Kaiapoi is a town in the

Waimakariri District Waimakariri District is a local government district, located in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island. It is named after the Waimakariri River, which forms the district's southern boundary, separating it from Christchurch City a ...

of the

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

region, in the

South Island The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...

of New Zealand. The town is located approximately 17 kilometres north of central

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

, close to the mouth of the

Waimakariri River The Waimakariri River is one of the largest rivers in Canterbury, on the eastern coast of New Zealand's South Island. It flows for in a generally southeastward direction from the Southern Alps across the Canterbury Plains to the Pacific Ocean. ...

. It is considered a satellite town of Christchurch and is part of the Christchurch functional urban area. The town is named after the nearby

Kaiapoi Pā Kaiapoi Pā is a historic pā (fort) site just north of the Waimakariri River in Canterbury, New Zealand. The pā was a major centre of trade and nobility for Ngāi Tahu in the Classical Māori period. Established around 1700, the pā was sa ...

. Kaiapoi suffered extensive damage in the 2010 Canterbury and also the February

2011 Christchurch earthquake A major earthquake occurred in Christchurch on Tuesday 22 February 2011 at 12:51 p.m. New Zealand Daylight Time, local time (23:51 Coordinated Universal Time, UTC, 21 February). The () earthquake struck the Canterbury Region ...

s, which rendered many homes uninhabitable and businesses inoperable. Large areas were condemned as part of a

residential red zone A residential red zone is any of several areas of land in and around Christchurch, New Zealand, that experienced severe damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake, 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes and were deemed infeasible to rebuild on. Thr ...

covering uninhabitable areas.

History

Pre-settlement

Kaiapoi is located on what was formally the south bank of the north branch of the Waimakariri River. This patch of land between the north and south branches of the Waimakariri was the largest island in the lower reaches of the river. "Kaiapoi Island" (as it was later called) was of spiritual and educational significance to Ngāi Tahu, who called it (''the adornment of the deluded one''). A stream that ran through the island, (also known as Courtenay Stream), was an important location for the ritual burial process of local Māori.

Early settlement

When the Christchurch settlement was planned, a secondary market town named 'Mandeville' was proposed by Captain Joseph Thomas to support north-Canterbury farmers.

Charles Torlesse Charles Obins Torlesse (2 May 1825 – 14 November 1866) was a prominent surveyor for the Canterbury Association in Canterbury, New Zealand. Biography Torlesse was born in Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk, England, in 1825. He was the eldest son of ...

surveyed the area in 1849 and on early maps it is marked to the south-west of modern-day Kaiapoi. The

Canterbury Association The Canterbury Association was formed in 1848 in England by Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), members of parliament, Peerage of the United Kingdom, peers, and Anglicanism, Anglican church leaders, to establish a colony in New Zealand. The se ...

ran out of money in 1850, and surveying work came to a stop before the town could be established. While the name of 'Mandeville' stuck for the surveyed region, the area of the future township remained 'Kaiapoi' due to the continued presence of

Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori people, Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim, New Zealand, Blenhe ...

families in the area. In 1851, Sir Thomas Tancred proposed a new settlement in Canterbury. He was concerned that the Canterbury Association had not made enough progress in establishing the promised

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

model values in their new settlements. The name for this proposed settlement was to be 'Gladstone'. Tancred wrote to

Henry Sewell Henry Sewell (; 7 September 1807 – 14 May 1879) was a New Zealand politician. He was a notable campaigner for New Zealand self-government, and is generally regarded as having been the country's first premier (a post that would later be offici ...

, asking him to instruct

John Robert Godley John Robert Godley (29 May 1814 – 17 November 1861) was an Anglo-Irish statesman and bureaucrat. Godley is considered to be the founder of Canterbury, New Zealand, although he lived there for only two years. Early life Godley was born in Dubl ...

to set aside land for the Gladstone settlers. By this stage in 1852 the Canterbury Association was not performing well financially, and was soon to wind-up and hand control to the newly-formed

provincial government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, o ...

