Canterbury club rugby side suspends season after team van crashes

A Canterbury club rugby team have had to end their season early, after multiple players were injured in a two-vehicle collision on Saturday night.

The BDI team van was involved in the incident on Darfield's Greendale Road in the Selwyn district just before 6pm.

Hato Hone St John dispatched six ambulances and two critical-care units to the scene. Thirteen people with injuries ranging from minor to critical were assessed, and 10 were taken to Christchurch Hospital.

The road was closed while the Serious Crash Unit examined the scene.

The club - an amalgamation of the former Burnham, Dunsandel and Irwell clubs, affiliated to the Ellesmere sub-union - has posted on social media, announcing it would suspend play, while its players recovered from their injuries.

"As many of you are aware, our team van was involved in a serious incident on Saturday night," said BDI Division 2 coach Steve Devereaux.

"Several of our mates were injured and taken to hospital for treatment. We are incredibly grateful the situation was not worse, though a few of our lads now face a long road to recovery.

"We want to express our sincere appreciation to the first responders and the volunteer fire brigades who came to our aid. Their quick actions and support made a tremendous difference during an extremely difficult moment.

"As a team, we have made the tough decision to end our season. We finished the season strongly leading into the finals.

"The past 24 hours have been mentally draining for everyone across the club, but the messages of support we've received have meant a great deal to us all.

"Rugby is the game we love, but it's the mateship that truly binds us together. We will regroup, we will heal and we will come back strong in 2027."

The BDI Div 2 team visited nearby Kirwee for a round 11 clash, winning 48-29 to consolidate their third placing on the competition ladder.

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