Video Credit – Youmitrip Video Production

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region.  The Christchurch urban area lies on the South Island’s east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula.

It is home to 404,500 residents making it New Zealand’s third-most populous city behind Auckland and Wellington.  Avon River flows through the centre of the city, with an urban park located along its banks.

Archaeological evidence has indicated that the Christchurch area was first settled by humans in about 1250.

By Royal Charter on 31 July 1856, Christchurch became a city making it officially the oldest established city in New Zealand.

Named after Christ Church, Oxford the new settlement was laid out in a grid pattern centred on Cathedral Square.

During the 19th century there were few barriers to the rapid growth of the urban area, except for the Pacific to the east and the Port Hills to the south.

Between September 2010 and early 2012, the region was hit with earthquakes with the most destructive of them occurring in February 2011.

185 people were killed and thousands of buildings across the city collapsed or suffered severe damage.

By late 2013, 1,500 buildings in the city had been demolished, leading to an ongoing recovery and rebuilding project.

Christchurch like most of the big cities in New Zealand has a Super Rugby franchise and they are called the Crusaders.

Most of the team’s squad play for the All Blacks and probably its greatest captain is the legendary Ritchie McCaw.

Only last season our own Ronan O’Gara was coaching at the franchise in a lead coaching role.