. Sewell forwarded the message, but Godley took no action to advance the plan. Thus, when the Gladstone settlers began arriving in 1853 they discovered no land had been set aside for them. The mouth of the Waimakariri River was suggested as a possible place for their new town, as much of that land had been set aside for the use of the church. An inspection party of settlers were joined by Sewell and surveyor Thomas Cass to explore the area. The group agreed on a location at the confluence of the north and south branches, close to where the proposed North Road met the river. However, tensions flared the following day at a meeting between the settlers, Sewell, and

Charles Simeon Charles Simeon (24 September 1759 – 13 November 1836) was an English Evangelical Anglicanism, evangelical Anglican cleric and biblical commentator who led the evangelical 'Low Church' movement, in reaction to the liturgically and episcopally ...

. An offer of of church land was made and agreed to, but the settlers had additional demands that could not be immediately met. After an argument, Sewell and Simeon decided to end the Gladstone scheme, as it was proving to be too much trouble. However, the suitability of the site was so great that Sewell began the work of establishing the town anyway, but rather under the direction of the Canterbury Association and not the Gladstone settlers. Soon of church land was marked off, and in 1853 Henry Cridland had laid out a map of the new settlement. By early 1854 the road to Kaiapoi was well-trodden, and the small settlement had begun to form. Despite the collapse of the Gladstone scheme, many of the Gladstone settlers became established at Kaiapoi. Notable figures included the Reverend John Raven, who commissioned the first church in the area. The wooden building of St Bartholomew's church was opened in 1856, to plans by

Benjamin Mountfort Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort (13 March 1825 – 15 March 1898) was an English emigrant to New Zealand, where he became one of the country's most prominent 19th-century architects. He was instrumental in shaping the city of Christchurch's uniqu ...

. Today it is the oldest surviving church in Canterbury. In 1857 Kaiapoi was declared a town by the provincial council.

Rural hub

Kaiapoi was an important hub for the early north Canterbury settlers, largely due to the river port that was established there. The

mouth bar A mouth bar is an element of a deltaic system, which refers to the typically mid-channel deposition of the sediment transported by the river channel at the river mouth. Formation mechanism River mouth bars form because the cross-sectional ar ...

of the Waimakariri River posed a significant hazard to ships, and many ran aground. The river was also notorious for changing course and flooding unexpectedly. Despite this, the north branch of the river was

navigable A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and calm enough for a water vessel (e.g. boats) to pass safely. Navigability is also referred to in the broader context of a body of water having sufficient under ...

to Kaiapoi by small coastal shipping vessels. This port transported wool and wheat from the local farms to the major port at Lyttelton. During the great storm of 1868 the Waimakariri flooded, destroying buildings, bridges, telegraph lines and port facilities. Later that same year, a

tsunami A tsunami ( ; from , ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions (including detonations, ...

triggered by an earthquake in Peru did further damage to the wharves. The rail line from Christchurch to Kaiapoi opened in April 1872, beginning a decline in the use of Kaiapoi as a port. Coastal shipping did continue to be a major part of industrial transport in the area, however. Local businessman John Sims purchased coastal shipping vessels and expanded the wharf facilities at Kaiapoi during the 1870s and 80s. It was not until 1904 that the Kaiapoi Railway Station was opened. The Kaiapoi Woollen Milling Company was established in the late 1870s. This business produced high-quality woollen blankets and clothing, and was successful during the 1880s in spite of the wider economic recession. It continued to be a major pillar of the local economy until its closure in the 1970s. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, a major

slaughterhouse In livestock agriculture and the meat industry, a slaughterhouse, also called an abattoir (), is a facility where livestock animals are slaughtered to provide food. Slaughterhouses supply meat, which then becomes the responsibility of a mea ...

