Welcome!

Welcome to the latest update from Christchurch Football Club, keeping you connected with everything happening in and around the club.

Shu’s Corner

The final quarter of the year has begun with lots of projects underway here at the club as we prepare for what will be a fantastic 2026!

As mentioned, the Junior Crusaders held their week-long camp here at the club, culminating in a game on Friday. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t play its part to allow a fast, open game, and the Junior Hurricanes proved to be too strong on the day.

It’s awesome to see the clubrooms being used for 21st celebrations (last Saturday and again this Saturday), along with two functions this week that both support charities doing wonderful things in our community.

We are very pleased to see people re-engaging with the club and showing their support in a number of different ways — for that, we are truly grateful.

As part of supporting functions here at the club, you get to meet some wonderful people, and over the weekend I met with Gazzie and Warren from AiryFairy NZ, who create personalised balloon arrangements and decorative installations. If you’re looking for something unique and unforgettable, contact Gazzie at party@airyfairy.co.nz.

The Motel Units continue to be well supported through a wide range of opportunities, so please help promote our Motel Units here at Christchurch Park!

Background: How the Christchurch Football Club Came to Be at Christchurch Park (Part Two)

The World Company agreed to advance the full cost of completing the facilities and asked that the Christchurch Football Club repay the net proceeds from the sale of Bangor Street in reduction of the loan, with the balance to be repaid over 10 years at a very attractive interest rate.

To preserve the autonomy of the Christchurch Football Club, it was proposed that although the World Company would own all the land, the Christchurch Football Club would have a lease in perpetuity (999 years) of all facilities associated with the club — including the clubrooms, squash complex, car parking, playing, and training areas.

A tremendous amount of work has been done by those involved up to the present time. Mike Ambler’s association with the proposal from the beginning has been invaluable. His contact with the Christchurch City Council and the World Company has meant many hours of work and frustration, and for this, we owe him a great debt. Lindsay Smith and Graham Robb were able to put rough floor plans and elevations on paper in very quick time and have been a great help to date with the actual building site of the project. Phil Smith has completed the valuation on our existing clubrooms. All of these people have given their professional services free of charge.

Bryan South, Noel Walton, and John Mill have also been involved over the last six months or so, and their contributions have been excellent.

The Christchurch Football Club held a special general meeting on Tuesday, August 30th, to present the proposal to members. It’s pleasing to note that the vote to proceed was unanimous. A similar meeting of the Squash Club members was held with the same result.

The Christchurch Football Club has been a leader in rugby football in New Zealand for 125 years, and with the current proposal as outlined — and the unending possibilities for future development — it will continue to lead into the 21st century.

Again, our thanks go to Trevor Thomson for the above information.

Written by Shu.

Coaches Comment

The story for next season begins tonight: Monday, 6 October.We’re starting our journey toward 2026 by gathering as a group and beginning to sharpen our tools for the future.

The plan is to develop our basic skill sets to ensure we perform better under pressure. I’ve highlighted before the importance of mastering the fundamentals — learning them so well that they become almost robotic.

As coaches, I sometimes feel we go searching for the latest and greatest trendy drill. These drills might look like a million bucks, but we need to ask ourselves: What skills are actually being taught? And are there enough opportunities for players to get multiple reps and truly develop those skills?

Drills where players are queued up waiting for their turn are not ideal. We want players getting as many touches and skill reps as possible, as often as possible.

Remember — coach the skill, not the drill!

Don’t forget to sign up for the Summer Skills Programme — more information will be out soon.

Register your interest here

Written by Budgie.

CFC Summer Skills Series

We’re excited to announce the CFC Summer Skills Series, running from 3 November 2025 through to 23 February 2026. This programme is open to players from Years 6–12, as well as Open Grade, and is designed to help keep skills sharp, build confidence, and stay connected with the game during the off-season.

Sessions will be held weekly at Christchurch Park, with times tailored by age group to ensure focused development. Whether you’re looking to fine-tune your game or simply enjoy rugby with your mates over summer, this is a fantastic opportunity.

