1 The Oval Opiate? The History and Analysis of An Idea - and Claim Associate Prof. Mike Grimshaw School of Social and Political Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch, New Zealand michael.grimshaw@canterbury.ac.nz (Published: International Journal of Religion and Sport, Vol.2, 2013, pp57- 83) Rugby is often referred to as a religion in New Zealand, and in many ways it is. It is a form of worship at least, a means for young and old to gather and pay homage to a sport that pushes all their buttons. (Paul, 2009, p.164). New Zealand rugby union ranks in socio-cultural resonance with soccer in Latin America and cockfights in Bali, New Zealand should be a world capital of the historical study of sport. But it is not – almost as though sport is a religion too important for scholars to tamper with. (Belich, 2001, p.370). There are some subjects…which are considered too sacred to write about, and there are also subjects that are thought too profane. (Kuper, 1994, p.87) Introduction This paper argues that the oft-quoted phrase ‘Rugby is New Zealand’s religion’ does, in fact, express a variety of experiences, at both a societal and an individual level, that can be included under the broad heading of ‘religion’. In so doing, it seeks to discuss the issues and possibilities, both historical and contemporary, that arise with the use of such a claim within the context of New Zealand society. The paper engages with a