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Remembering John Slattery

The Crusaders Rugby Club is deeply saddened to report the passing of member and former Club President, John Slattery.

John began his rugby career at Appleby College and later at the University of Western Ontario. He joined the Crusaders alongside his brother Jim and quickly became a mainstay in the 1st XV for many years. John was known as a great teammate, a fierce competitor on the field, and a true gentleman off it.

A hard?running and rapid winger, John was best known for his ferocious tackling and defensive ability. His talent and commitment to the game saw him go on to represent the Niagara Rugby Union (NRU), Ontario, Eastern Canada and Canada.

As John progressed into his 30s, he continued to contribute by playing on a very strong 2nd XV. Many young players beginning their rugby journeys were privileged to share the field with “Slatts,” benefiting from his experience, leadership, and example.

Former Club President Simon Fitzgerald reflected:

“John was a truly great person. I would be surprised if you could find anyone who could say anything negative about him. He embodied what it meant to be a great husband to Jill, a great father to Emma and Katherine, a successful professional in finance, and a phenomenal athlete who personified competitiveness and sportsmanship. John was one of the all?time great Crusaders.”

Club historian Steve Scott added:

“John was one of the most popular players in the club—modest, reliable, and talented. To say that John Slattery will be missed, and will remain the subject of many stories and memories, is a profound understatement.”

John’s legacy as a player, leader, and friend will endure within the Crusaders Rugby Club. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Please join us at the clubhouse on Saturday, January 10 from 1pm-6pm to celebrate John.

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Goodbye Bob Nye – Passing of a Club Legend

Dear Members

It is with profound sadness that we share news of the passing of club legend, Bob Nye.

Bob slipped away peacefully at 3:15am September 12, 2025 at the Ian Anderson Hospice with his wife Liz by his side. Bob will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

About Bob

 

Although not an original club founder, Bob joined Crusaders Rugby Club in its infancy and was a proud and staunch supporter of all Crusaders teams,. From minis to seniors, men and women, all the way to the end, regularly watching club games in person when he was able, and online when he was not.

Together with his own anthem and an incredibly broad fan club, Bob was never short of an anecdote (or ten), most of which were repeated often but always told with fresh enthusiasm. People hung off his every word and would occasionally be treated to a new story so fantastical, it was barely believable… and certainly never publishable. Whether he was crooning a rat pack classic or telling a terrible joke, he always kept his audience in the palm of his hands. Wherever he may be now, spare a thought for whoever is tasked with the impossible challenge of keeping him on the straight and narrow!

Celebration of Life

 

Details of Bob’s funeral are still to be determined, however, it will be a private family gathering.

Crusaders Rugby Club will be hosting a Celebration of Life for Bob on Saturday October 4, 2025 (from 1pm) at the clubhouse. More details will follow, but if you knew Bob, you are kindly asked to save the date.

Please be encouraged to pass on this sad news to Crusaders Alumni and others who knew Bob.

Please share with us in conveying our kindest regards, deepest sympathies and condolences to Bob’s family, particularly his wife Liz.

Your Family in Rugby – Crusaders Rugby Club

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2025 Home Opener and Alumni Day – Come Out and Support the Cru!

Saturday May 24 is the Cru’s Senior Home Opener day featuring our three senior men’s teams and our senior women. We also welcome back our alumni to enjoy some great rugby and our recently facelifted club on our annual Alumni Day.

Our Senior Men compete in the highly competitive and “new” format Marshall Premiership Division featuring the 8 strongest men’s clubs in Ontario: Oakville Crusaders, Balmy Beach, Brantford Harlequins, Burlington Centaurs, Waterloo County, Aurora Barbarians, Oshawa Vikings and the Toronto Scottish. After one round in which our men’s teams played the Aurora Barbarians and came away with three wins, Cru is positioned at the joint top of the 1st XV table, at the top of the 2nd XV table and at the top of 3rd XV table – but that may be fleeting with some very tough opposition ahead in the coming rounds. This week the men take on Waterloo County who have been historically very strong and have taken some recent victories at Crusaders Park. Josh Allan, our new senior men’s coach for 2025, and his coaching team of Andy Gale and Liam Bowman have Waterloo in their sites. See the Marshall League tables & fixtures here: https://www.rugbyontario.com/competitions/

