MELBOURNE, April 2 (Reuters) - The Canterbury Crusaders will ⁠bid a bittersweet farewell to Rugby League Park on Friday when they play Fijian Drua in their last match at the spartan ⁠venue where they treated loyal fans to outrageous success.

Rugby League Park was only ever intended to be a temporary refuge for ‌the Super Rugby heavyweights following the 2011 earthquake that ruined their previous Lancaster Park home.

It instead became an indelible part of the Crusaders identity as plans for a replacement home dragged on for more than a decade.

The defending champions will finally move to the recently completed Te Kaha stadium on the edge of the Christchurch CBD from April 24, where a permanent ​roof will transform the fan experience.

On Friday, though, supporters will head to the Addington Showgrounds ⁠for one last time to cheer on the 'red and black' ⁠at their windswept fortress.

NOT FANCY

Former Crusaders captain Kieran Read led the team out for their first match at Rugby League Park on March 24, ⁠2012, ‌680 days on from their previous home game in quake-damaged Christchurch.

"The roar from the crowd felt like our city's heartbeat returning," Read said in a letter to fans this week.