Venison, brisket and pepper steak lose out as Canterbury lamb wins Crusaders pie vote

Friday, 30 January 2026

Watch out Larry the Lamb, the Crusaders’ new official pie flavour has been announced, and it’s not looking good for you.

The Crusaders, in collaboration with Great Southern Pies, called on Cantabrians to vote for one of four new flavours to be the region’s rugby pie ahead of this year’s season.

Voters has the choice between creamy pepper steak, venison and red wine, brisket, smoked cheddar and jalapeño, and Canterbury lamb.

The team at Gerry’s Bakery, the owner of Great Southern Pies, were worried fans wouldn’t be able to stomach eating a pie filled with the Canterbury rugby’s beloved mascot, but Canterbury lamb won with a landslide victory.

Lance McCarthy from Great Southern Pies tries out one of the new Crusaders Pies, which the public voted to be Canterbury lamb flavour.

The 220-gram pie is filled with tender lamb shoulder and leg, kūmara, and capsicum, with a tomato-based gravy.

Kate O’Connell, the creator of the flavours and general manager of operational compliance at Great Southern Pies, said the team had hoped Canterbury would choose the brisket.

“Larry couldn’t run fast enough. But don’t panic. We’ll be adding one of our new flavours into our range later.”

Larry the Lamb at the Ranfurly Shield challenge between Canterbury and Mid-Canterbury in 2002. (File photo)

The pie was on offer to fans at Crusaders vs Highlanders pre-season game at Timaru’s Fraser Park on Friday.

Crusaders’ chief executive Colin Mainsbridge said he wanted venison and red wine to win.

“Canterbury lamb would feel like we are stealing something from Canterbury Rugby, and as you know the Crusaders represent the whole top half of the South Island.

Coupland’s Bakeries used to sell the official Crusaders Pie up until last year.

“Ideally, you’d have a venison pie as that covers the whole top of the South Island quite nicely.”

The Canterbury lamb pie will be sold at food outlets inside One NZ Stadium at Te Kaha, but only when the Crusaders play at home games, Garry’s Bakery director Gerry Barrett said.

When tenders went out for food outlets his businesses missed out, so at other times during the year fans of the pie will need to purchase them from selected supermarkets.

Coupland’s Bakeries previously held the deal to sell the Crusaders Pie and a Premium White Super Thick Bread Crusaders Loaf for almost a decade. The pie was being sold last year, but Coupland’s was told to cease after the new brand deal was made with Great Southern Pies.

The Press asked Coupland’s Bakeries and the Crusaders about the history of the former Crusaders Pie, but neither group wanted to talk about it.

As the new Crusaders Pie will not be sold directly by Great Southern Pies at the stadium, the company did not know how much it will cost fans, but it is anticipated it will cost about $10 at the stadium and about $6 at supermarkets.