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78-424: Steven Robert Sykes (born 5 August 1984 in Middelburg , Eastern Cape, South Africa) is a South African former rugby union player. He played for Oyonnax in the French Top 14 . His regular position was lock. While still at school, Sykes represented Eastern Province at various youth tournaments. He played for them at primary school level at the 1997 Under-13 Craven Week competition and progressed through

156-534: 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 ( 1998 , 1999 , 2000 , 2002 , 2005 , 2006 , 2008 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 , 2022 and 2023 , as well as two regionalised Super Rugby titles in 2020 and 2021 ). Formed in 1996 to represent

234-738: A 13–13 draw in Cape Town . He was then called into the Springbok team for the third test, but he remained an unused substitute as the Lions ran out 28–9 winners. Fifteen appearances followed in the 2009 Currie Cup Premier Division as the Sharks failed to retain their title, losing to the Free State Cheetahs in the semi-final. Sykes made a further thirteen appearances for the Sharks in the 2010 Super 14 season and sixteen appearances in

312-599: A 24–13 win. Following that, they went into the Super Rugby Trans Tasman competition and beat the Brumbies (31–29), Reds (28–63), Waratahs (28–54), Force (29–21) and Rebels (26–52) but just came up short on points needed to be able to make the final. In 2022 and 2023, the Crusaders won their 11th and 12th full Super Rugby title (14th Overall) in the newly formed Super Rugby Pacific competition by beating

390-666: A 52–10 demolition. They next played the Highlanders who had previously only lost one match in the season, to the undefeated and table-topping Stormers . The Crusaders won comfortably 44–13 in Dunedin. The next team they played, the Sharks , had like the Highlanders previously only lost one match in the season before the Crusaders won 44–28 at Twickenham for a one-off match due to earthquake damage at their own ground. They played

468-512: A greater 'points for and against' difference. The Crusaders lost their semi-final to the Bulls 36–23 at Loftus Versfeld , Pretoria in front of a capacity 52,000 crowd. The Bulls went on to win the 2009 Super 14 title beating the Chiefs 61–17. Statistically, the Crusaders had the best defensive record of the 2009 competition – conceding just 198 points. However, points for, and total tries scored

546-600: A last-round win over the Coastal Sharks (now the Sharks ) that gave them second place in the round-robin phase of the competition. Their second-placing allowed them to host their semi-final at Lancaster Park, where they won the match 36–32 against the Coastal Sharks. In the final at Eden Park , the Crusaders faced the Blues, who were heavy favourites. According to Crusaders' hooker Mark Hammett , "If we'd been polled in that week, and had to give an honest answer, most of

624-468: A margin of seven points or less. Their eleven round-robin games also included a record 96–19 win over the Waratahs in the final match of the round-robin stage, which was especially noteworthy given that both teams finished at the top of the table. The Crusaders met the Highlanders in their 2002 semi-final, which they eventually won 34–23 after being ahead 18–6 at half time. The following week, they faced

702-618: A new home grounds for the Crusaders. The stadium will seat 30,000 spectators, and will feature a fixed roof, becoming the second fully-covered stadium in New Zealand after Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin . The current planned date for opening is April 2026. The Crusaders have fielded a development team in competitions such as the Pacific Rugby Cup and in matches against other representative teams for several seasons. Known as

780-410: A sole win and a draw from the Crusaders' first five matches; this included a 6–0 loss to the Highlanders. The side found its feet later in the season, and won key away games which ultimately saw them finish in fourth place on the table – just ahead of the Waratahs. Both the Crusaders and Waratahs finished the season with 41 competition points, but the Crusaders advanced through to the semi-finals due to

858-465: A three-year contract with Irish Pro12 and Heineken Cup side Leinster . However, he made just four appearances for the Dublin -based side before returning to South Africa. He once returned to the Sharks, signing for them on a one-year contract. He continued where he left off, making seventeen appearances for them during the 2012 Super Rugby season – scoring two tries – and played in eight matches for

