Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union
# Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union

The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union (MCRFU) is a rugby province in the South Island of New Zealand.

## History

The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1904 as Ashburton Country, first as a sub-union of the South Canterbury Rugby Football Union and then of the Canterbury Rugby Football Union. The union gained full status in 1927, and changed its name to Mid Canterbury in 1952.

## Representative Rugby

The Mid Canterbury team play from Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton and in the 2006 season are in Pool B of the Heartland Championship. They are seeded 9th for the Championship as they finished 5th in the 3rd division in 2005.

## Clubs

Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union is made up of 9 clubs:

* Allenton
* Celtic
* Collegiate
* Hampstead
* Methven
* Mt Somers
* Rakaia
* Southern
* Tinwald

## Mid Canterbury in Super Rugby

Mid Canterbury along with Canterbury, Tasman, Buller, South Canterbury and West Coast make up the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise.

## Championships

Mid Canterbury won the 2nd division South Island in 1980, 1983 and the 3rd division in 1994 and 1998, and the Meads Cup in 2013 and 2014.

### Heartland Championship placings

Heartland Championship Results :

| Year | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | Pts | Place | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Year | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | Pts | Place | Qual | SF | F |
| 2006 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 155 | 178 | −22 | 3 | 19 | 4th | Meads Cup | Lost 17–30 to Wanganui | — |
| 2007 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 213 | 151 | +62 | 4 | 28 | 2nd | Meads Cup | Lost 0–18 to Wanganui | — |
| 2008 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 225 | 129 | +96 | 5 | 33 | 2nd | Meads Cup | Won 38–24 against North Otago | Lost 12–27 to Wanganui |
| 2009 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 196 | 133 | +63 | 2 | 30 | 1st | Meads Cup | Won 19–17 against South Canterbury | Lost 13–34 to Wanganui |
| 2010 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 179 | 94 | +85 | 5 | 25 | 2nd | Meads Cup | Lost 24–40 to North Otago | — |
| 2011 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 180 | 143 | +37 | 6 | 26 | 4th | Meads Cup | Lost 22–32 to Wanganui | — |
| 2012 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 158 | 162 | −4 | 5 | 17 | 7th | Lochore Cup | Lost 20–48 to South Canterbury | — |
| 2013 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 232 | 131 | +101 | 5 | 33 | 1st | Meads Cup | Won 28–25 against West Coast | Won 26–20 against North Otago |
| 2014 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 258 | 139 | +119 | 4 | 26 | 3rd | Meads Cup | Won 29–22 against Poverty Bay | Won 36–13 against Buller |
| 2015 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 295 | 228 | +67 | 6 | 34 | 2nd | Meads Cup | Lost 11–26 to Wanganui | — |

## Ranfurly Shield

Mid Canterbury have never held the Ranfurly Shield. Mid Canterbury last challenged for the Shield in July 2015 against Hawke's Bay, but were defeated 57–12.

## Hanan Shield

The Hanan Shield is one of the most prestigious trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1946, the Hanan Shield is based on a challenge system played between North Otago, South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury.

## All Blacks

There have only been 3 players selected for the All Blacks whilst playing their club rugby in Mid Canterbury.

* D.H Cameron
* R.G Perry
* J.C Ross
