Athletic seasons in the southern hemisphere obviously differ from those to which I'm accustomed because the seasons here are reversed. The World Cup that I so thoroughly enjoyed in Wellington brought an end to rugby for 2011, right as summer was beginning. Now that the leaves are starting to fall and the days are getting shorter (and I'm once again mixed up by the seasons changing at the opposite time), rugby season is in full swing.
Rugby season in New Zealand includes multiple consecutive competitions, and the first is the Super 15. Originally the Super 12, this competition includes teams from South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. It essentially operates like any North American sports league, but the travel distances involved are staggering. I used to hate it when the Red Sox played on the West coast because it started three hours later...but when New Zealand teams play in South Africa, the game starts at 3 AM in New Zealand!
To further complicate the logistics, Christchurch's stadium was rendered unusable by last year's earthquakes. Their team played "home" games all over the world, and somehow still made the final. This year, however, they have a temporary new home in Christchurch, and my flatmate Austen and I decided to take advantage of the low ticket prices and the relative proximity to Arthur's Pass to take in a live game.
Rugby fans need not read the following: the team from Christchurch (and the Canterbury region as a whole) is called the Crusaders, and they're in red. The opposition is the Stormers, who represent Cape Town, and they're in blue.
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| Before the Crusaders appeared. |
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| The opposite stand had flamethrowers mounted on it for key moments. |
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