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936-840: Is also the birthplace of playwright Athol Fugard . Other well known South Africans who were born or lived in Middelburg include Eddie Stuart (Footballer), Steven Sykes (Rugby player), Keanu Vers (Rugby Player), Arthur Lennox Ochse (Cricketer), John James Clements (recipient of the Victoria Cross), Eric Rosenthal (historian and author), Cecily Norden (Horse industry), John Phillip Harison Acocks (botanist), Colin Turpin, Reader in Law at Clare College, Cambridge . Crusaders (rugby union) The Crusaders ( Māori : Whatumoana ; formerly Canterbury Crusaders ) are

1014-617: The 2010 Currie Cup Premier Division , as they recaptured the title, beating Western Province 30–10 in the final in Durban. A further fifteen appearances followed during the 2011 Super Rugby season , Sykes weighing in with tries against the Force and the Brumbies as they reached the play-offs before being eliminated by the Crusaders . After seven-and-a-half years in Durban, Sykes signed

1092-492: The 2011 Christchurch earthquake . The Crusaders struggled in the first season of the Super 12, 1996, finishing last. Their performance improved in 1997 and the team finished sixth (out of twelve teams). The team went on to win three titles from 1998 to 2000 despite each final being played away from home. They again won the competition in 2002 after going through the season unbeaten. In the following two seasons, they again reached

1170-690: The 2016–17 season . Middelburg, Eastern Cape In 1837 the Cape Colony government proclaimed the district of Colesberg , and established the Town of Middelburg in 1852, so named since it is midway between Graaff-Reinet and Colesberg . It is also approximately halfway between Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein . The town and surrounding areas are rich in history from the Anglo Boer War . The adjacent Grootfontein College of Agriculture

1248-515: The Blues , the Crusaders , the Highlanders and the Bulls . The Super 14 season was followed by the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa , with Sykes involved on three occasions. Firstly, he played for the Sharks against the British & Irish Lions in their fourth tour match. He also featured in a match between the Lions and an Emerging Springboks side, playing the first hour of

1326-718: The Chiefs , followed by a win over the Reds at Trafalgar Park . Although there was a 35–20 loss to the Bulls after Crusaders captain Richie McCaw was knocked unconscious, they eventually finished the regular season top of the table. McCaw returned from his five weeks on the sideline to lead the Crusaders in their semi-final victory over the Hurricanes. They faced the Waratahs in the final at Jade Stadium. Leading 14–6 at halftime,

1404-740: The Hurricanes in Wellington and made a total of thirteen appearances. He also played in both legs of the relegation play-off series against the Lions , scoring a try in the first match, but could not prevent the Kings losing the series 42–44 on aggregate to lose their Super Rugby status for 2014. Domestically, he made six starts for the Eastern Province Kings during the 2013 Currie Cup First Division season, scoring tries against

1482-472: The Hurricanes was cancelled, and match declared a draw after the Christchurch earthquake on 22 February which caused 182 deaths. In their first match after the earthquake they played the Waratahs , a team that had only conceded six points in their previous two games. The Crusaders triumphed 33–18 in a convincing display in front of a sold-out stadium. They next played the Brumbies and brushed them aside in

1560-525: The Lions 25–17 in the final on 5 August 2017 at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg. In 2018, the Crusaders again played the Lions in the final. This time they won 37–18 at home to capture their ninth title. In 2019, they defeated the Jaguares from Argentina 19–3 at home to win their 3rd consecutive Super Rugby title, and 10th championship overall. After 7 rounds of the 2020 Super Rugby season,

1638-801: The Pumas , Boland Cavaliers and Border Bulldogs as the Kings reached the final of the competition, only to lose to the Pumas in Nelspruit. The EP Kings were promoted to the Premier Division of the Currie Cup for 2014 following a decision by SARU to increase the division from six teams to eight. Sykes was one of a number of players rested for the duration of the 2014 Vodacom Cup in an attempt to get them to optimum conditioning for their Currie Cup campaign. However, this plan failed to work, with

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1716-599: The Sharks in the 2012 Currie Cup Premier Division . During the 2012 season, it was announced that he would join the Southern Kings for their first season of Super Rugby in 2013 , returning to the region he originally came from on a two-year deal. He made his debut for the Southern Kings in their historic first-ever Super Rugby match, helping them to a 22–10 victory against the Force in Port Elizabeth . He scored one try for them in their 30–46 defeat to

1794-463: The Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup side in 2006, making a total of 22 appearances and contributing one try in their match against Griquas . In 2007, Sykes became involved in the Super Rugby side for the first time. He started their first three matches of the 2007 Super 14 season – after his debut against the Bulls in a 17–3 victory, he also played in their 22–9 victory over the Waratahs and

