CRL News
FLASHBACK FRIDAY: BULLS OVERRUN LEOPARDS FOR INAUGURAL BARTERCARD CUP TITLE
As the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls prepare for their NZRL National Men’s Premiership South Island qualifying tournament in a fortnight’s time at Ngā Puna Wai, Flashback Friday marks 26 years since one of the Canterbury provincial side’s greatest triumphs since taking on the Bulls moniker – the 2000 Bartercard Cup success. Coached by the…
Read MoreFLASHBACK FRIDAY: CANTERBURY UPSETS GREAT BRITAIN AT THE SHOWGROUNDS
As the 2026 Trillo Metals Men’s and Women’s Canterbury Bulls’ representative preparations get underway, Flashback Friday relives Canterbury’s historic defeat of Great Britain at the Addington Showgrounds in one of the great tour match boilovers. Coming off a trying rebuilding season in 1989, the Frank Endacott-coached Canterbury side went into their 1990 match against Great…
Read MoreFLASHBACK FRIDAY: CANTERBURY WINS 1985 RUGBY LEAGUE CUP
As attention turns to the Trillo Metals Men’s and Women’s Canterbury Bulls’ representatives campaigns after an amazing finish to the club season on CRL Snap Fitness Grand Final Day, Flashback Friday celebrates the provincial team’s memorable 1985 season, in which it clinched the Rugby League Cup. The code was enjoying a resurgence in New Zealand…
Read MoreCRL PREMIERSHIP DECIDERS: A GRAND HISTORY
The Pat Smith Trophy has been Canterbury Rugby League’s ultimate prize for more than half a century, awarded to the winning side in each year’s grand final since a playoffs system replaced the first-past-the-post format to decide the premiership in 1967. Sunday’s CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership decider between Eastern Eagles and Riccarton…
Read MoreFLASHBACK FRIDAY: KNIGHTS SMASH RECORDS IN MAIDEN GRAND FINAL WIN
Though Linwood Keas and Riccarton Knights contested the 2025 grand final, their rivalry is primarily tied in perpetuity to a pair of premiership deciders in the early-2000s. As the clubs prepare for their CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership preliminary final showdown at Linwood Park on Saturday, Flashback Friday relives the historic 2002 grand…
Read MoreFLASHBACK FRIDAY: PANTHERS HALT KEAS’ STREAK TO BOOK FIRST SPOT IN 2017 GF
The CRL Whitehead Plumbing and Gas Men’s Premiership playoffs get underway on Saturday, with Eastern Eagles heading to Linwood Park looking to topple the unbeaten Linwood Keas for the first spot on CRL Snap Fitness Grand Final Day. Flashback Friday relives Hornby Panthers’ 2017 major semi win over the runaway Massetti Cup winners. The Panthers…
Read MoreFlashback Friday: Tigers surge to 1992 title
Papanui Tigers’ return campaign in the CRL Whitehead Plumbing and Gas Men’s Premiership wraps up this Saturday with a crucial home clash against Hornby Panthers, with both clubs aiming to avoid finishing in bottom place on the Massetti Cup ladder. This edition of Flashback Friday revisits the Tigers’ 1992 premiership triumph. The ’92 grand final…
Read MoreFLASBHBACK FRIDAY: CANTERBURY REF IN THE MIDDLE FOR FIRST ORIGIN DECIDER
As the rugby league world diverts its attention to next Wednesday’s State of Origin series opener in Brisbane, Flashback Friday recalls the prominent role of a Cantabrian in the first-ever decider 44 years ago. The runaway success of Origin’s one-off matches in 1980 and ’81 – largely due to Queensland’s stunning upset wins in both…
Read MoreFLASHBACK FRIDAY: ADDINGTON’S LAST PREMIERSHIP
Flashback Friday is shining the spotlight on Canterbury Rugby League’s oldest club – and its last premiership triumph. Canterbury’s oldest club, Addington was established in 1913 and had won five titles – including a famous grand final win in 1982 under the coaching of Frank Endacott – coming into the 1989 season. Their ’89 campaign…
Read MoreFlashback Friday: Warriors’ miracle win in Christchurch
As Ōtautahi Christchurch prepares for a historic showdown at One New Zealand Stadium (Te Kaha) – the Round 16 NRL clash between the One NZ Warriors and North Queensland Cowboys – Flashback Friday relives another iconic venue in the city’s last taste of top-level rugby league, which featured one of the greatest finishes in premiership…
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