South Canterbury Rugby Football Union

Last updated

South Canterbury Rugby Football Union
Club information
Full nameSouth Canterbury Rugby Football Union
ColoursGreen and Black Hoops
Founded1888
Website scrfu.co.nz
Current details
Ground(s)
Competition Heartland Championship

The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union (SCRFU) is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play at Fraser Park located in Timaru.

Contents

History

Club rugby in South Canterbury predated the formation of South Canterbury RFU by at least two decades. The first recorded club rugby match in South Canterbury was played on 15 October 1867 between The Timaru and Temuka Clubs at Arowhenua. Eight years later, in 1875, the South Canterbury Football Club was formed, founded by Alfred St. George Hamersley the former captain of the England national rugby union team and resident of Timaru. Soon after on 24 May 1875 a match was played between North and South Canterbury at Ashburton that resulted in a draw. More clubs were formed, such as the Waimate Football Club on 24 May 1876, and Christchurch are recorded as playing Temuka in 1876. On 26 July 1879, a meeting was held in Timaru at the instigation again of Hamersley, at which delegates representing the clubs Christchurch, Christ's College, Temuka, North Canterbury (Rangiora), Eastern (Christchurch), South Canterbury (Timaru), Ashburton, and Southbridge agreed to form the Canterbury Rugby Football Union.

The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union (SCRFU) was formed in 1888 when it broke away from the Canterbury Rugby Football Union. A meeting of delegates from football clubs in South Canterbury was held at the office of "Messrs Hamersley and Wood, Timaru, to consider the advisability of forming a Rugby Football Union in the district." [1] Once again, Hamersley was involved in a pivotal point in the history of rugby in the region and his role was commemorated in 2010 with the introduction of the Hamersley trophy, a 186 cm tall silver trophy, for the winners of the senior rugby competition (the Personnel Placements club rugby championship). [2] This meeting was attended by delegates from the South Canterbury, Pirates, Temuka, Waimate, Geraldine, Winchester and Fairlie Creek clubs and as a result of the union the South Canterbury club agreed to change its name to the Timaru Club. [3] Formal association with the Canterbury RFU was broken and it was established that the boundaries of the South Canterbury union were to be the Rangitata and Waitaki rivers, and the headquarters was Timaru. Soon after, a representative match was played on 24 July 1888 against the New Zealand Native Team on the Athletic Grounds, Timaru.

South Canterbury has produced a number of All Blacks and are one of the few unions to have played in all three Divisions of the NPC. South Canterbury has also had some notable victories over touring international sides including the 1961 French team. In 2011 the South Canterbury Heartland team played the 2011 Russian World Cup team who toured New Zealand before the 2011 Rugby World Cup at Fraser Park. Also 2011 saw two sell out Super 15 games played at Fraser Park in Timaru - the Crusaders vs the Bulls and Crusaders vs The Blues.

Representative Rugby

The South Canterbury Rugby team play from Fraser Park, Timaru and they play their rugby in the Heartland Championship. They also compete against Mid Canterbury and North Otago for the Hanan Shield.

Championships

National Provincial Championship (NPC)

South Canterbury 2001 NPC 3rd Div Champions South Canterbury 2001.jpg
South Canterbury 2001 NPC 3rd Div Champions

In the NPC South Canterbury won:

Heartland Championship placings

In the Heartland Championship South Canterbury have won:

Heartland Championship results [4] [5] [6] [7]
YearPldWDLPFPAPDBPPtsPlacePlayoffs
QualSemifinalFinal
2006 830528102−742145thNo—
2007 8404139173−343192nd Lochore Cup Won 31–23 against West Coast Lost 35–38 to Poverty Bay
2008 8314181167+144194thLochore CupLost 30–43 to Poverty Bay—
2009 8503169198−292224th Meads Cup Lost 17–19 to Mid Canterbury —
2010 6402121119+21175thNo—
2011 8404239187+526226thLochore CupWon 30–27 against Thames Valley Lost 22–49 to Poverty Bay
2012 8503265227+384216thLochore CupWon 48–20 against Mid CanterburyLost 28–31 to Buller
2013 8404246202+447235thLochore CupWon 14–18 against Thames ValleyWon 17–10 against Buller
2014 8404202165+375216thLochore CupLost 12–16 to North Otago —
2015 8701346162+1847351stMeads CupWon 25–21 against Wairarapa Bush Lost 11–28 against Wanganui
2016 8701324162+1627362ndMeads CupLost 6-16 against Buller —
2017 8701273190+838361stMeads CupLost 24-29 to Wanganui —
2018 8602341151+1908322ndMeads CupWon 58-21 against King Country Lost 12-17 against Thames Valley
2019 8413237176+617257thLochore CupWon 56-24 against Buller Won 23-19 against West Coast
2021 8800365124+2418401stMeads Cup—Won 35-16 against Thames Valley
2022 8800368122+2467391stMeads CupWon 76-9 against King Country Won 47-36 against Whanganui
2023 8800341180+1618401stMeads CupWon 34-17 against Ngati Porou East Coast Won 40-30 against Whanganui
2024 8800327214+1138401stMeads CupLost 16-17 to Mid Canterbury —

There was no Heartland Championship in the 2020 season due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Ranfurly Shield

South Canterbury has held the Ranfurly Shield twice, in 1950 and 1974.