1872-647: The 23–16 win over the Highlanders , all three of those matches in Durban . However, Johan Ackermann returned for the remainder of the competition and Sykes made five starts for the Wildebeest in the 2007 Vodacom Cup . We made fourteen appearances (or which thirteen were starts) in the 2007 Currie Cup Premier Division , scoring tries against Griquas and the Blue Bulls . He started off 2008 playing Vodacom Cup rugby and made three starts before being recalled to

1950-560: The All Blacks until the end of the 2003 Rugby World Cup . The Crusaders' winning run finally came to an end when they were beaten 39–5 by the Blues in the third round of the 2003 Super 12 season. Although their 15-match unbeaten streak had ended, Richie McCaw said of the loss, "...in some ways it was almost a relief. We'd finally been beaten, the run was over, so people could stop talking about it and we could get on with playing it week by week." The Crusaders recovered to finish second on

2028-534: The Blues (21–7) and the Chiefs (25–20). At the end of the 2023 Grand Final, the Scott Robertson dynasty was complete and it marked the end of an era for Crusader #26 as a former player and as head coach. According to the club, the Crusaders' name was chosen to reflect the "crusading nature of Canterbury rugby". A potential name was also the Plainsmen ; however, this was not chosen, as "Crusaders" recalled

2106-469: The Brumbies at Canberra Stadium in a replay of the 2000 final. The Brumbies dominated in the final, scoring 33 unanswered points in the first 19 minutes. The Crusaders managed to salvage some pride by narrowing the loss to a 47–38 finish. The 2005 season started with a repeat of the previous year's final: a Brumbies victory over the Crusaders in Canberra. There was a win the following week at home over

2184-403: The Brumbies in the first final to be hosted at Jade Stadium. The Brumbies trailed 11–3 after the first half, having had only 30 per cent possession. Although the Brumbies closed the gap to 14–13 with eight minutes to go, the Crusaders held on and steadied to win 31–13 with a last-minute try to Caleb Ralph . The season was their first under the captaincy of Reuben Thorne , who went on to captain

2262-431: The Crusaders 26 game winning streak at home. As the Bulls defeated the Reds 92–3 in the same round, they overtook the Crusaders to finish second in the round robin. The Crusaders then travelled to Pretoria to face the Bulls in their semi-final where they lost 27–12. The 2008 season was another highly successful one for the Crusaders. After finishing top of the table at the end of the last round, they comfortably defeated

2340-498: The Crusaders a 10–6 lead at half-time. The Blues hit back to lead 21–10 with ten minutes to go. The Crusaders managed another converted try, but it was not enough, and the Blues won 21–17. The Crusaders' 2004 season began with two losses: first to the Waratahs, then to the Blues. They recovered to again finish second on the table with seven wins. They played the Stormers at Jade Stadium in their semi-final, and won 27–16. They met

2418-457: The Crusaders adopted Rugby League Park (which has been renamed Christchurch Stadium temporarily) in Addington as their home ground for that and future seasons to recentralise their games in one location as opposed to the road show that was the 2011 season. The ground had a limited makeover, taking it to an 18,600 capacity stadium and bringing its facilities to the minimum standards required by

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2496-550: The Crusaders hosted the final at AMI Stadium against the Waratahs, and won the match 20–12 to claim their seventh title. Their eighth championship came in 2017 against the Lions . The Crusaders hosted the Lions in the 2018 final and won 37–18, securing their ninth title. The Crusaders won their tenth Super Rugby title at home against the Jaguares in 2019 . The Crusaders won their 11th and 12th title in both editions of Super Rugby Aotearoa in 2020 and 2021 . They won their 13th title (their 11th full Super Rugby title), by winning

2574-464: The Crusaders then moved out to a 29-point lead. Despite three late tries by the Waratahs, the Crusaders won their fifth title with a 35–20 win. As a reward for their seventh finals appearance and fifth title, the Crusaders were allowed to keep the Super 12 trophy. After the 2005 season, the franchise saw the departure of stalwarts Andrew Mehrtens and Justin Marshall , both of whom had played for

