Rugby: Crusaders likely to play 'home game' at Eden Park

Crusaders supporters at Trafalgar Park, Nelson. Photo / Tim Cuff

The chances of the Crusaders playing a home game at Eden Park is now more a probability than a possibility.

The April 9 clash against the Bulls - potentially the game of the competition given their brewing rivalry and status as joint favourites - is the match most likely to go to Auckland.

It's probable, too, that Wellington's Westpac Stadium will play host as the financial ramifications of keeping home games in the Crusaders' region will be too severe if AMI Stadium is ruled out for longer.

Still on the table is a proposal to play the Sharks in London on March 25 but that is likely to be rejected for a number of reasons - not least of all the travel burden for players.

The Crusaders have confirmed they can't stay in Nelson beyond this week, when they will meet the Brumbies. The stadium capacity of 13,000 means they relied on the goodwill of various stakeholders for the Waratahs match just to break even. Longer term, that is not sustainable as the franchise needs to be conscious of the financial impact of playing an entire season in smaller venues.

"If AMI Stadium is unavailable, then we're facing having to play away games every week," Crusaders chief Hamish Riach says. "We have to then get the balance right between what is commercially viable and also saying a big thank-you to the people in our region."

Timaru's Alpine Energy Stadium is on stand-by and appears the most likely place for the match against the Sharks.

As it has a capacity of just 12,000, the Crusaders are unlikely to play more than one game in Timaru. Riach is conscious that with two games having been played at Nelson by then, most - if not all - of the remaining home programme will need to be taken to major venues to make some money.

To some passionate Cantabrians, the thought of being based at the home of the enemy will be hard to accept. But the decisions, should they be signed off, will be hard to demerit. The Crusaders have to remain solvent.

Auckland's significant South African population, combined with reasonable numbers of Cantabrians in the city, would make the Bulls fixture a real chance of commercial success.

There would also be some confidence Aucklanders could be persuaded to adopt red-and-black colours for the day and do their bit to support the region.

It would appear a good deal for Aucklanders - rather than donate directly to the earthquake appeal, they would hand over the usual price of a ticket and get to watch a better football team than the one they usually follow.

The Eden Park Trust has cleared the way for the Crusaders to play there and other key logistical partners will be leaned on to keep costs down.

Playing the Chiefs at Westpac Stadium on May 21 is also a consideration. The Hurricanes have a bye weekend and the logistics of getting people from Christchurch to Wellington and Hamilton to Wellington are not overly demanding.

The prospect of playing at AMI Stadium at some stage has not been ruled out. There is hope the damage could be fixed, or at least enough put right, so the Crusaders can host the tail end of their season in the Garden City.

A detailed report on AMI Stadium is expected to be completed by March 15. If that rules out the prospect of a return before the season ends, then it's possible the remaining home games on the Crusaders' schedule - clashes against the Highlanders (April 23), Blues (June 11) and Hurricanes (June 18) - could be played in Dunedin, Auckland and Wellington respectively, with the gate receipts after costs given to the Crusaders.