A place created to give hope to our city and our region
In Christchurch, a rugby stadium born from earthquake rubble has quietly become one of sport's more meaningful addresses — a place where resilience found a rhythm and a community rediscovered itself through collective endeavor. As the Crusaders pursue their 100th victory at Apollo Projects Stadium, the milestone arrives not merely as a statistic but as a kind of farewell benediction to a temporary home that outlasted its own impermanence. Across the Tasman competition, in Hamilton, the Chiefs prepare their own test of continuity against a Waratahs side that has learned, slowly, how to trouble the powerful.
- A stadium built from post-earthquake necessity now stands on the edge of history, with the Crusaders one win away from a century of victories at the ground that gave Christchurch rugby its heartbeat back.
- Hooker Codie Taylor — present when the earthquake struck, loyal through the years of displacement — will play his 150th game for the Crusaders at the only Christchurch ground he has ever called home.
- A generational thread runs through the lineup as debutant Jack Sexton takes the field thirty years after his father Matt played in Super Rugby's inaugural season, while the Drua arrive having never won at this venue.
- In Hamilton, the Chiefs face a Waratahs side riding the confidence of a recent upset win, though New Zealand's defensive leaders have lost none of their eight consecutive home matches against Australian opposition.
- Two coaching staffs navigate selection pressures — Penney managing absences and milestones in Christchurch, McKellar balancing two capable halfbacks in Hamilton — as the competition's mid-season shape begins to clarify.
The Crusaders arrive at Round Eight of DHL Super Rugby Pacific carrying the weight of a number: 99 wins at Apollo Projects Stadium, with the Drua standing between them and a century. It is a milestone that feels earned rather than merely accumulated, because Apollo itself was earned — built from the wreckage of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake as both a practical solution and an act of collective faith.
No one embodies that history more fully than hooker Codie Taylor, who will play his 150th game for the Crusaders in this fixture. He was part of the wider squad when the earthquake struck, and he lived through the years when the team played every match away while the city slowly reassembled itself. When Apollo opened, it meant something beyond rugby — a return, a gathering place, a signal that Christchurch was finding its footing again. Taylor has never worn the Crusaders jersey anywhere else in his home city. Coach Rob Penney sees in him the clearest expression of what the franchise stands for.
The match also carries a quieter generational story: prop Jack Sexton will debut thirty years after his father Matt played in Super Rugby's first season. Will Jordan captains from fullback. The Drua, winless at Apollo in two attempts, face a side that has made the ground its fortress.
In Hamilton, the Chiefs host the NSW Waratahs without All Black Damian McKenzie, with Josh Jacomb stepping into first five-eighths and prop Reuben O'Neill reaching his 50th appearance for the side. Daniel Sinkinson is set to debut from the bench after impressing coach Jono Gibbes in training and development rugby.
The Waratahs are not without credentials — they upset the Brumbies last weekend and beat the Chiefs in Sydney last year — but the Chiefs have won their last eight home matches against Australian opposition and lead the competition in defensive efficiency. Coach Dan McKellar's challenge is as much internal as tactical: keeping two quality halfbacks, Teddy Wilson and Jake Gordon, sharp and competitive as the season deepens.
The Crusaders are chasing a milestone that would feel like the right punctuation mark on a chapter of their history. In round eight of DHL Super Rugby Pacific, they'll face the Drua at Apollo Projects Stadium with a chance to secure their 100th win at a ground that has become inseparable from who they are as a team.
Apollo was born from necessity. When the 2011 earthquake tore through Christchurch, it left the city fractured and searching for ways to rebuild. The ground that emerged from that rubble became more than a place to play rugby—it became a vessel for hope. The Crusaders have thrived there, establishing themselves as the competition's dominant force. The Drua, by contrast, have never won at the venue, losing both matches they've played there.
For hooker Codie Taylor, the stadium holds a particular weight. He will mark his 150th appearance for the Crusaders in this match, and he has never worn the jersey anywhere else in Christchurch. Taylor was part of the wider squad when the earthquake struck, present through the city's darkest stretch. He remembers the years of displacement, the team traveling for every game while the city tried to find its footing. When Apollo finally opened its doors, it represented something tangible: a return home, a place where rugby could help stitch the community back together. "It became a place to bring hope and unify the city," Taylor reflected. "It's a place we love to play at. It's home."
Coach Rob Penney sees Taylor as the embodiment of what it means to be a Crusader. With over 100 Test caps and 150 games in the red and black, Taylor's career has unfolded almost entirely within the walls of this stadium. Penney noted that Taylor still has runway ahead of him, but the milestone itself speaks to a rare kind of continuity in professional rugby.
The match will also carry a thread connecting past and present. Prop Jack Sexton will make his debut for the side, thirty years after his father Matt played in the first season of Super Rugby. Will Jordan will captain the side from fullback. The Crusaders will be without flanker Ethan Blackadder, sidelined by a calf injury, with Corey Kellow and Johnny Lee taking the flanker positions.
In Hamilton, the Chiefs face the NSW Waratahs on Saturday in a separate fixture. The Chiefs will be without All Black Damian McKenzie and former Sevens star Etene Nanai-Seturo. Josh Jacomb will start at first five-eighths, and Kyren Taumoefolau will take the wing. Prop Reuben O'Neill will make his 50th appearance for the side, while Daniel Sinkinson is set to debut from the bench. Coach Jono Gibbes praised Sinkinson's consistency in training and his performances for the University of Waikato development side.
The Waratahs have shown they can compete at this level. They upset the Brumbies 30-28 last weekend and beat the Chiefs 21-14 in Sydney last year. But the Chiefs have won their last three matches against New South Wales in New Zealand and their last eight against Australian teams on home soil. Defensively, they are formidable, missing only 18.5 tackles per game—the best rate in the competition. The Waratahs will start halfback Teddy Wilson, with Jake Gordon available from the bench. Coach Dan McKellar praised Wilson's running game and defensive work, noting that his kicking and passing have developed significantly. The challenge for McKellar is managing two quality halfbacks while keeping both sharp and competitive.
Notable Quotes
It became a place to bring hope and unify the city in a way. Rugby has done that down here. It's a place we love to play at. It's home.— Codie Taylor, Crusaders hooker
He's got over 100 Test matches and 150 games for the Crusaders. What a career. And he's still got a wee way to go.— Rob Penney, Crusaders coach
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does this stadium matter so much to the Crusaders beyond just being a place to play?
Because it's tied to the city's survival. After the earthquake, Christchurch needed to prove it could come back. The Crusaders playing there, winning there, became proof that the city could heal. It's not just rugby.
And Codie Taylor has never played for the Crusaders anywhere else in Christchurch?
Never. His entire career with the side has been at Apollo. He was there when the city was broken, and he's still there now. That's not coincidence—that's continuity.
What does 100 wins at one ground actually mean in rugby terms?
It means dominance. It means you've built something that works, that your opponents know they're walking into a place where you're nearly unbeatable. For the Crusaders, it's also a farewell gift to themselves.
They're leaving Apollo?
Eventually. This might be one of their last chances to play there. So getting to 100 wins feels like the right way to close that door.
And Jack Sexton's debut—why is that significant?
His father played in the first season of Super Rugby, thirty years ago. Now the son is stepping in. It's a generational bridge, and it happens at a ground that itself represents recovery and continuity.
The Chiefs game seems almost secondary to this story.
It is. The real story is what Apollo means and what it's about to lose.