The Crusaders have made a significant change to their branding by removing the knight from their new logo after the 15 March Christchurch terrorist attack.

The Vodacom Super Rugby team announced earlier this year that, in conjunction with New Zealand Rugby, they had commissioned an independent company to research the views of both stakeholders and the Christchurch public about the Crusaders brand.

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This was after the attack on two mosques in Christchurch that left 51 dead and dozens injured, prompting debate over whether the Crusaders name and medieval branding was appropriate.

The Crusaders immediately removed their pre-match entertainment, which included sword-wielding knights on horseback at home games.

In June, the Crusaders announced that the medieval branding would be dropped from their logo in time for the 2020 Super Rugby season. A wider brand review was also implemented, with changes to come into effect in 2021.

The Crusaders name is seen as a reference to the Crusades, a military campaign launched by Christians against Muslims.