and freezing works was established in Kaiapoi. The facility processed sheep from across North Canterbury and remained an economic centre of the town until its closure in 1991. During the 1918 influenza pandemic seventeen people died of the disease, meaning that Kaiapoi had the second-highest death rate in North Canterbury, after Amberley. The town was struck by two earthquakes in 1921 and 1922, and in 1923 the town experienced a major flood. This flood lead to a flurry of activity over the following decade to stabilise the course of the Waimakariri. Changes upstream of the town had the effect of reducing the flow of the North Branch of the river, and making it less prone to flooding. As it became effectively disconnected from the Waimakariri upstream of Kaiapoi, it was renamed to Kaiapoi River in 1959. The 1920s saw a brief renewal of interest in the use of Kaiapoi as a port. This came in the context that both Kaiapoi and Lyttelton were at risk of losing port trade to Timaru. At one stage the Kaiapoi freezing works was sending frozen meat to Timaru for export. Despite local popular support for the port at Kaiapoi, several factors were working against it: the Waimakariri river bar still posed a significant hazard to ships; the course of the north branch of the river shifted so frequently that it was seen as unreliable for shipping vessels; the introduction of rail across the Southern Alps via the tunnel at Otira in 1923 made coastal shipping less necessary; and the river could not accommodate the trend towards larger more economical vessels for coastal shipping. All of these factors contributed to the decline of Kaiapoi as a trade port. Coastal shipping continued at Kaiapoi, with a brief increase after World War II. The port continued to bring in coal and dangerous goods even into the 1960s. In 1969 port activity was finally suspended. The town's war memorial records 20 local men as having died during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The memorial, designed by William Trethewey, was first unveiled on Anzac Day in 1922 to commemorate the first world war. It was later updated after the second world war.

2010 earthquakes

The town suffered significant damage during the

2010 Canterbury earthquake The 2010 Canterbury earthquake (also known as the Darfield earthquake) struck the South Island of New Zealand with a moment magnitude scale, moment magnitude of 7.1 at on , and had a maximum perceived intensity of X (''Extreme'') on the Mercal ...

. Ultimately, more than 900 homes in Kaiapoi and nearby The Pines Beach were ultimately abandoned due to the earthquake damage to the land. The earthquake caused enormous damage to infrastructure, interrupting the water supply and sewerage. Many local buildings were damaged and demolished. The façade of the Blackwell's Department Store was significantly damaged. It was demolished the same afternoon as the first earthquake to mitigate the safety risk during the ongoing

aftershock In seismology, an aftershock is a smaller earthquake that follows a larger earthquake, in Epicenter, the same area of the Mainshock, main shock, caused as the displaced Crust (geology), crust adjusts to the effects of the main shock. Large earthq ...

s. The Kaiapoi Railway Station building was largely undamaged, though its foundation tilted dramatically. Rather than be demolished, the heritage building was moved to a safer location and later restored.

Demographics

Kaiapoi is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a medium urban area and covers . It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². The population experienced a large dip after the

s, but has been growing rapidly, and is expected to continue to grow. Before the 2023 census, the town had a smaller boundary, covering . Using that boundary, Kaiapoi had a population of 11,841 at the

2018 New Zealand census The 2018 New Zealand census, which took place on Tuesday 6 March 2018, was the thirty-fourth national census in New Zealand. The population of New Zealand was counted as 4,699,755 – an increase of 457,707 (10.79%) over the 2013 census. Resu ...

, an increase of 2,367 people (25.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,239 people (11.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 4,602 households, comprising 5,796 males and 6,051 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female, with 2,022 people (17.1%) aged under 15 years, 2,217 (18.7%) aged 15 to 29, 5,178 (43.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,430 (20.5%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 90.1% European/

Pākehā ''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...

, 11.5%

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

, 2.3% Pasifika, 3.4% Asian, and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 15.6, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 55.7% had no religion, 33.5% were

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

, 0.7% had

Māori religious beliefs Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

, 0.5% were

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

, 0.2% were

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

, 0.4% were

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

and 1.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 1,017 (10.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 2,544 (25.9%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,404 people (14.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 4,893 (49.8%) people were employed full-time, 1,440 (14.7%) were part-time, and 291 (3.0%) were unemployed.

Commerce

Kaiapoi is also known as the 'River Town' after the Kaiapoi River, a tributary of the

that flows through the centre of the town. This was originally the main arm of the Waimakariri River, but extensive flooding led to a diversion so the majority of the water travelled down the South arm of the Waimakariri. Kaiapoi blanket

Kaiapoi was well known for the woollen mill run by the Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company, and many woollen items produced at the mill can still be found throughout the world. A freezing works (meat processing plant) was also a major employer in the town, and once this and the woollen mill had closed there was some economic turmoil in the town, and concern over its future. It, however, has survived and prospered, and although there is some local industry, a large percentage of the population works in the neighbouring city of Christchurch. One optimistic politician of the 1800s had even predicted that Kaiapoi would outsize its neighbour

. Kaiapoi is considered to be a satellite town of greater Christchurch, alongside Rolleston.

