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Crusaders remove sword-wielding knight from logo, following Christchurch terrorist attack

October 16, 2019

The Crusaders have made the first change to their image after the March 15 Christchurch terrorist attack, removing swords from their club logo.

Following the attack that left 51 dead after shootings at two separate mosques the Crusaders' image and branding has been a controversial topic, with thousands of fans petitioning to keep the name intact.

The team name is a reference to the Crusades of the Mediterranean in medieval times that saw Muslims killed by Christians.

As such New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and BNZ Crusaders subsequently commissioned independent research into the views of various stakeholders and the general public about the Crusaders brand.

In June it was announced the medieval theming would be removed from the logo and would come into effect in time for the 2020 season.

A wider brand review was also announced in June and would come into effect for the 2021 season. 

The Crusaders had already removed their pre-match entertainment that saw sword wielding knights at home matches, with the new logo the latest move by the club.

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