The Cru Senior Women compete in the Niagara Rugby Union (NRU) Premiership against the Stoney Creek Camels, Niagara Wasps, Hamilton Hornets, Grimsby (ahem) “Gentlemen”, Bruce County and the Fergus Highlanders. Under their new Aussie coach, Cooper Smith, the women are keen to make a strong opening impression against Grimsby in front of a supportive home crowd on Saturday. The NRU Premiership tables and fixtures are also available on the Rugby Ontario site here: https://www.rugbyontario.com/competitions/ 

Kick-off times:

  • Crusaders Women XV vs Grimsby: 11:00am
  • Crusaders Men 3rd XV vs Waterloo: 12:30pm
  • Crusaders Men 2nd XV vs Waterloo: 2pm
  • Crusaders Men 1s XV vs Waterloo: 3:30pm

Come and support the Cru! The bar will be open, our newly renovated clubhouse will be welcoming and there will be some great rugby.

Crusaders Park, 2214 Ninth Line, Oakville, Ontario. Admission Free!

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Touch Rugby Kicked Off – Spring League Starts Next Week

Mens and Ladies Touch Rugby sessions kicked off earlier this week… lots of sweaty bodies limped into the clubhouse for post run-around refreshments.

Parents and players of current and former glory are encouraged to join us for Touch Rugby. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never thrown a ball backwards or if you don’t know what a Maori sidestep is – we’ll show you all you need to know in a non-judgemental and fun environment. Plus, finish the evening with a sociable beverage in the bar afterwards! Reward (or undo) all your hard work!

Visit crusadersrugby.club/touch for more details and to sign up for the Crusaders Touch Rugby season now, grab a few friends or team parents, unwitting family member and drag them along too, and let’s have a ball… or at least play with one… together!

Note – Existing club members (including paid up social members and Alumni) can register for the low price of $30 and gain access to all of the sessions and leagues.

Next Friday (24th) is the start of our Co-Ed Spring Touch League. If you’re registered for the Tuesday sessions, you can also play Friday league too at no extra charge (and vice versa). Games will start at 6:30pm and there will be 3-4 games each night. If you have a team of registered players (12 players is ideal) let Pat Daniels know, otherwise show up next Friday and you will be allocated to a team to play with.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR TOUCH RUGBY NOW

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Crusaders Making Canada 7s Debut in Los Angeles

Huge congratulations to Crusaders Taylor Perry and Liam Bowman who have debuted this weekend for Canada at the Los Angeles 7s.
Their journey continues today with Canada’s Women into the Cup Quarter Finals at 1:14pm EST. Their sights are set on beating France for a Semi Final spot. Meanwhile Canada’s Mens team’s fortunes haven’t faired as well this weekend. They go head-to-head with South Africa in the 11th place play off at 2:48pm EST.
Good luck to both of our Crusaders in this Olympic year. Let’s get some game time and put Oakville firmly on the Canadian rugby map!
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2023 AGM Information Package

The following documents are available for download and review in preparation for the 2023 AGM.

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2022 AGM Minutes

1 file(s) 935.41 KB
Download
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2023 Crusaders Rugby Club Annual Report

1 file(s) 3.58 MB
Download
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Crusaders Rugby Club By-Laws (revised January 2024)

1 file(s) 950.99 KB
Download
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2023 AGM Proxy Form

1 file(s) 416.09 KB
Download

 

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Crusaders Rugby Club 2023 Annual General Meeting

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF CRUSADERS RUGBY CLUB

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF CRUSADERS RUGBY CLUB

NOTICE is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Members of the Crusaders Rugby Club (the “Corporation”) will be held on the 30th day of January 2024 at 7:00 pm for the following
purposes:

  1. To receive the report from the Directors on the activities of the Club for the 2022/2023 year.
  2. To approve amendments to the Bylaws of the Corporation to bring them into compliance with the Ontario Not for Profit Corporation Act (ONCA).
  3. To receive the audited financial statements of the Corporation for the financial year ended October 31st, 2023.
  4. To appoint the Auditors of the Corporation for the ensuing year.
  5. To appoint Directors of the Corporation.
  6. To transact such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting.

DATED the 26th day of December 2023.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

David Walker
Secretary, Crusaders Rugby Club

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The Finals!

ARGENTINA V NEW ZEALAND

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Records will tumble at Stade de France, when two triple champions, New Zealand and South Africa, face one another for the Webb Ellis Cup.

The Springboks have never lost a final, and are looking to become only the second side to win back-to-back titles. The All Blacks have already set one record – this is their fifth final appearance. Their only defeat at this stage was in 1995, against South Africa.