2652-634: The Crusaders were leading the NZ conference and were in 3rd overall (behind the Sharks and Brumbies) but the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the competition after the 7th round. However, in June 2020 a domestic Super Rugby competition started called Super Rugby Aotearoa. The Crusaders won the overall title in Super Rugby Aotearoa 2020, winning 7 out of 8 games. Their 36-game win streak at Orangetheory Stadium

2730-445: The Crusaders won 24–19. The decisive try of the match was scored by Crusaders winger Afato So'oalo when he chipped the ball, then out-sprinted All Blacks winger Jeff Wilson to collect the ball and score. Following the All Blacks' semi-final loss in the 1999 Rugby World Cup , Wayne Smith succeeded John Hart as All Blacks coach. Crusaders manager Robbie Deans replaced Smith as Crusaders coach. In Deans' first year in charge,

2808-497: The Crusaders won their third title in a row − a feat that would be repeated in the 2017-2018-2019 seasons. The Crusaders finished second in the round-robin, earning them the right to host a semi-final in which they faced the Highlanders at Jade Stadium. Two tries in the final 20 minutes by Marika Vunibaka helped the Crusaders to a 37–15 win. The 2000 Super 12 Final was played against the Brumbies in Canberra, Australia , where

2886-593: The Eastern Province Kings' financial situation, all of their players were free to cancel their contracts and join other teams. However, Sykes was one of the first batch of twenty players that signed a contract to play Super Rugby in 2016 for a Southern Kings team whose operations were taken over by the South African Rugby Union . During the 2016 Super Rugby season, French side Oyonnax announced that Sykes would join them for

2964-472: The English heritage of the city of Christchurch. The club adopted Canterbury's traditional sporting colours of red and black, as worn by Canterbury . In the aftermath of the 15 March 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch , New Zealand which killed 51 people and injured 50 more, the Crusaders considered the idea changing the team name because

3042-628: The Hurricanes 33–22 in the semi-final, and went on to beat the Waratahs in the final 20–12. It was a fitting way to send off long-serving coach Robbie Deans before he departed to coach Australia . It was also the last game for Crusaders stalwarts Caleb Ralph and former captain Reuben Thorne. In July that year former captain Todd Blackadder was appointed Crusaders coach, and his former teammates Mark Hammett and Daryl Gibson were appointed as assistants. The 2009 season started with

3120-476: The Kings losing their first nine matches before winning their final match against fellow promoted side, the Pumas . Sykes made six starts in the competition before a knee injury ruled him out of the final stages of the competition. He was loaned to the Cheetahs for the 2015 Super Rugby season . He was mainly used as a replacement for the first-choice lock pairing of Francois Uys and Carl Wegner , playing off

3198-605: The Sharks' Vodacom Cup side played under) during the 2005 Vodacom Cup competition, coming on as an early substitute in a 43–0 victory over the Border Bulldogs in Durban . He started their next match against the Pumas in Witbank and remained in the starting line-up for the remainder of the competition. He made his Currie Cup debut during the Qualification Round of the 2005 Currie Cup , playing off

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3276-481: The South African Conference and 12th overall. He returned to the Eastern Province Kings for their 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division campaign. He made eight starts during the competition and scored a try in their Round Two match against his former side, the Sharks . He helped his side improve on their 2014 record , winning two matches and finishing the season in seventh position. As a result of

3354-649: The Super Rugby competition. The Crusaders' management proposed playing a 2005 regular season match in Melbourne when Jade Stadium was unavailable. Although five of the seven unions within the Crusaders region supported having the regular season game in Melbourne, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) vetoed the proposal. In 2006, the Crusaders did play a pre-season match in Melbourne against

3432-742: The Western Force at Olympic Park Stadium . They did the same in the 2008 preseason as well, also against the Force. Due to the 2011 earthquake, the Crusaders played four games at Trafalgar Park, and two in Timaru during their 2011 season. They also played a "home" game in Wellington in Round 18 against Hurricanes, and a special home match against the Sharks at Twickenham in London. The London match

3510-570: The ball for James Kerr to run onto and score, giving the Crusaders a 20–13 win after the try was converted . The ten points scored by Andrew Mehrtens in the final contributed to his total of 206 points for the season − a record for the Super 12. Upon the Crusaders' return to Christchurch, they were given a parade through the city that drew 100,000 people. We're a regional selection... and it's important to remember that, besides Canterbury, we also represent Nelson Bays, Marlborough, Buller, West Coast, Mid-Canterbury and South Canterbury The 1999 season

