In 1969 Brent Elder left the Wairarapa for Canterbury to further his rugby and farming careers and ended up joining the Linwood RFC…but not before attending a Sunday morning pre-season training run at New Brighton beach with the Christchurch Club. Somehow Brent left behind his ‘rugby towel’; a towel that he’d been given to mark his first International match, against the Springboks for Wairarapa-Bush in 1965.Roger Mahan, a barn-storming loose forward for Christchurch at the time, picked up Brent’s towel and took it home. On the 14 June that season, Christchurch beat Linwood 18-3 at Rugby Park and Roger gave Brent his towel back, to wipe away the tears. With a marker pen Roger had written on the towel and named it 'The Crying Towel'.

Every season ever since, the Towel has gone to the losing team of this first round fixture.The ‘Original' Linwood and Christchurch teams in the CRFU programme from 1969:

In 2026 the Crying Towel game will kick off at 2.45pm at the Linwood Rugby Club on the 2nd of May.

A combined function with the Linwood Matadors will be held at their clubrooms, Linfield Sports Club, ​​​​​​​ Tāne Norton Park, 56 Kearneys Road, Bromley, Christchurch 8062 before the game.

If you are interested in attending please email aaronkitto19@gmail.com.