OUR HISTORY

The North Canterbury Rugby Sub-Union was formed at a meeting on the 18th March 1905, later in 1988 it merged with Hurunui Rugby Sub Union. This extended our catchment area from the Waimakariri River to the Conway river, from the alps to the sea, and for 2017- 2019 extends to the Kaikoura District.

The North Canterbury Rugby Sub-Union (NCRSU) is required under its constitution to foster and encourage the game of rugby at all levels within its boundaries. This demands that NCRSU provide the significant administrative, management and promotional services to the wider rugby community of North Canterbury, and in doing so it places a special emphasis on its responsibility of promoting the sport at youth levels.

Grades of non-competition and competition play, range from U6 to Open Grades, with approximately of 139 teams involved representing 12 individual clubs. Approximately 3000 players are involved on a weekly basis.

A most important aspect of the role of the North Canterbury Rugby Sub Union is the promotion and the development of rugby players a game for all, with an aspirational pathway available to them and an emphasis on participation rather than “performance”.

These representative sides have helped launched the careers of many famous players, with 29 players having been selected as an All Black from their North Canterbury Clubs.  Many others having had their formative years of rugby while playing in North Canterbury, the most recent of whom is the outstanding All Black lock forward, Brodie Retallick, from Amberley, Matt Todd from Kaiapoi, Joe Moody from Woodend and Fletcher Newell from Ashley.