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."'' 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). 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. 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 Natives, 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 History of the French national rugby union team, 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 (Super Rugby), Bulls and Crusaders vs The Blues (Super Rugby), Blues.Representative Rugby
The South Canterbury Rugby team play from Fraser Park (Timaru), Fraser Park, Timaru and they play their rugby in the Heartland Championship. They also compete against Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union, Mid Canterbury and North Otago Rugby Football Union, North Otago for the Hanan Shield.South Canterbury in Super Rugby
South Canterbury along with Canterbury Rugby Football Union, Canterbury, Tasman Rugby Union, Tasman, Buller Rugby Football Union, Buller, Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union, Mid Canterbury and West Coast Rugby Football Union, West Coast make up the Crusaders (rugby), Crusaders Super Rugby franchise.Championships
South Canterbury won the 2nd division South Island in 1976 National Provincial Championship, 1976, 1977 National Provincial Championship, 1977, 1981 and the 3rd division in 1986, 1991, 1998, and in 2001. And the Lochore Cup in 2013 Heartland Championship, 2013.Heartland Championship placings
Sevens South Canterbury hosted the 2010 and 2011 South Island Sevens Tournament at Fraser Park (Timaru), 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 been in 2011.Ranfurly Shield
South Canterbury has held the Ranfurly Shield twice, in 1950 and 1974.1950
Matches played: *Sth Canterbury 17 vs Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union, Wairarapa 14, Masterton, *Northland Rugby Union, North Auckland 20 vs Sth Canterbury 9, Timaru, Team members: *Coach: Neville Mitchell, Brushy Mitchell (centre, second row) *Captain: Morrie Goddard (third from left) *Vice Captain: Lachie Grant (third from right)1974
Matches played: *Sth Canterbury 18 vs Marlborough Rugby Union, Marlborough 6, Blenheim, New Zealand, Blenheim on 17 August *Sth Canterbury 9 vs North Otago Rugby Football Union, North Otago 3, Timaru on 31 August *Wellington Rugby Football Union, Wellington 9 vs Sth Canterbury 3, Timaru on 3 September Team members: *Captain: Ken MilneHanan 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 Rugby Football Union, North Otago, South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union, Mid Canterbury. South Canterbury are the current holders of the Shield after beating Mid Canterbury 17–15 on 13 October 2012.International Victories
Victories by South Canterbury versus International Tourists; France 1961, California 1972, Romania 1975, Japan 1979, Tonga 1983.Club Rugby
Current Clubs
South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is made up of nine clubs: * Timaru Celtic RFC * Geraldine RFC, South Canterbury, NZ, Geraldine RFC * Harlequins RFC, South Canterbury, NZ, Harlequins RFC (Amalgamation of Zingari and Star in 1998) * Mackenzie RFC, South Canterbury, NZ, Mackenzie RFC * Old Boys RFC, South Canterbury, NZ, Old Boys RFC * Pareora RFC, South Canterbury, NZ, Pareora RFC * Pleasant Point RFC, South Canterbury, NZ, Pleasant Point RFC * Temuka RFC, South Canterbury, NZ, Temuka RFC * Waimate RFC, South Canterbury, NZ, Waimate RFCClub Championship Winners
Total Championships By Club
High School Rugby
* Timaru Boys' High School and Roncalli College 1st XV play in the Crusaders Region Secondary Schools' Rugby Championship "The Press Cup"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: * John Gardner (rugby player), John H. Gardner, No.25, 1893 * Charles Macintosh (rugby union), Charles N. MacIntosh, No.39, 1893 * Dick Stewart (rugby union), David Stewart, No.54, 1894 * Alf Budd (rugby union, born 1880), Alfred Budd, No.160, 1910 * Thomas Lynch (rugby player), Thomas W. Lynch, No.177, 1913 * Gus Spillane, Augustine P. Spillane, No.200, 1913 * Eric Cockroft, No.203, 1913 * Percival Storey (rugby player), Percival W. Storey, No.224, 1920 * Ron Stewart (rugby union), Ronald T. Stewart, No.288, 1923 * Gordon Lawson, Gordon P. Lawson, No.320, 1925 * Archie Strang (rugby union), Archie Strang, No.342, 1928 * Thomas Metcalfe (rugby player), Thomas C. Metcalfe, No.384, 1931 * George T. A. Adkins, No.409, 1935 * Tom Morrison (rugby union), Tom Morrison, No.441, 1938 * Charles Saxton (rugby player), Charles Saxton, No.443, 1938 * Morrie Goddard, Maurice P. Goddard, No.467, 1946 * Lachie Grant, Lachlan A. Grant, No.471, 1947 * Jack Goddard, John W. Goddard, No.499, 1949 * Thomas Desmond Coughlan, Thomas Coughlan, No.592, 1958 * Allan Stewart (rugby player), Allan J. Stewart, No.638, 1963 * Tom Lister (rugby union), Tom N. Lister, No.673, 1968 * Lyn Jaffray, No.711, 1972 To view player profile, go tSuper 12/14
*Brendan Laney Otago Highlanders *Graham Dempster Crusaders (rugby), Canterbury CrusadersReferences
External links