015 to October 2020. McCaw was awarded World Rugby player of the decade (2011–2020) in 2021. McCaw is also a winner of the New Zealand sportsman of the decade award.
Justin Warren Marshall is a New Zealand former rugby union player. He played 81 games for the New Zealand All Blacks between 1995 and 2005.
Daniel William Carter is a New Zealand retired rugby union player. Carter played for the Crusaders in Super Rugby and for New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks. He is the highest point scorer in test match rugby, and is considered by many experts as the greatest ever first five-eighth (fly-half) in the history of the game. He was named the International Rugby Board Player of the Year in 2005, 2012 and 2015.
The Final of the 2006 Super 14 season, a rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere, took place on 27 May 2006 at Jade Stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand. The match was won by the Crusaders 19 points to 12 over the visiting Wellington-based side, the Hurricanes. The match featured low-lying sea fog which prevented many in the crowd, as well as the television cameras and commentators, from seeing the action. The match had one try, to Crusaders' centre, Casey Laulala which was scored in the second half. The match has been nicknamed the "Gorillas in the Mist", after the film of the same name.
Andrew Ellis is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays the position of scrum-half for Rugby New York in Major League Rugby (MLR).
The Buller Rugby Union (BRU) is a rugby union province based in the town of Westport, New Zealand. The Buller provincial boundary also includes other notable towns such as Reefton, Karamea, Granity, Charleston, Punakaiki and Murchison.
Robert Maxwell Deans is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, currently the head coach of Japanese club Saitama Wild Knights. He was head coach of the Australian national team between 2008 and 2013. Deans previously coached the Crusaders for eight seasons and was an assistant coach of New Zealand between late 2001 and 2003. As the coach of the Crusaders, Deans won three Super 12 titles and two Super 14). He also coached Canterbury in the National Provincial Championship, winning the title in 1997. As a player, Deans represented Canterbury, first playing at fly half, and later fullback. He also played nineteen matches for the All Blacks, including five tests.
Kevin Stewart Ellis is a Welsh former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain and Wales national representative. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Bridgend RFC, Maesteg RFC, Treorchy RFC, Sale Sharks, London Irish, Cardiff RFC, Pontypool RFC and Ebbw Vale RFC, at representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for Warrington Wolves, Workington Town, Gold Coast Chargers, Bridgend Blue Bulls and Celtic Crusaders, as a stand-off, scrum-half, or loose forward.
Ben John Franks is an Australian-born New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He played as a prop. He is one of only 21 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions.
Jamie Ronald Nutbrown, is a former first-class New Zealand rugby union player and referee.
Colin Richard Slade is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He played primarily at first five-eighth, as well as all other backline positions on occasions. He was first selected for the All Blacks in 2009. He was a key member of the 2011 Rugby World Cup winning team. He was also included in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but played in only one match against Namibia. He thus became one of only 44 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions.
Samuel Lawrence Whitelock is a former New Zealand rugby union player.
Matthew Brendon Todd is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach for the Crusaders.
Tawera Narada James Kerr-Barlow is an Australian-born New Zealand rugby union rugby player. His regular playing position is scrum-half. He plays for La Rochelle in the Top 14. Kerr-Barlow represented New Zealand under 20 in the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship. He is a key member of 2015 Rugby World Cup winning team.
Luke Charles Whitelock is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a loose forward for Section Paloise (Pau) in France's Top 14 rugby competition.
Codie Joshua Dane Taylor is a New Zealand professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a hooker for the Crusaders in Super Rugby and is contracted to Canterbury for New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He represents New Zealand internationally.
Scott Kevin Barrett is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who currently plays as a lock for the Crusaders in Super Rugby and Taranaki in the Mitre 10 Cup. Barrett was chosen as the Crusaders' Captain for the 2020 Super Rugby season.
Richie Mo'unga is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a first five-eighth for Japan Rugby League One club Toshiba Brave Lupus and the New Zealand national team.
George Crispin Bridge is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as an outside back for Montpellier Hérault Rugby in France's domestic TOP 14. Bridge made his international debut for New Zealand in 2018, aged 23.
