The Crusaders have launched their hall of fame by inducting three franchise legends: Wayne Smith, Todd Blackadder and Justin Marshall.
All three were celebrated by their family, friends and peers who filled the 700-strong crowd for the inaugural event at Christchurch's Te Pae Convention Centre.
"Quite tough emotionally that," said Blackadder when speaking to 1News directly after his induction.
"When I first made the team in 1996 I never ever thought I'd be here today but I feel really honoured to be the first inductee but I have to say there will be another 100 join me very soon cause there's so many good people in this organisation just as worthy who have done more than myself," he said.
That sense of overwhelm felt by Justin Marshall too - the second inductee.
"I thought I'd be reasonably composed but when you know who's in the room the players that you played with, the players you've seen play even up till the present day, what they've achieved, what you've achieved, family being there as well it hits you pretty hard to be honest.
"I was just trying to keep it together," said an emotional Marshall.
So too was Wayne Smith who was completely "shocked" by the induction, though he joked he did wonder why the whole family was invited.
"Emotional, surprised, but very, very grateful.
"And I'm hell proud as one of the ones involved in the early stages to see how it's developed, how it's grown and how the values have been retained," he said.
The event also doubled as a charity auction - the Crusaders linking up with Mike King's I Am Hope charity for this year's event.
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