McCully disappointed as more games shift north

Rugby World Cup minister Murray McCully said he would have preferred all World Cup matches originally scheduled for Christchurch to have been reallocated to South Island cities.
Rugby New Zealand 2011 (RNZ 2011) yesterday announced a raft of changes to the original tournament schedule forced upon it by major infrastructural damage inflicted on Christchurch by the February 22 earthquake.
Nelson, Dunedin and Invercargill will host pool games set down for Christchurch, but two other matches have been reallocated to Wellington and Albany, on Auckland's North Shore, a decision Mr McCully described as disappointing.
"I went on public record, as I think the Prime Minister did, saying that we hoped all of the games being reallocated from pool matches would be able to be hosted in the South Island," Mr McCully said.
"Two of them have gone to the North Island and that's disappointing, frankly ... But it's their decision and we accept that."
Organisers confirmed a fortnight ago two quarterfinals earmarked for Christchurch will instead be played in Auckland on October 8 and 9.
Mr McCully said the reallocation of the quarterfinals, and now two extra pool matches, to the North Island represented a "significant shift" in the North Island-South Island balance.
Rugby World Cup chairman Bernard Lapasset said all tournament stakeholders had been supportive throughout the rescheduling process.
"Following the difficult decision to transfer the Christchurch matches, all involved have worked hard to confirm the new venues as quickly as possible," he said.
"We are pleased that three of the five matches will remain in the South Island."
RNZ 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden said the decisions provided certainty for the affected seven teams. RNZ 2011 also announced the new Otago Stadium in Dunedin, which is nearing completion, has met the criteria to be a World Cup match venue.
"The Otago Stadium operators have provided us with the assurances we need for us to now be confident that the new venue will be ready to deliver on its tournament obligations," Snedden said.
In the rescheduled matches, Argentina play England in Dunedin on September 10, Australia play Italy at Albany on September 11, England play Georgia in Dunedin on September 18, Argentina play Scotland in Wellington on September 25 and Australia play Russia at Nelson on October 1.
Also, as part of the rescheduling, operational reasons have necessitated the transfer of one non-Christchurch match, Scotland against Georgia, from Dunedin to Invercargill on September 14.
"Our desire was always to transfer as many of the Christchurch pool matches as was reasonably possible to other existing South Island venues," Snedden said.
Organisers also said ticket purchasers for all Christchurch matches and Scotland's game against Georgia match would receive a refund and the opportunity to secure replacement tickets to the rescheduled matches during a priority purchase period.
As well, the rescheduling decisions have meant a number of changes to team bases.
Queenstown will host Georgia as well as Ireland, Romania and England, while Hanmer Springs in North Canterbury becomes a new team base and will host Australia over four nights.