Registrations are now open – click here to sign up and secure your spot!

Beats by Bingo – CFC AUS TOUR Fundraiser

Come join us at Christchurch Football Club on Thursday, 7 November from 5:30pm onwards for a night of music, dancing, and bingo with a twist!

Beats by Bingo is not your average bingo night. Instead of numbers, your card is filled with song titles from themed rounds like 90s hits, Hip Hop classics, and more. The DJ spins the tracks, you mark them off, and the race is on to call BINGO!

With awesome prizes up for grabs, food & drinks available, and extra games and raffles throughout the night (bring some cash!), it’s set to be a high-energy event for all ages.

Tickets are NZ$35 per person, and kids under 12 enter for free. Click here to buy your tickets!

Best of all, every ticket sold helps raise funds for the CFC Australia Tour 2026 – so grab your mates and get ready for a night of music, fun, and supporting the club!

Coaching Opportunities for 2026

As we look ahead to the 2026 season, we would like to acknowledge that we’ve already received some very strong expressions of interest and have had a number of positive conversations with potential coaches. A huge thank you to everyone who has expressed an interest so far and taken the time to explore coaching opportunities with Christchurch Football Club.

That said, there is still a fantastic opportunity to get involved! We are seeking coaches for our Premier Men, Premier Women, Premier Development, and Colts teams. Coaching at CFC in 2026 and beyond offers the chance to make a real difference both on and off the field, to own your story, and to contribute to the proud legacy of our great club.

If you’re passionate about rugby and eager to be part of the journey, we’d love to hear from you. Please send your rugby CV or details of your experience to rugby@christchurchpark.co.nz.

Prize Giving - 16 August 2025

After this year’s Annual Prizegiving, we asked each award recipient a couple of quick questions so we could all get to know them a little better. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing their answers — here’s what they had to say!

Cooper Haines

Keith Torrance Cup (Choppers Back of the Year)

1. What does receiving this award mean to you?
It means a lot to receive this award, and it really could’ve gone to a number of players in our team.

2. What was the highlight of your season?
Playing footy with my mates and meeting new people.

3. What do you enjoy most about the club?
I really enjoy the culture and camaraderie throughout the club.

4. Who has been your biggest support this season?
A big source of support this year has been none other than our captain, Spitty. He brings immense passion to our team and always leads from the front.

5. What are you most looking forward to next season?
Playing some finals footy and hopefully taking home some silverware!

Tim Brocket

Les Donaldson Cup (Coach of the Year)

1. What does receiving this award mean to you?
It means a lot, especially when you read the names of previous winners.

2. What was the highlight of your season?
Seeing the improvement of the players and the group as a whole. We made great gains from last year, and it was awesome to see players progress through to Div 1.

3. What do you enjoy most about the club?
The people. Everyone at the club is great, and there’s a real community feel — something that’s only improved over the past year.

4. Who has been your biggest support this season?
The group I coached with and our managers. We were a new group, but I feel we bonded really well. Also, the addition of Shu and Budgie coming on board made a big difference.

5. What are you most looking forward to next season?
Watching the club continue to grow and climb back to the top of the standings across all divisions.

Become a CFC Sponsor in 2026!

Christchurch Football Club has a proud history as one of New Zealand’s oldest rugby clubs, with thriving junior and senior teams. As we look ahead to the 2026 season, we’re inviting local businesses and community partners to join our CFC family as sponsors.

Sponsorship is more than just a logo on a jersey — it’s a chance to support local rugby, give back to the community, and connect your brand with hundreds of local families and supporters.

We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank our current sponsors for their incredible support. Your commitment keeps our juniors and seniors on the field, fuels the growth of rugby in our community, and makes a real difference to the success of our club.

If you’d like to explore how your business can get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Simply complete our short Expression of Interest form here and we’ll be in touch with more details.

Article added: Thursday 09 October 2025