Education

Kaiapoi has five schools: three primary schools, one high school, and a teen parent unit attached to the high school. *Kaiapoi Borough School is a state co-educational full primary school, with students (as of The school opened in 1873, making it Kaiapoi's oldest school. *Kaiapoi North School is a state co-educational full primary school, with students (as of The school opened in 1962. *St Patrick's School is a state-integrated co-educational full primary

Catholic school Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...

, with students (as of * Kaiapoi High School is a state co-educational secondary school, with students (as of The school opened in 1972. *Karanga Mai Young Parents College is the teen parent unit attached to Kaiapoi High School. It opened in 1992.

Recreation

Outdoor recreation options include the Kaiapoi River which is deep enough for boating, with multiple accessible boat-ramps. There is a paddle-boat that offers pleasure cruises for tourists. The nearby

Waimakariri River Regional Park Waimakariri River Regional Park is a regional park in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island. It covers on the banks of the Waimakariri River, and is operated by Environment Canterbury. History Waimakariri was once a vast and un ...

is popular for kayaking, fishing, cycling and

off-roading Off-roading is the act of driving or riding in a vehicle on unpaved surfaces such as sand, dirt, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, or other natural terrain. Off-roading ranges from casual drives with regular vehicles to competitive events w ...

. Kaiapoi is also close to The Pines Beach. The

Waimakariri District Council Waimakariri District Council () is the territorial authority for the Waimakariri District of New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () an ...

operates several public recreation facilities in Kaiapoi including a library, museum, and a swimming pool. The Darnley Club provides community recreational opportunities for the elderly and the Chris Ruth Centre provides community recreational opportunities for adults with severe disabilities. Kaiapoi is represented by both rugby codes. The ''Kaiapoi Rugby Football Club'' was established in 1883 and has its home ground at Kaiapoi Park. It competes in the

Canterbury Rugby Football Union The Canterbury Rugby Football Union (which is also referred to as Canterbury or CRFU) is the governing body for rugby union in a portion of the Canterbury region of New Zealand, and runs the Canterbury representative team. The Canterbury team ...

. The ''Kaiapoi Rugby League Club'' (now playing as the Northern Bulldogs) began in 1957 and play in the local

Canterbury Rugby League Canterbury Rugby League is the regional body that administers rugby league in Canterbury, New Zealand. CRL manages local competitions from senior level down to age group competitions. Canterbury Rugby League also manages the Canterbury rugby le ...

. The club has been based at Murphy Park since 1960. In 2007 — the club's

jubilee A jubilee is often used to refer to the celebration of a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term comes from the Hebrew Bible (see, "Old Testament"), initially concerning ...

50th season — the Bulldogs won the Thacker Shield. Kaiapoi is the location of St Bartholomew's Church, which is the oldest wooden church in the

Anglican Diocese of Christchurch The Diocese of Christchurch is one of the thirteen dioceses and ''hui amorangi'' (Māori bishoprics) of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Diocese covers the area between the Conway River and the Waitaki River in th ...

, built in 1855. The dirt-surface Woodford Glen

Speedway Speedway may refer to: Racing Race tracks *Daytona International Speedway, a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida. *Edmonton International Speedway, also known as Speedway Park, a former motor raceway in Edmonton, Alberta. *Indianapolis Motor Spe ...

is only a short-distance south, between Kaiapoi and Kainga.

Transport

State Highway 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbered S ...

bypasses the town to the west via the

Christchurch Northern Motorway The Christchurch Northern Motorway is the main northern route into and out of Christchurch, New Zealand. The motorway forms part of (SH 1) and (SH 74). The motorway, which heads in a northerly direction, is approximately 16.5 km in length ...

. Prior to the completion of the motorway in December 1970, State Highway 1 ran down the main street of Kaiapoi. A half-hourly bus service connects Kaiapoi to Rangiora and central Christchurch. The Main North Line railway runs through Kaiapoi, and the town once served as the junction for the Eyreton Branch, which provided rail access to communities west of Kaiapoi such as West Eyreton (though it ran to the north of Eyreton itself). This

branch line A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line. Branch lines may serve one or more industries, or a city or town not located ...

opened in 1875 and closed fully by April 1965. The old station has a NZHPT Category II listing. The river used to have a port before the construction of the Waimakariri River bridge, and was an important point for the transport of goods to and from Christchurch. Bucking the trend of river ports dying off in the middle of the 20th century, the port actually reopened for a decade between 1958 and 1967, to allow smaller ships to bypass the congested Lyttelton wharves.