3588-524: The bench against the Mighty Elephants . The Sharks topped their section to qualify for the Premier Division. Sykes was once again involved, making his first Currie Cup start in the first match of the Premier Division and scoring a try after just 25 minutes to help the Sharks to a 55–17 victory over the Leopards , eventually making five appearances in the competition. He remained involved in both

3666-584: The bench on no less than eleven occasions during the season, but he did start in three matches against New Zealand opposition – against the Crusaders , and the Chiefs during their tour of New Zealand and against the Highlanders in Bloemfontein . Sykes scored a try in their 42–29 victory over the Bulls in Pretoria in their final match of the season, but could not prevent the Cheetahs finish bottom of

3744-423: The boys, deep down, would probably have thought that the Blues would beat us." The Crusaders were ahead 3–0 at half time, but the Blues scored first after half time to take a 10–3 lead after 53 minutes. After Crusader Norm Maxwell scored a try, the game was tied 10 all. Then, after a penalty each, the two teams were tied 13 all with one minute of regulation time remaining. At that moment, Andrew Mehrtens chipped

3822-738: The college offers a two-year Certificate in Agriculture and a three-year Diploma in Agriculture, both accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee. The Cape Province branch of the National Party was constituted at a congress held in Middelburg on 15 September 1914, two months after the National Party's founding in Smithfield, Orange Free State Province . Over 300 delegates attended

3900-423: The field, the Blues scored two tries, including one by Brooke, who was later suspended for two weeks for the shoulder charge. In their last game of 1997, the Crusaders beat the Queensland Reds 48–3 at Lancaster Park . The Crusaders won their first title in 1998, despite starting the season with three losses in their first four games. They finished the round-robin by winning their last seven games, culminating in

3978-446: The final, although they were beaten on both occasions. 2005 was the last season of the Super 12 before its expansion. After finishing top of the table in that season, the Crusaders went on to host the final in which they defeated the Waratahs . As a result of winning their fifth Super 12 title, the Crusaders were given the trophy to keep. In 2006, the Crusaders hosted the Hurricanes in the inaugural Super 14 final and won 19–12. In 2008

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4056-415: The first hour of the match as the Sharks ran out 14–9 winners against the Blue Bulls to win their first Currie Cup since 1996. Now firmly established as a first-choice lock for the Sharks in Super Rugby, Sykes played in all thirteen of their matches during the 2009 Super 14 season , starting twelve of those. He also got his best ever points haul during a competition, scoring four tries – one each against

4134-419: The first in the new home ground of Christchurch Stadium , saw the Crusaders again reach the playoffs. However, they were defeated by the (eventual champion) Chiefs in the semi-final. In 2017, Scott Robertson took over as head coach. The Crusaders lost 12–3 to the British & Irish Lions at Christchurch, during the Lions tour to New Zealand . The team went on to win their 8th Super Rugby title, defeating

4212-468: The game 20–19. After winning three consecutive Super 12 titles, the Crusaders finished tenth in 2001 – their worst finish since 1996. The season was the last for captain Todd Blackadder before he left to play for Edinburgh in Scotland. The Crusaders bounced back dramatically in 2002 when they went through the Super 12 season unbeaten, achieving their fourth title. Although the Crusaders won all eleven of their round-robin matches, six of them were won by

4290-431: The inaugural Super Rugby Pacific final in 2022 against the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland . The Crusaders won their 12th (14th overall) Super Rugby title after beating the Chiefs 25–20 in the 2023 final in Hamilton . The Crusaders have been led by only three CEOs throughout their 28-year history; former New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Tew , Hamish Riach and incumbent Colin Mansbridge. The Crusaders franchise

4368-458: The match. The scorers were tied 9–9 going into the game's last 20 minutes. The Crusaders' Casey Laulala then scored the game's only try before the match finished 19–12. In the 2007 Super 14 season, seven Crusaders players missed the first seven rounds of the competition to participate in an All Black "conditioning programme". The conditioning programme was part of the All Blacks' 2007 Rugby World Cup preparations; 22 players were selected for

