Welcome from Community
Tena koe
This is a week in the season that delivers for all who are passionately involved in the game.
It’s finals weekend for the senior grades around the province and the culmination for those grades of the many hours that our volunteers, players, coaches and referees contribute each season. Good luck to all teams and those involved.
It’s not just club rugby this week, as with our commercial partners we launched the 2024 FPC and NPC season at Linwood on Wednesday night and have publicly released our teams. It’s a massive shout out to our pathway development with a significant number of debut players set to take the field for Canterbury.
If you haven’t connected with our 2024 jersey here is where you can do that - lets stand proud, together.
Junior, Teenage and the Miles Toyota schools competitions restart after a break for the holidays so there remains rugby for all.
I look forward to seeing as many of you out there supporting your teams this weekend, finals days are a signature day in the calendar and once again thankyou all for the part you play in Canterbury Rugby.
Nga mihi
Tony Smail
Chief Executive Officer
Canterbury Rugby Football Union
It’s finals footy time
Finals Footy is here and we have a massive weekend with action taking place across Canterbury.
It all starts on Saturday with
Five Ellesmere Finals at Kirwee
Five North Canterbury Finals at Kaiapoi
Ten Metro Grade Finals across Christchurch
Then on Sunday we round out the weekend with the Metro Premier Final 2:45pm at Rugby Park.This is a wonderful opportunity for the Canterbury Rugby Community to put on your club colours, get out to cheer on your teams and celebrate all that is great about Canterbury club rugby! To check out the draws and follow results here.
Congratulations to all sides on making the finals, also to all of the Match Officials appointed to the various finals – well done on your efforts throughout the season to earn these appointments. Give it your all, have fun and remember to Keep it Positive on our sidelines.
There is also a heap of Teenage and Junior Rugby ahead this weekend!
The community team will have one eye on the upcoming representative season with the NPC team out in the community with a Preseason match v Otago at Foster Park Rolleston on Friday 2nd August 2:05pm. Our FPC team is travelling to Waimate, and our community representative rugby including the highly anticipated Tane Norton Cup Competition getting underway on the 3rd August.
Check out our Representative Draw here.
Blair McIlroys huge shift for Darfield
It’s not often players will mark up 300 senior club footy games, and fewer still who can say they began their days at the same club they put on boots for the very first time.
Blair McIlroy of Darfield Rugby Club started his rugby career at four years old. With no rippa back in the late 80’s, he jumped straight into tackle and has seemingly never looked back. McIlroy says it’s the “likeminded lads” and culture of the club that has kept him around for 34 years, “you meet a lot of good people” he said, “some guys live in town now, but they still make the effort to come out”.
Making his senior debut in 2003 as a teenager, McIlroy has had a unique perspective of watching players grow from their own first games of rugby as a junior all the way to running alongside him on the field, “They were playing midgets when I was playing senior rugby, now they’re sitting beside me in the shed sharing a beer” he said.
Not one to shy away from the hard stuff, McIlroy loves being part of the forwards “I quite like the physical part of rugby and there’s no better place to be than flanker to get out and about and make a few tackles”.
The club has seen McIlroy reach epic heights of playing for the Canterbury B team, Canterbury Country and Buller. These days, as well as continuing to play for Darfield’s Div 1 side, McIlroy coaches his son’s team, giving back to the club that he says has given him so much over the years.
McIlroy and his team will go against Prebbleton in the Ellesmere final this Saturday, a repeat of the 2022 match which he says his is favourite memory of his impressive Darfield career, “winning the Coleman shield, back in 2022, the first time in the club’s history. It was pretty special to be a part of that. We beat them in the last part of the game with a conversion” he recalled.
Get along to Kirwee Domain on Saturday to watch Darfield and Prebbleton, kicking off at 3pm, go head to head yet again for the Ellesmere Division 1 final, and see first hand who will be taking home the Coleman Shield for 2024.
Canterbury Rugby and Misco Joinery Forge Major Partnership Ahead of The Bunnings Warehouse NPC and FPC Seasons
Canterbury Rugby is thrilled to announce an elevated partnership with Misco Joinery, marking a significant milestone as Misco Joinery joins as a Major Partner for the upcoming Bunnings Warehouse NPC and FPC seasons. The partnership will see the Misco Joinery’s brand proudly displayed on the jerseys of both the Canterbury men's and women's teams.
Glenn Colenso, Director of Misco Joinery, expressed his excitement about the partnership, highlighting the parallels between the two entities. "There's a shared ethos of loyalty and pride in wearing our respective logos," said Glenn.
Glenn's personal connection to rugby runs deep, having played before transitioning to refereeing. "Rugby has always been a part of my life, there is a true sense of belonging and connection to your club & Canterbury Rugby" Glenn noted. "Partnering with Canterbury Rugby, from grassroots clubs to the NPC and FPC teams, is a natural extension of our commitment to the sport that unites our community."
Canterbury Rugby Partnerships Manager Zac Topping expressed gratitude for Misco Joinery's expanded partnership, recognizing the mutual benefits for both organizations and the wider community. "We are delighted to welcome Misco Joinery as a Major Partner. Their support is invaluable as we continue to build on our legacy of excellence both on and off the field," said Topping
The Canterbury Rugby and Misco Joinery’s partnership exemplifies a shared vision for fostering a sense of belonging and connection. As the NPC and FPC seasons approach, both organisations look forward to celebrating successes on and off the field, united under the banner of Canterbury Rugby.
Wednesdays are for the Miles Toyota girls first XV
The Miles Toyota Girls First XV tournament is due to begin next week, with an impressive number of schools continuously getting amongst it.
Nine teams will come together in the Wednesday afternoon competition held at Burnside Park during this term, with teams across Canterbury submitting teams.
There is an exciting increase in St Andrews College players as they enter the competition with their own team, after combining with Rangiora High School in 2023. Emma Dermody, Canterbury Rugby Game Developer - Women and Girls, who also plays in the Canterbury Farah Palmer Cup team says, “it’s very exciting to have STAC join this year as a couple of them combined with Rangiora last year, so to be on their own is amazing”.
Girls’ rugby is certainly on the rise in Canterbury, and it’s not difficult to see why with the huge increase in awareness and attention the girls and women space has received. A pre round competition of 10 a side was held by CRFU in term 2, which gained a lot of interest from High Schools across the region. “The schools are great at getting behind it and the number of players especially in this age group is definitely growing” says Dermody, “You have young girls that their favourite rugby player is now a Black Fern”.
Alongside STAC’s team and the two from CGHS, the competition consists of teams entered from Rolleston College/ Lincoln High School Combined, Villa Maria College, Avonside Girls High School, Rangi Ruru Girls School / St Margarets College / Marian College Combined, Kaiapoi High School and Rangiora High School.
The competition begins Wednesday 31st July at Burnside Park, with games kicking off from 3:30pm.
Win a Canterbury Rugby training session for your favourite junior team!
Book a property appraisal with Ray White and your favourite junior team could win an exclusive training session with the Canterbury NPC team at Rugby Park. After the kids have worked up a sweat and an appetitte, they’ll get to enjoy a BBQ with the Canterbury players!
There are 6 spots to be won, with the sessions held 3:45pm-5:15pm Tuesday, 13th August.
NPC and FPC tickets are now on sale!
You could be as happy as these two! Just head to the link below and make sure you get your tickets to the game!
NPC Preseason August 2nd!
See the boys go toe to toe with the blue and gold in this years FREE preseaon game. Knock off work, grab the kids from school and head down to Foster Park - is there a better way to start your weekend? Show your support and click ‘attending’ on our Facebook event
