Since 1959 at Wills Ground.
Canterbury Rugby Union Club was founded in 1959 and has fielded sides out of Wills Ground, Earlwood, ever since — one of the few clubs in the Innerwest that still runs Seniors and Juniors from the same ground and clubhouse it started with. The senior competitive side went on to join the Sydney Rugby Union in 1966.
The photos below are drawn from the club's own archive, currently being digitised from old programmes and club scrapbooks. What's shown here is a first pass — a small sample of a much larger collection still being sorted, dated and captioned.
Six premierships on record
3rd Grade — Minor Premiers.
1st Grade — Minor Premiers and Grand Finalists.
1st Grade — Premiers.
1st Grade — Premiers. 3rd Grade Grand Finalists and Club Champions the same year.
1st Grade — Grand Finalists and Minor Premiers. 3rd and 4th Grade both Grand Finalists.
1st Grade — 3rd Division Premiers, the season after relegation from 2nd Division.
From Second Division to Suburban Rugby
Senior competitive side joined the Sydney Rugby Union Second Division as Canterbury.
Club renamed Canterbury-Bankstown, still in 2nd Division. The club later reverted to the Canterbury name.
Promoted back to 2nd Division after the 1986 3rd Division premiership.
Joined the NSW Suburban Rugby Union when Sydney's Second Division competition ended after 31 seasons.
Playing in NSW Suburban RU Division 4.
NSW Suburban Rugby Union Honour Roll
Sourced from the Union's official honour roll — every grade and cup Canterbury has won since joining Suburban Rugby in 1993.
| Year | Competition | Division |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Barraclough Cup | Division 2 |
| 1997 | McLean Cup | Division 4 |
| 1998 | Club Champions | Division 3 |
| 1998 | Clark Cup | Division 3 |
| 1998 | Campbell Cup | Division 3 |
| 1998 | Nicholson Cup | Division 3 |
| 2000 | Robertson Cup | Division 2 |
| 2006 | Jeffrey Cup | Division 5 |
| 2007 | McLean Cup | Division 4 |
| 2017 | McLean Cup | Division 4 |
| 2017 | Club Champions — Herlihy Shield | Division 4 |
| 2018 | Grose Cup | Division 4 |
| 2018 | Walker Cup | Division 4 |
| 2019 | Club Champions — Herlihy Shield | Division 4 |
| 2023 | Meldrum Cup | Division 6 |
| 2024 | Grose Cup | Division 4 |
Club Snapshot
From the archive
Names
Back: K.Turner, G.Rumph, R.Lum, J.Evershed, K.Wilson. 2nd: R.Smith, R.Templeton, T.Buckley, J.Tait, M.Newton, R.Brooker. Front: J.Lowe, L.Hosking (Capt.), D.Lansdowne (Coach), R.Bennett (V-Capt.), R.Schmarr.
Names
Back: J.McEvoy, M.Hitchcock, R.Bernays, T.Gardiner, G.Taylor. Centre: D.Peterson (Coach), T.Morrissey, M.Griese, A.Mole, B.Elliott, H.Goodmanson (President). Front: R.Oldfield, G.Ramsey, J.Morgan (V.C.), P.Crocker (Capt.), R.Butt, D.Glassock.
Names
Back: M.Godfrey, G.Ferguson, D.Benson, D.Peterson, R.Bennett, R.Hood, B.Butt. 2nd: H.Goodmanson (President), G.Soames, P.Kable, R.O'Brien, R.McGovern, A.Mole, T.Thompson (Coach). Front: R.Moore, G.Bowling, G.Landrey (Capt.), D.Glassock, J.Finlay.
Names
Back: R.Bennett, R.Lum, D.Sparshott (Manager), J.Finlay, W.Morris. 2nd: T.Thompson (Coach), R.O'Brien, P.Kable, P.Carr, M.Newton, H.Goodmanson (President). Front: R.Hood, P.Crocker, G.Landrey (Capt.), R.Butt, B.Butt. Seated: D.Benson, D.Morgan.
Names
Back: R.O'Brien, J.Finlay, J.Williams (Manager), P.Carr, W.Morris. Inset: M.Godfrey. 2nd: B.Fisher, P.Tibbles, C.Tarrant, G.Barnes, D.Peterson, D.Morgan. Seated: H.Goodmanson (President), P.Crocker, I.Leigh, G.Landrey (Capt.), B.Butt, J.Cantrill, T.Thompson (Coach).
Names
Back: R.Anders, B.Pitt, M.Bernays (Manager), A.Seaton, R.Wilkes, T.Morgan. 2nd: R.McGrath, S.Salakis, A.Lewis, L.Ireland, P.Weewan, P.Spinney. Seated: H.Goodmanson (President), S.Ramsey, T.Tancred, K.Howell (Capt.), M.Waide, S.Downe, P.Kable (Coach).
Names
Back: P.Peterson, R.Hood, L.Ireland, D.Sparshott. 2nd: B.Butt, G.Barnes, C.Tarrant, G.Holland. Seated: R.O'Brien, J.Finlay, J.Cantrill, M.Godfrey, W.Morris, P.Crocker, H.Goodmanson (President). (Two names on the original faded beyond reading.)
Names
Back: A.Lewis, B.Waining, S.Ramsey. 2nd: R.Anders, P.Brett, D.Scarstrom, R.Angel, T.Tancred, D.Love. Seated: R.Seymour (Coach), N.Henry, P.Posnansky, R.Bernays, P.Weenan, G.Henwood, M.Bernays (Manager).
Names
Standing: R.Stewart, D.Love, K.Forsyth, P.Tapper, D.Waining, G.Palmer, S.Edwards. Seated: G.Washington, A.Tsembis, G.Dever, R.Morris, J.Deligiannis, R.Scott, C.Wells.
Names
Back: Vili Liutaki, Ame Traill, Renold Vatubua, Teokotai Paerau, Moses Raumakita. 2nd: Charle Ah Siu (President), James Tane, Andrew William, Mark Te Paki, Connor Drummond, Ronnie Clark, Akai Akai, Harry Maniatis (Manager). Seated: Kevin Turagakula, David Stones, Jerry Liutaki (Coach), Shannon Menzies (Capt.), Temata Teiotu, Nepote Toga.