Super heroes feted
The Crusaders’ conquest
The Canterbury Crusaders won their first Super 12 title in 1998 and a parade naturally ensued. ‘‘Any team which can emerge from
80 minutes of repeated Vangelis music and keep smiling deserves to be feted by the Canterbury public,’’ Press reporter Mike Crean wrote on June 4. ‘‘The Crusaders are such a team.
‘‘For 80 minutes yesterday, they paraded down Colombo Street in the backs of eight utility vehicles, accompanied by radio trucks with amplifiers locked into repeat blaring of Conquest of Paradise, which has become the team’s theme tune.
‘‘Ahead of them went eight knights on horseback, while, behind, an electronic scoreboard proclaimed the rugby team’s Super-12 triumph.
‘‘The parade broke all records. Christchurch City Council organisers estimated it attracted a crowd of more than 100,000, outstripping the 1995 America’s Cup crowd of 60,000.
‘‘The large silver cup rode on the leading vehicle, under the watchful eye of minder Steve Lancaster. With him was captain Todd Blackadder, seeming not to notice placards exhorting him to stand for mayor.’’
Crean wrote that it took the parade more than an hour to inch its way through the central city, as players and team management shook hands with as many supporters as possible.
‘‘Stan Goston, 67, had travelled by rail and ferry from Palmerston North to take his four-year-old nephew, Tim Maddock, to the parade. He left 30 years ago but still supports Canterbury.
‘‘Japanese student Miho Tsukahara lined up early to see her special hero, Blackadder. She has watched all the Super 12 matches on television and dreads the lack of rugby when she returns home.
‘‘Aranui Primary School could not afford a bus so staff drove the keenest fans to the parade. The Year 8 boys’ rugby team, which won last Friday by 45-5, gave its biggest cheer to Crusader Norman Berryman.’’