The steady rise of UC rugby
PHOTO: Dan O’Brien (right) and assistant coach Sam Lindsay (left) at training.
SOURCE: Matias Gidden
Just five years ago, UC rugby won just 4 games during the 2020 Canterbury Metro Men’s Premier competition. The season before, they won zero.
Fast forward to 2025, fresh off reaching the grand final in the previous season, the team is undefeated so far and sitting at the top of the competition table.
The steady rise of UC rugby has been nothing short of sensational, going from competition strugglers to one of the top clubs in Canterbury.
What sparked this turnaround?
The club’s change of fortune was marked by the arrival of Head Coach and Director of Rugby, Dan O’Brien, who took over in 2021.
Over the past three seasons, O’Brien has overseen continuous improvement year on year, culminating with a finals berth in 2024 where the team narrowly lost to Linwood.
O’Brien feels the heartbreak of last season adds further motivation for the squad.
“There’s a new group, new passion, new energy, so we start again, learn from last year, and hopefully be successful this year.”
“Last year was a combination of three years of work with that squad. When we first arrived at the club, we’d won seven games in three years, and in our first season, we managed to win seven games, so it’s been a slow progression.
“The next year we made the semis, and then last year we made the final, and it was heartbreaking to not get over that final hurdle, but I think what it does is that it provides real motivation for the group.”
With UC being one of two University-based clubs in the Christchurch premier competition, the squad is comprised of players from all corners of New Zealand.
“We’re a nomadic club,” says O’Brien.
“We’ve got a really strong culture across the club because everyone is from out of town. With the growing nature of UC and more students coming here, it means there are so many players that come and find a home here.”
SOURCE: Matias Gidden
With many young players coming in every year, the club has provided plenty of opportunities for up-and-coming prospects.
“If you look at our team on grand final day, of the 22 players in the squad, 15 were under 20. Now that speaks volumes about their ability, but also the opportunities that players get coming into our squad,” says O’Brien.
These opportunities have led to many of the current squad being a part of the Crusaders under-20s and Canterbury provincial side. Additionally, players Cooper Roberts, Xavier Treacy and Finn McLeod were part of the New Zealand under-20s side that recently won the U20 Rugby Championship in South Africa.
However, the most successful story comes in the form of current Wales winger Blair Murray, who was featuring for UC up until midway through last season.
After kicking the game-winning drop goal in his final game for the club in late May, Murray joined professional Welsh side Scarlets.
After an impressive season, Murray was then named in the Wales squad for their 2024 Autumn Nations series, scoring on his debut against Fiji.
“He scored the try and the first thing he did was our ‘V’s up’ which was a symbol to the rest of the squad that he’s still one of us,” said O’Brien.
“To me, that’s greater than any success we’ll ever have on the field.”
At the time of writing, UC have won their first six games of the season and are building a strong case for another finals push.