Rugby: Crusaders' home for 2012 still in doubt

AMI Stadium. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The All Blacks are booked to play a test in Christchurch next year, but that match and the Crusaders' home fixture list remains in limbo as earthquakes continue to rattle the city.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew yesterday said there was no obvious solution for any of those fixtures, although the most optimistic forecast suggested AMI Stadium might be reopened early next year.

The All Blacks still plan to visit and train in Christchurch before their third World Cup pool game against France in late September but there is constant anxiety about any ideas involving the city.

"The All Blacks remain committed to that but we will clearly keep that under review, though if circumstances change," said Tew.

There were no answers about the Crusaders' headquarters for the next Super 15 season. The timeframe around AMI Stadium and its likely date to be available were not known.

"We had a report prior to the aftershocks a couple of few weeks ago when we were starting to work with the Crusaders and obviously they had another significant event and there is going to be a whole re-evaluation of what that might have done to the damage already there," Tew said.

"We are starting to talk to them about Plan B, but there is no simple or obvious solution, either."

The travel schedule the Crusaders had this season was not ideal, said Tew, but they had to play somewhere.

It was not just a rugby issue for Christchurch, he said, it was part of the confused jigsaw for any number of authorities addressing the city's future. There was no obvious solution.

There had been some talk that the suburban Rugby Park could accommodate the Crusaders but Tew said that had complications.

There was a league ground at Addington to be considered and a ground in Ashburton, but Tew said visiting teams who had put up this year with extra travel or a drop in facilities when they met the Crusaders, may not be so flexible next year.

The best guess for returning to AMI was from early next year to never. Problems had also surfaced with the lack of spectators going to Super 15 matches throughout New Zealand and it was an issue for all franchises to work on, Tew said. Conversely television viewership had risen.

If games were moved to afternoons then the broadcaster would reduce their payments to the NZRU, significantly.