4446-407: The meeting that would also choose Dr D.F. Malan , later Prime Minister of South Africa , as the provincial party's first chairman. The R56 , the shortest route between the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal begins at Middelburg. The town's hospital is Wilhelm Stahl Provincial Hospital . Jozua François Naudé , Pastor in the Dutch Reformed Church, was born in Middelburg EC in 1873. Middelburg

4524-447: The programme. The Crusaders' seven players in the programme was more than any other New Zealand Super 14 franchise. The Crusaders players were Chris Jack , Richie McCaw, Greg Somerville, Reuben Thorne, Dan Carter, Leon MacDonald, and Aaron Mauger . All but one of the seven returned to play for the Crusaders in their eighth round match against the Stormers (Greg Somerville did not return due to injury). The Crusaders climbed to second on

4602-474: The regions controlled by the Buller, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury, Tasman and West Coast rugby unions. Before 2006, when the NPC was reorganised, Canterbury was the only union playing division one (now Bunnings NPC ) within the Crusaders' catchment. As a result, the majority of Crusaders players were also listed with Canterbury. Today, the Crusaders' catchment contains two Bunnings NPC sides – Canterbury and Tasman. The Crusaders' main home ground

4680-415: The second match in a sell-out crowd at Fraser Park in Timaru against the Bulls winning 27–0. Round 9 they played the Chiefs in Mt Maunganui and gained four tries winning 34–16 with Richie McCaw returning after eight weeks off with injury. The Crusaders lost the final at the Suncorp Stadium to the Queensland Reds . Will Genia scored a crucial try for the Reds to help them to an 18–13 win. The 2012 season,

4758-410: The squad for the 2008 Super 14 season . He made eight appearances for the side and also scored his first Super Rugby try in a 47–25 victory over New Zealand side the Chiefs . He remained a key player for them in the Currie Cup, making thirteen appearances during the 2008 Currie Cup Premier Division , helping the Sharks reach the final of the competition for the first time in 5 years. Steven Sykes played

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4836-462: The symbolism and imagery was considered to be "offensive to some in the community due to its association with the religious Crusades between Christians and Muslims " according to New Zealand Rugby Executive Steve Tew but ultimately though it was kept and remained unchanged for the 2020 season. The Crusaders management led by Colin Mansbridge, revealed a new logo to replace the knight and sword in late 2019. The Crusaders' franchise area consists of

4914-435: The table before defeating the Western Force 53–0 at Jade Stadium in the tenth round. The victory over the Force was the one hundredth Super rugby win for the Crusaders – the first franchise to reach the milestone. The Crusaders were top of the table going into the last round of the Super 14 before the play-offs. To guarantee a home semi-final they needed to defeat the Chiefs at Jade Stadium. The Chiefs won 30–24 – and ended

4992-423: The table with eight wins. They hosted a semi-final against the Hurricanes, who were coached by Colin Cooper, a former assistant coach for the Crusaders. Despite this inside knowledge of the team by the Wellington coach, the Crusaders won the match 39–16. In the final, the Crusaders met the Blues, another team coached by a former Crusaders assistant coach, Peter Sloane . Hooker Mark Hammett scored two tries to give

5070-422: The team finished the round-robin stage in sixth place. The improvement was particularly illustrated by the Crusaders' 29–28 loss to the defending champions, the Blues, which contrasted with their 49–18 loss the previous season. (The Blues also went on to win the 1997 title). During this loss, Leon MacDonald was taken out with a shoulder charge by Robin Brooke. While the Crusaders attempted to get MacDonald back on

5148-414: The team since its formation in 1996. In 2006, the Super 12 expanded to form the Super 14 when the Western Force from Perth , Australia, and the Cheetahs from the Free State and Northern Cape Provinces , South Africa joined the competition. An unbeaten run of sixteen matches was nearly halted when the Crusaders drew with the Western Force in Perth in round eleven. The following week, the unbeaten run

5226-401: The upper South Island of New Zealand in the Super 12, the Crusaders represent the Buller , Canterbury , Mid-Canterbury , South Canterbury , Tasman and West Coast provincial Rugby Unions. Their main home ground since 2012 is Rugby League Park (known for sponsorship reasons as Apollo Projects Stadium). They formerly played out of Jade Stadium prior to it being damaged beyond repair in

