Todd Blackadder
A granite-hard lock who captained the Crusaders dynasty and later shaped the team's identity from the coach's box for nearly a decade.
Born 1971 (age 55)·NZ rugby union player·Birthday: September 20·Generation X
Biography
Todd Blackadder embodied the no-nonsense, physically imposing spirit of Canterbury and Crusaders rugby. His playing career was built not on flashy highlights but on relentless work rate, leadership, and an unbreakable will. While his 12 All Black caps were hard-won in a competitive era, his true legacy was forged in Christchurch. As captain, he was the cornerstone of a Crusaders side that claimed three Super Rugby titles in the late 1990s, setting a standard of excellence. After retiring, he coached in Japan and Scotland before returning home for the daunting task of succeeding Robbie Deans. His nine-year stint as Crusaders head coach was a study in consistency, maintaining the franchise's playoff pedigree and cultivating future All Blacks, even if the ultimate prize remained elusive during his tenure.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Todd was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Todd Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Todd's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Captained the Crusaders to three Super Rugby titles (1998, 1999, 2000) as a player.
- Won two National Provincial Championship titles with Canterbury as a player.
- Played 12 test matches for the All Blacks and captained the side in 14 total appearances.
- Served as head coach of the Crusaders for nine consecutive Super Rugby seasons from 2009 to 2016.
Did You Know?
His son, Ethan Blackadder, is also a professional rugby player and has become an All Black.
Before his rugby career took off, he worked as a farmhand and a freezing worker.
He served as head coach of the Bath Rugby club in England after leaving the Crusaders.
Blackadder was known for his exceptional fitness and strength, often dominating conditioning tests.
“You earn the right to go wide by first going forward, dominating the gain line.”
