LURFC has a proud record of introducing young men to the upper levels of both club and provincial rugby. These young men, with the professional and sporting skills obtained at Lincoln University, return to communities throughout the length of New Zealand and in so doing make a positive contribution to those communities.

Winning the Christchurch senior rugby competition for 2015 and 2016 is the continuation of the success that the Lincoln University Rugby Football Club has achieved since it was formed in 1881. For its first 82 years the LURFC played in the Ellesmere competition where it was the champion team three times in the 1950s, and also in 1960 and 1961. In 1963 LURFC joined the Christchurch competition and after winning the Senior B competition in 1964 LURFC won the right to play in the senior grade. LURFC subsequently dropped out of senior rugby in 1994 when it was combined with Merivale Papanui (Merlins). In 1996 Merlins won the Senior B competition and was re- instated to Senior Grade rugby in Christchurch. Thus LURFC became the only club to have twice won its way into the Christchurch Senior Grade Competition. In addition to the two most recent Christchurch senior competition wins LURFC also won in 1969 and 1981.

An open style of play that has featured skilful back play backed up by mobile rugged forwards has always been the feature of LURFC teams at all levels. This style of play has fitted well with the rural background of many of the Lincoln University students. All four LURFC senior teams that were senior competition winners played a very positive flowing style of rugby that was the basis of their success.

Many outstanding players have played for the LURFC. While the 2016 crop of players that represented the 2016 Canterbury provincial team including Scott and Jordie Barrett, Dominic Bird, Jack Goodhue, Tom Sanders, Jack Stratton, Hamish Dalziel, Ere Enari, Mitchell Dunshea is exceptional there have been many other top class players who have been LURFC members over the years. In recent years Sam Whitelock is the most notable of these as is Greg Somerville who earned 66 All Black caps and played 115 games for the Crusaders. Other more recent All Blacks are Campbell Johnstone and Dave Hewett (who completed a stint as the Crusaders forward coach in 2016).

LURFC players have been Rugby World Cup winners. In addition to Sam Whitelock’s feats in 2011 and 2015 there were four players in the All Black team that won the first RWC in 1987: Craig Green, Bruce Deans, Albert Anderson and Andy Dalton (named as captain but unable to play due to injury). Dalton was All Black captain in 15 of the 35 tests he played. Sir Wilson Whineray, who played in the 1950s and 60s, is regarded by many as the greatest All Back captain. He became All Black captain when he was 23, played 77 games for the All Blacks and was captain in 67 of them. Kelvin Tremain, one of New Zealand’s finest loose forwards in the 1960s, also captained the All Blacks.

Since John Hotop became the LURFC’s first All Black in 1952 there have been 23 club players who have gone on to become All Blacks. One of these players is Robbie Deans, who played in the champion under 19 team in 1978. Kelvin Deaker who played for the LURFC senior team in the 1980s later went to be an international rugby referee and refereed at the 2003 and 2017 RWCs.