Tim Cronin from RugbyShirts.net tells us all about one of the world’s most competitive amateur rugby tournaments
With Canterbury's premier amateur club competition set to begin in just under a fortnight I thought readers in the Northern Hemisphere might be interested in getting a little insight in to what happens on the ground in a city at the bottom of the world, with a population of around 400,000 people, which in recent times has produced the likes of Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Justin Marshall and Andrew Merhtens, and is home to the most successful Super Rugby franchise in the competition's history.
The Christchurch Metropolitan competition is contested by 12 clubs. To be eligible to represent either the Crusaders or the Canterbury ITM Cup side players must be registered to a club in the Canterbury province, the best of which compete in the Metro competition. While the truly elite All Blacks like Carter, McCaw and Read rarely see club footy anymore almost all of the other players in both the Crusaders and the Canterbury side will step back in to the amateur arena at least once a season, and most of them have a considerable amount of contact with their respective clubs, attending training sessions and imparting their knowledge and experience, as well as acting as figureheads for the individual clubs and no doubt inspiring the next generation of young rugby players. Players often return when their professional careers are over too, with former All Black skipper Rueben Thorne notching up his 100th appearance for his club side, High School Old Boys, last year, and even Justin Marshall making the odd appearance for my side, the Sumner Wave.
The competition is also used to give key players returning from injury valuable game time, while the players in the 'wider training squad' for the Crusaders, who are there or thereabouts in terms of Super XV ability, play week in, week out in the club competition until called into action for the 'Saders.
Players from all over the globe head to Christchurch, which makes the club competition one of, if not the, most competitive amateur competitions anywhere in the world. This year my club alone has a Japanese prop with 14 test caps under his belt, an Argentinian Under-20 representative, two current New Zealand Sevens players and a number of exceptionally gifted youngsters who have moved to Christchurch from around the country, in addition to a host of promising home-grown players, while in recent year's we've enjoyed the services of the likes of Saracen's winger James Short, Ulster prop Ricky Lutton and Exeter front-rower Alex Brown. Our list of accomplished players pales in comparison with some of the bigger clubs, who consistently attract exceptionally well-credentialled players to their organisations.
But the fact that aspiring players in the Canterbury club competition get the opportunity to play with and against some of the Southern Hemisphere's finest players isn't in itself the key to the region's phenomenal ability to churn out talented footballers. That comes down, I believe, to the way the resources are openly shared around the rugby community.
There is a general progression through the ranks for coaches in Canterbury, with Crusaders' assistants Aaron Mauger and Tabai Matson, and ITM Cup Head Coach Scott Robertson all having coached club sides in the competition in the last couple of years. Former All Black assistant coach Peter Sloane is currently back coaching a club side for the 2013 season, and there are a number of up-and-coming coaches, who will eventually end up in the Crusaders system, who are still working closely with their club sides. A fortnight ago my club side had current All Blacks' assistant coach Aussie MacLean at training for an hour, while two years ago the Christchurch club, one of the oldest clubs in New Zealand, went on a pre-season trip to Spain (a massive undertaking in itself from this side of the world), and took Steve Hansen as their guest! Needless to say Christchurch won the competition that year, with Crusaders' openside Matt Todd playing almost every game in the months directly before he exploded on to the National scene.
In addition, the likes of All Black Scrum Coach Mike Cron is frequently scene at club trainings, while all coaches employed by the Canterbury Rugby Union, including Mauger, Matson and Robertson, are obligated to help develop and grow club rugby as part of their daily responsibilities. Between them these esteemed coaches will have involvement, to varying degrees, with each and every one of the 12 teams competing in the senior competition.
This isn't necessarily about generating game plans and strategies – if it were then all 12 teams would end up playing exactly the same way the Crusaders do. But the biggest benefit is the skills that these coaches impart. From Mike Cron setting up a teams' scrum at the start of the season to Tabai Matson given some invaluable insights in to the philosophies behind a backlines' attacking and defensive strategies, young players in Canterbury are frequently exposed to some of the most knowledgeable and accomplished coaches the world over.
This interaction has a huge benefit for the Union itself too. I'm convinced that fewer players slip through the net in Christchurch than in any other region in the country. Coaches like Robbie Deans and Rob Penney have left a legacy of talent spotting in the region, and Canterbury's ability to recognise talent, and nurture that potential, is second to none. From a young age players are learning fundamental skills from the very best in the business, and by the time they come of age and are ready to pursue a career as professional rugby players those skills are inherent and ingrained.
While the club competition in Christchurch is full of rivalry and passion, the overall picture is of an organisation which interacts well and freely shares information and knowledge. While there might be less than half a million people living in Christchurch the city lives and breathes rugby, and I see no reason why we won't continue to see some of the world's finest players emerge from our schools and clubs in the coming years.
Tim Cronin is a Rugby fan and full time writer based in the rubble of the Canterbury Crusaders’ home town, Christchurch. Tim is a part of the Pukeko Sportsteam, where his role is watching, writing, and complaining about all things rugby.