5304-399: The weather for the final was icy, with sleet and snow. The game was low-scoring, with only one try each. Four penalties by Mehrtens gave the Crusaders a 12–6 half time lead. Following a Brumbies penalty four minutes from time, the Brumbies led 19–17. However, the Crusaders were awarded a penalty from the resulting kick-off, and after Mehrtens converted the penalty, the Crusaders went on to win

5382-420: The youth sides to the Under-18 Craven Week team in 2002. In 2003, Sykes moved to Durban to join the Sharks academy. He was also selected in the South African Under-19 side that played at the Under 19 Rugby World Championship in 2003 and also represented the Sharks Under-20 side in the Under-20 Provincial Competition in 2003 and 2004. He made his first class debut for the Natal Wildebeest (the name that

5460-414: Was a fundraiser for earthquake relief, and was the first Super Rugby match ever contested outside of the three participating countries. In the first 30 hours of ticket sales, over 30,000 were purchased; a spokesman for United Ticketmaster indicated that the response was the strongest he had experienced for a rugby match outside of internationals. In January 2023 construction began on Te Kaha Stadium as

5538-529: Was captained by All Blacks prop Richard Loe and coached by Vance Stewart. The Crusaders struggled in the inaugural season and finished bottom of the table with only two wins. Their eight losses included a 49–18 loss to the Blues and a 52–16 loss to the Queensland Reds . And the First ever tour was a pre-visit to South Africa prior start of Super 12. The following season saw a change in captain and coach, with Todd Blackadder succeeding Loe as captain and Wayne Smith taking over as coach. With five wins,

5616-526: Was created as one of five New Zealand teams in the Super 12. Originally named the Canterbury Crusaders , the Crusaders' franchise area encompassed the upper South Island of New Zealand (see Super Rugby franchise areas ), and was formed from the Buller, Canterbury, Marlborough , Mid-Canterbury, Nelson Bays , South Canterbury, and West Coast rugby unions. The original Crusaders team of 1996

5694-462: Was ended when the Crusaders lost to the Stormers in Cape Town. That loss was their only one of the year, as they finished top of the table with eleven wins. After beating the Bulls in their semi-final, the Crusaders faced the Hurricanes in the final at Jade Stadium that was played in a thick fog, causing poor visibility. Sections of the crowd could not see the field, and many spectators left during

5772-590: Was equally successful for the Crusaders despite struggling to make the play-offs in fourth place after winning their last four round-robin matches. They defeated the favoured Queensland Reds (who had finished top in the round-robin) in their semi-final to advance to the final against the Otago Highlanders (since renamed the Highlanders ). The all- South Island final in Dunedin was promoted as "the party at Tony Brown's house" after Highlanders first five-eighths Tony Brown . Again playing away from home,

5850-604: Was established as a military camp and training centre for British troops . About 7,000 troops from the Third Manchester Regiment were stationed at Grootfontein - some of them were married, so about 3,000 women and children also lived at Grootfontein. In 1910 the Union of South Africa took control of the farm after which the Grootfontein School of Agriculture was established in 1911. Today

5928-406: Was however broken by the Hurricanes in Round 7, who defeated them 32–34. They also dropped the physical trophy in post-match celebrations, chipping the pounamu mere on it. The Crusaders returned to Super Rugby Aotearoa in 2021 and made it all the way to the final, despite losses to the Highlanders (12–33) and the Chiefs (26–25) where they faced the Chiefs and won their 5th consecutive title in

6006-775: Was the 36,000-capacity AMI Stadium in Christchurch. However, they stopped playing there during the 2011 Super Rugby season due to damage inflicted by the February Christchurch earthquake. The Crusaders usually took one game each year to another part of the franchise area, most often when the New Zealand cricket team was playing at AMI Stadium. Previous venues included Trafalgar Park in Nelson , and Fraser Park in Timaru . With AMI Stadium still out of commission,

6084-432: Was the second lowest in the competition with just 231 points and 27 tries. In 2010 the Crusaders had a very good start to the season before a poor finish with three losses in four games caused them to have to travel to Orlando Stadium , Soweto to face the Bulls . They lost the semi-final 39–24. The 2011 season had a minor hiccup at the very beginning with a two-point loss to the Blues . Their second round match against

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