If not Crusaders then what name?

As calls for the Crusaders to consider a re-brand continue to grow, the inevitable question is beginning to linger.

To what? Just a handful of days on from last Friday’s terror attacks on two Christchurch mosques that left 50 people dead, debating the name of a sports team seems an utterly immaterial discussion. Especially with Friday’s shootings still so fresh and raw.

But calls to get rid of the Crusaders’ tag are understandable given its links to the medieval Crusades that included wars between Christians and Muslims in the Mediterranean that cost somewhere between one and two million lives.

The Crusaders firstly defended their name before saying they would consider a change and then going to ground.

Trying to pluck a moniker that follows on from one of the most popular brands in New Zealand sport, holds relevance to the Crusaders catchment and captivates the fans is far from easy. But when you consider the Crusaders could have been called the ‘Plainsmen’ and the Auckland-based Super Rugby franchise continues to be known as the ‘Blues’ the bar really isn’t set that high.

So Stuff has come with six alternatives. Given the rawness of Friday’s horror, it wasn’t an easy task. Sticking with Super Rugby’s one-word names limits the options. Rams, Lambs and Bulls – a tribute to the agricultural roots of the Canterbury Plains – all had merit but missed the final six. Pegasus: Christchurch centric without much significance to the remainder of the Crusaders region. Taking its inspiration from Pegasus Bay, the Pegasus tag would resonate with the people of Canterbury and continue the horse theme, but is it strong enough for a rugby team? Maybe not.

Ha¯ mana (salmon): A symbol of the braided rivers that cut through the Canterbury Plains. Known for their fight and determination with a flashy exterior, the traits of the Ha¯ mana (salmon) sum up the spirit and flamboyant style of the Crusaders. Difficult to say if it would catch on with fans.

Knights: The easiest re-brand. Would allow the club to keep some of their identity being the name of the Crusaders development team and it’s not the most inspiring of monikers. The safe but uninspiring option.

Pounamu: Ma¯ori see the stone as having spiritual powers to evoke strength and prosperity, to protect, express love and kinship, and to depict growth and harmony. It’s perfect in meaning but does not roll off the tongue and would be a tough sell for any sports team. But there are plenty of sports team called Diamonds, so why not?

Stallions: Continuing the horse theme: Strong, stylish and dominant. Stallions ticks many boxes but it’s rather generic and holds little connection to the Crusaders region. A simple alternative could be the Colts.

Mustangs: Yet another horse theme with little reference to the Crusaders region but does offer the opportunity to keep some resemblance to the Crusaders. A strong name with character.