Lunchtime party for Crusaders
The post-game euphoria will continue as Christchurch celebrates its Super Rugbywinning Crusaders in a red-andblack-themed lunchtime celebration today.
On Saturday night the 2018 champions defeated South Africa’s Lions in front of 19,600 adoring fans at the first final in the city since 2008.
A reception on the banks of the Avon between Cashel and Hereford streets hosted by Mayor Lianne Dalziel will give fans another chance to savour the victory and celebrate their heroes.
Kicking off at noon, the players will travel through the retail precinct by tram, heading west along Cashel St and then north along Oxford Tce.
They will then meet fans along Oxford Tce before walking across the Bridge of Remembrance to the stage facing the river on Cambridge Terrace. The Terraces opposite on Oxford Tce will be set aside as a mobility viewing area.
Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock and coach Scott Robertson will address the crowd before the team leaves at 1pm.
The Super Rugby trophy will then go on show at the BNZ centre, between Cashel and Hereford streets, until 4pm.
With the glory of this year’s win behind them, the team and Robertson will turn their attention to next year’s challenge – winning the cup again and securing victory for a third consecutive year.
The team achieved this Super Rugby ‘‘three-peat’’ with wins in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Crusaders fan Ben Rzoska, who flew down from Auckland for the final, was confident his team would achieve the feat and said he was already looking forward to it.
‘‘They are quite a young team and with Robertson as coach, they can do it.’’
Rzoska’s eight-year-old son Rico, named after Crusaders winger Rico Gear, supported the team ‘‘100 per cent’’ even though he has never lived in Christchurch.
Following the elation of seeing his team win the final, Rico had his red and black flag signed by Joe Moody and his top signed by Jack Goodhew.
‘‘It was his first final and it was absolutely brilliant,’’ Rzoska said.