1950

Matches played:

1950 South Canterbury Team 1950 South Canterbury Team.jpg
1950 South Canterbury Team

Team members:

1974

1974 South Canterbury Team 1974 South Canterbury winning Ranfurly Shield team.jpg
1974 South Canterbury Team

Matches played:

Team members:

Hanan Shield

The Hanan Shield is one of the most prestigious trophies in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1946, the Hanan Shield is based on a challenge system played between North Otago, South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury. South Canterbury are the current holders of the Shield after beating Mid Canterbury 17–15 on 13 October 2012. [8]

International Victories

South Canterbury has recorded wins versus international tourists:

Sevens

South Canterbury hosted the 2010 and 2011 South Island Sevens Tournament at Fraser Park in Timaru, a provincial qualifier to the New Zealand National Rugby Sevens Tournament in Queenstown. South Canterbury has qualified and competed at a number of New Zealand National Rugby Sevens Tournament the last being in 2011.

Club Rugby

Current clubs

South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is made up of nine clubs:

Club Championship Winners

South Canterbury Club Championship Winners [10]
Year:Club:Year:Club:Year:Club:Year:Club:Year:Club:Year:Club:
1888Waihi1912Zingari1936Star1960Waimate1984Temuka2008Harlequins
1889Waihi1913Celtic1937Temuka1961Zingari1985Temuka2009Celtic
1890Timaru1914Zingari1938Temuka1962Old Boys1986Temuka2010Celtic
1891Waihi1915Temuka1939Temuka1963Old Boys1987Star2011Celtic
1892Union1916No competition (WW1)1940Temuka1964Temuka1988Star2012Celtic
1893Union1917Geraldine1941Celtic1965Temuka1989Star2013Celtic
1894Timaru/Union1918Star1942Army 'A'1966Temuka1990Waimate2014Celtic
1895Waihi1919Temuka1943No competition (WW2)1967Temuka1991Temuka2015Celtic
1896Star1920Temuka1944Makikihi1968Temuka1992Temuka2016Celtic
1897Waihi1921Zingari1945Temuka1969Zingari1993Temuka2017Celtic
1898Colonial1922Old Boys1946Temuka1970Zingari1994Waimate2018Celtic
1899Colonial1923Zingari1947Old Boys1971Old Boys1995Waimate2019Temuka
1900Waihi1924Old Boys1948Celtic1972Star1996Temuka2020Temuka
1901Temuka1925Old Boys1949Geraldine1973Zingari1997Temuka2021Temuka
1902Temuka1926Zingari1950Zingari1974Old Boys1998Harlequins2022Celtic
1903Temuka1927Old Boys1951Zingari1975Old Boys1999Temuka2023Temuka
1904Temuka1928Old Boys1952Celtic1976Old Boys/Temuka2000Harlequins2024Harlequins
1905Star1929Star1953Celtic1977Temuka2001Temuka
1906Temuka1930Old Boys1954Zingari1978Temuka2002Harlequins
1907Temuka1931Star1955Celtic1979Old Boys/Temuka2003MacKenzie
1908Pirates1932Star1956Temuka1980Temuka2004Harlequins
1909Pirates1933Star1957Celtic1981Temuka2005Pleasant Point
1910Temuka1934Star1958Waimate1982Temuka2006Celtic
1911Celtic1935Star1959Geraldine1983Old Boys2007Harlequins

Total Championships By Club

South Canterbury Club Rugby Premierships (as of end of 2022) [10]
ClubTotal TitlesOutrightSharedLast winning season:
Temuka434122023
Celtic20202022
Old Boys15151983
Star14141989
Zingari12121973
Waihi661888
Harlequins772024
Waimate551995
Union3211894
Geraldine331959
Timaru2111894
Colonial221899
Pirates221909
Army 'A'111942
Makikihi111944
MacKenzie112003
Pleasant Point112005

High School Rugby

Timaru Boys' High School and Roncalli College 1st XV play in the Crusaders Region Secondary Schools' Rugby Championship.

In 1995 Timaru BHS made the Top 4 of the National First XV Championship losing 22-27 to Kelston Boys' High School but winning the 3rd v 4th play off against Southland Boys' High School by 25-10. In 2017 Timaru BHS made the Crusaders final but lost to Christchurch Boys' High School by 10-18. [11]

Notable players

All Blacks

There have been 22 players selected for the All Blacks whilst playing their club rugby in South Canterbury.

Name, All Black No. & Year:

To view player profile, go to allblacks.com

Super Rugby

South Canterbury along with Canterbury, Tasman, Buller, Mid Canterbury and West Coast make up the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise.

South Canterbury players in Super Rugby:

References

  1. ↑ Otago Witness, 16 March 1888, Page 27
  2. ↑ "Sportsground.com - Home". www.sportsground.co.nz.
  3. ↑ "Sportsground.com - Home". www.sportsground.co.nz.
  4. ↑ "Standings (2006–present)". Heartland Championship . Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Fixtures and Results (2006–present)". Heartland Championship . Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "Finalists found in Lochore and Meads Cups". Newshub. 23 October 2010. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "2010 Lochore and Mead Cups finals wrap". Heartland Championship. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Jonathan Leask (13 October 2012). "Rugby: South Canterbury claim Hanan Shield". nzherald.co.uk.
  9. ↑ "Harlequins RFC - Home".
  10. 1 2 "South Canterbury Rugby Union".
  11. ↑ https://www.collegesportmedia.co.nz/rugby-union/crusaders-first-xv-championship-final-history
  12. ↑ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "Graeme Ian Dempster | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
  13. ↑ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "Brendan J Laney | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
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