Following the March 15 terrorist attacks that left 50 dead and dozens more injured, after a gunman opened fire on two separate mosques, the Crusaders have found themselves contemplating their identity as a team. The team name is a reference to the Crusades of the Mediterranean that saw Muslims killed by Christians.
Started by fan Shane Cannons, the petition is directed towards the New Zealand Government rather than the Crusaders or New Zealand Rugby.
The Crusaders are a "team that thousands of people around the world have loved for so long", Mr Cannons wrote.