Notable people

* Matiaha Tiramōrehu (?–1881), Ngāi Tahu tribal leader * Jane Thomson (1858–1944), mountaineer born in Kaiapoi * Stella Henderson (1871–1962), feminist, university graduate and journalist * Henry William F Trousselot (1860–1926). Born Channel Islands but later settled in Kaiapoi. Awarded the French Legion of Honour, Royal Freedom of London, and hero of the Ben Venue shipwreck (

Timaru Timaru (; ) is a port city in the southern Canterbury Region of New Zealand, located southwest of Christchurch and about northeast of Dunedin on the eastern Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast of the South Island. The Timaru urban area is home to peo ...

). Trousselot Park (Kaiapoi) is named after him. Councillor and prominent personage. * Henry Boddington (1863–1938), cricketer who played for Nelson and Otago * Isabel Button (1863–1921), horse driver, trainer and equestrian *

Henare Uru Henare Whakatau Uru (1872 – 7 March 1929) was a New Zealand politician. He was the Reform Party Member of Parliament for Southern Maori from 1922 to 1928. Early life and family Uru was born at Kaiapoi in 1872. His father was Hoani Uru, a far ...

(1872–1929), Reform Party politician *

Thomas Bavin Sir Thomas Rainsford Bavin, (5 May 1874 – 31 August 1941) was an Australian lawyer and politician who served as Premier of New South Wales from 1927 to 1930. He was born in New Zealand and arrived in Australia at the age of 15, where he stud ...

(1874–1941), Premier of New South Wales (born in Kaiapoi) * Morgan Williams (1878–1970), Labour Party MP for and mayor of Kaiapoi * Algy Whitehead (1885–1961), Anglican priest * Bruce Young (1888–1952), baker, policeman, unionist and police commissioner * Frank Smith (1893–1975), cricketer * Richard Moore (1849–1936), MP for and mayor of Kaiapoi *

Norman Kirk Norman Eric Kirk (6 January 1923 – 31 August 1974) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 29th prime minister of New Zealand and as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand), minister of Foreign Affairs from 1972 until h ...

(1923–1974), mayor of Kaiapoi and later prime minister of New Zealand * Azalea Sinclair (born 1930), netballer * Ian Shirley (1940–2019), academic *

Frank Rapley Arthur Frank Rapley (born 2 September 1937) is a former New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Canterbury cricket team, Canterbury from 1958 to 1960. Cricket career An off-spin bowler and useful lower-order batsman, Rapley pla ...

(born 1937), cricketer * Sisters

Erin Baker Erin Margaret Baker (born 23 May 1961) is a former New Zealand triathlete. She won many world championship and Ironman titles. Early life Baker was born in 1961 in Kaiapoi, New Zealand. Upon the suggestion by her mother, Mary, Baker began r ...

(born 1961) and Philippa Baker (born 1963), New Zealand athletes * Brian Ford (born 28 August 1970), cricketer * Bob Irvine (born 1940), rugby league player *

Matt Todd Matthew Brendon Todd (born 24 March 1988) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach for the Crusaders (rugby), Crusaders. Todd played as a rugby union/flanker, flanker for 25 tests for New Zealand ...

(born 1988), Rugby Player – Kaiapoi RFC, Canterbury (72 caps), Crusaders (140) and All Blacks (25) There were at least six test match

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...

who were born in Kaiapoi, including William Balch, New Zealand teacher; George Maber, who had played for Wellington;

Duncan McGregor Duncan McGregor (16 July 188111 March 1947), was a New Zealand rugby union and rugby league footballer. He was a member of the legendary 1905 Original All Blacks and later converted to rugby league when he went on the 1907 New Zealand league ...

, who also played league, as well as John Ashworth (born 1949), who played for them, although he had been born in

Waikari Waikari is a small town in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. Its Anglican parish church is the Church of Ascension, 79 Princes Street, Waikari, where William Orange was vicar in the 1920s. The New Zealand Ministry for Cult ...