Rugby: Twickenham rejects Crusaders' Super 15 bid

The Crusaders played their first "home" match last Friday in Nelson. Photo / Getty Images

The English Rugby Union has turned down a request from the Crusaders to host their Super 15 match against the Sharks at Twickenham this month.

The Christchurch-based Crusaders approached the English RFU about staging the first Super 15 match in the northern hemisphere because their AMI Stadium was too damaged to use after last month's earthquake.

But the British Press Association reported on Wednesday that the RFU faced too many logistical challenges trying to organize the match by March 26, and it offered the Crusaders dates later in the season.

There was a clash with a Harlequins game nearby on the same day, and too little time to resolve transport and security issues.

South Africa's Sharks also said they wouldn't announce whether they agreed with playing in London until Friday.

The Crusaders match was the last of the Sharks' four-match tour of Australia and New Zealand, and scheduled for March 25.

The Crusaders played their first "home" match last Friday in Nelson at the top of the South Island, but are considering all options for future home matches because Nelson seats less than 11,000.

Christchurch mayor Bob Parker went to AMI Stadium yesterday to inspect the damage and told TV3 this morning that the playing surface looked fine but there was damage underneath.

"The playing surface has been very badly damaged. It's like a putt-putt golf course in there with mounds and rolls. The surface itself has stood up amazingly well, it's what's happened underneath it.

"So clearly for that to be used as a game playing venue surface it's going to have to be completely rebuilt, we'd have six months to do that. I think that's achievable. It's a push but we can do that."

- AP/Herald online