Will Jordan, meanwhile, could become the first player to score nine tries in a single men’s tournament.

Just 24 hours earlier, losing semi-finalists Argentina and England – two more sides with points to prove after contrasting defeats – will face one another in the bronze final.

This is how the semi-finals finals at Rugby World Cup 2023 unfolded.

ARGENTINA V NEW ZEALAND

After Jonah Lomu and Adam Ashley-Cooper, add Will Jordan. He became the third player to score a hat-trick in a men’s Rugby World Cup semi-final as New Zealand beat Argentina 44-6 at Stade de France on a drizzly, slippery Friday evening.

With his 73rd-minute final touchdown, Jordan joined a second exclusive club. His name now sits alongside Lomu, Bryan Habana and Julien Savea as players with eight tries at a single men’s tournament.

Between the winger’s first and second tries, in the 11th and 62nd minute, Mastercard Player of the Match Jordie Barrett, Shannon Frizell – with two – and Aaron Smith also scored in a blizzard.

Frizell’s second and Smith’s try came in the first nine minutes of the second half, as New Zealand, already 20-6 in front at the end of a dominant opening period, simply eased away from the frustrated Pumas, who could only muster two Emiliano Boffelli penalties in response.

And the reason for Argentina’s frustration was clear. They had started brightly enough, running through the phases in attack, only to crash repeatedly into the All Blacks’ impenetrable defensive wall and fall into a devastating counter-trap.

ENGLAND V SOUTH AFRICA

Handré Pollard’s ice-cool 50m penalty two minutes from time saw the defending champions take the lead against England for the first time, and was enough to see them through to the Rugby World Cup final next Saturday.

That’s the strapline to Saturday’s second tense semi-final, which ended 16-15. But the story – as it had been against France six days’ previously – was a tale of two benches.

England’s starting pack had achieved parity and better against South Africa. But, when RG Snyman came on, and most of the two front rows were replaced, the Springboks suddenly had the upper hand.

Four penalties and a drop goal from captain Owen Farrell had given England a 15-6 lead heading into the final quarter. It seemed, in a suffocating, rain-sodden match, to be more than enough.

Four scrum-penalties to the Springboks later, with the champions’ front row now very much on top, Snyman scored the game’s only try with 11 minutes left. Pollard – who had replaced Manie Libbok earlier than expected in a nod toward South Africa’s earlier struggles – converted, to pull them to within a penalty of victory. It still wasn’t enough.

But he would get one last shot at goal, in the 78th minute, after England conceded one more scrum penalty.

It was all he needed to break England hearts and give the Springboks a chance of claiming back-to-back titles.

England v Argentina:    Friday Oct. 27th @ 3:00 pm

South Africa v New Zealand:    Saturday  Oct 28th @ 3:00 pm

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And so to the Quarter-Finals

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Quote of the Day – ‘Playing South Africa in Paris is wonderful, magnificent’

“It certainly wasn’t easy. There was once or twice when I was roaring to Mack [Hansen] on the sidelines because I had forgotten one of the roles the winger is supposed to do.
Ireland centre Garry Ringrose on ending up on the wing in their last match against Scotland

“We’re always nervous before this kind of match. It would be a lie to say there’s no tension. Playing against them, in Paris, at Stade de France, in a World Cup quarter-final, is magnificent, it’s wonderful.”
France coach Fabien Galthié is excited about playing the defending champions in Paris

“I’ve got 13 people staying in my house in Toulon.”
Dan Biggar – presumably talking about his family – when asked about the traveling Welsh support in France

“How many tries in how many games? Three in three? I like that.”
All Blacks coach Ian Foster likes the sound of Will Jordan’s try-scoring record against Ireland

“He’s had that from early on. Even to the point where I’ve had to turn around and say ‘I’m going to have to say something to this guy, he’s gobbing off at me. I’ve been here 10 years and he’s gobbing off at me.’”
Joe Marler says Harlequins and England team-mate Marcus Smith was happy to bark orders at team-mates from a young age

“First and foremost I’m proud to be a Fijian but I am also proud of the so-called developing nations, pushing for the global game, how we can improve it and get more opportunities, how we break that barrier down.”
Fiji head coach Simon Raiwalui on flying the flag for Fiji as well as other nations who are trying to break into contention for the quarter-finals of a World Cup.

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